HUNDREDS of northern Labour members look set to say farewell to defecting Blairite MP Chuka Umunna at a leaving drinks party this Saturday.

The “Leaving Drinks for Chuka” party, which has been organised by Manchester Momentum, looks set to be attended by hundreds of people.

The afternoon event will be held at the Kings Arms, the Salford pub that is part-owned by famous musician Paul Heaton.

Manchester Momentum activist Beth Redmond told the Star: “We’re all really pleased to finally be able to raise a toast to the long-awaited departure of the arch-Blairite himself.

“Let him commit himself to irrelevance while we commit ourselves to Saturday pints.”

Mr Umunna, a longstanding critic of Jeremy Corbyn, left Labour this week to form the Independent Group, a new party composed of former Labour MPs and anti-Brexit Tories.

His office did not respond to Star enquiries about whether he intends to attend the event.