Forum Topic

Labour Party Split Imminent?

Press conference at 10.00 or thereabouts.

Sue Hammond ● 2824d18 Comments

Now downgraded to announcement later today. Maybe not a split after all but possibly half a dozen or so MPs who don't agree with Corbyn over Brexit. Chuka Umunna is reported to be one of them.

Sue Hammond ● 2823d

Those that have turned up are: Luciana BergerGavin ShukerChuka UmunnaAnn CoffeyMike GapesAngela SmithChris LeslieCalling themselves The Independent Party.No secret that Umunna is after the top job.

Sue Hammond ● 2823d

Can't see how they'll have much influence on Brexit. Bit late for that.

David Ainsworth ● 2823d

I can't see them having much influence than anything. David Lammy is on LBC droning on about it now and most of the calls are negative.  I wonder if these 7 MPs will now have to fight a by- election in their constituencies?

Sue Hammond ● 2823d

The Independent Group website and twitter account went up this morning after announcement: website crashed due to so many people wanting to access it and Twitter followers number just under 25K already.

Lucille Grant ● 2823d

"I wonder if these 7 MPs will now have to fight a by- election in their constituencies?"I don't believe that they are obliged to.

David Ainsworth ● 2823d

I would t have thought they would want to either especially before the end of March.  So many people will vote labour or Tory by default, I think they could well struggle to retain their seats if they stood now unless they are from massively pro remain seats.  Not sure there’s a lot of name recognition epbeyond Chuka Umunna at the moment

Mike Warman ● 2823d

I think there is plenty of name recognition in the seats they hold as they all, bar one, have huge majorities.

Lucille Grant ● 2823d

I think that Angela Smith will have name recognition now, anyway.

David Ainsworth ● 2823d

Yes she certainly will. What a bad move.

Lucille Grant ● 2823d

Yes that was unfortunate for her!I think that they have large majorities as they stood as labour candidates, next time they would be standing against labour candidates of course.Obviously a few potential outcomes- they stand and lose - get replaced by more corbynistas helping the party lurch leftwards- this is the start of the fabled new centre party taking a larger slice of the ground and votes (ie the Lib Dem’s but more so(?) and the new party (of mystery name) garner more support from centre ground labour and Tory mps and members (?) and become a major force in politics, possibly as the pro EU party (quite a few on the Tory benches including one T May could fit in quite well)- it all fades to obscurity if they don’t gain momentum.Of course one assumes aiming for the 2nd, but as we know our current electoral system does few favours for new parties.  I’m also unclear as the trajectory of politics at the moment is more to differentiation with labour becoming more left wing, and presumably if the Tory membership manage to get rid of may and co at some stage the tories becoming more right wing. Will there be a large enough campus in the Blair to Cameron or Blair to Cable space?  There was of course but maybe not now?

Mike Warman ● 2823d

Interestingly, now Sarah Wollaston, Heidi Allen and Anna Soubry have defected from the Tories and joined the Independent Group.

Richard Carter ● 2821d

You need larger numbers for a real split, in either party. Obviously the passage of time may reveal more. Have to see how long this daily dance of the 7 veils will carry on.

David Ainsworth ● 2821d

It’s probably too much to ask, but I’d love to see more moderate, pragmatic MPs join this group.  Politics, and our two main parties, has become increasingly dominated by populists and extremists stoking fear, division and hatred.  Fingers crossed these independents mark the beginning of a new movement

Craig Fordham ● 2821d

Hear hear Craig

Lucille Grant ● 2821d

Agreed, but the problem is that our dreadful winner-takes-all system makes it almost impossible for such breakaway groups to survive: that's what did for the SDP. And although parties often affect to support reform as long as they're in opposition, as soon as they gain power they stay with the system.

Richard Carter ● 2821d

Richard I think the difference now from when the SDP was formed in 1981 is that  MPs from both major parties are joining the new group. The SDP was  initially a group of 4 Labour members of whom only Rodgers and Owen were sitting MPs. The only similarity is that the SDP was formed because Labour was becoming too Left Wing (plus ca change)and nothing changed within until 2007 and the birth of New Labour. Corbyn and Momentum has sent the Labour movement back decades.

Lucille Grant ● 2821d

Is any party really sorry to lose Anna Soubry ?

Andy Pike ● 2821d