All change once again for Change UK party as it's forced to choose a third new name

It was all smiles at the launch of the Change UK party. Credit: PA

It's all change once again for new political group Change UK as it's being forced to amend its name for a third time following a dispute.

The group, originally known as The Independent Group, was challenged over the similarity of its new title to the Change.org petition site.

The group has now said it will apply for registration with the Electoral Commission as The Independent Group for Change.

A statement set out how lawyers from Change.org disputed the group's right to register as "Change UK" with the Electoral Commission ahead of the European elections.

They explained how "under threat of legal action" by Change.org, which could have seen "each MP being sued personally" and with no time left to register a new party name, Change UK "felt we had no option but to sign a legal agreement" to ditch the name following the election.

Chuka Umanna quit the party leaving Anna Soubry to lead it. Credit: PA

The group has been beset by setbacks since its launch just a few months ago.

Founding member Chuka Umunna was one of six MPs to quit the party last week, leaving just five remaining.

New leader Anna Soubry said she was disappointed to see the former Labour MP go but vowed to continue building the Change UK movement.

Ex-leader Heidi Allen joined the exodus, alongside Sarah Wollaston, Luciana Berger, Gavin Shuker and Angela Smith, with the six MPs saying they would now sit as independents.

Heidi Allen quit the party over tactical voting at the European elections Credit: ITV

Ms Allen told ITV's Robert Peston that she had walked away over tactical voting in the European Elections.

She said: "It's more complicated than that but the party was still behaving in the ways of the party triumphing rather than that to protect the country."

The Independent Group was launched on February 18 this year by seven MPs who had quit Labour and four more, including three Tories, who quickly became known as the Tiggers.

In April, the group's registration with the Electoral Commission as a political party named Change UK was accepted, although its logo was rejected, in part for the inclusion of a hashtag.