Change UK: Chuka Umunna resigns from Labour party and launches Independent Group

[Dogsauce]

Margaret Hodge has been something of a shit-stirrer of late, is anyone giving odds?

 

[danny la rouge]

All but one of the Labour deserters were Freinds Of Israel

So what? Why does that make them Likud?

 

[Shechemite]

.

 

[Humberto]

Owen Smith would be logical to some extent maybe.

 

[8ball]

A very politically-aware mate of mine scoffed at me at work when I said I thought there was a chance of Soubry joining this new little group.

I was still surprised when it actually happened. Had similar odd feelings about Brexit and Trump that he scoffed at (for better reasons than my inarticulate hunch), so I have the hat trick now.

For what it’s worth, I’ve been saying for a couple of years now that we won’t be leaving the EU...

Just thought I’d get that on record - my run is bound to end sometime.

 

[cantsin]

Sounds like Ian Austin next - there'll be few more popular departures than this one amongst members, genuine wrong un .

 

[ViolentPanda]

View attachment 162438

You know you're a cunt when even Tim "wanker" Farron can land a hard one on you!

 

[ViolentPanda]

idiots.

It'll get blamed on some overzealous staff member, who'll get the boot, even though they were probably doing it at the request of the MP.

 

[8ball]

You know you're a cunt when even Tim "wanker" Farron can land a hard one on you!

Well, MEP rather than MP and all that.
Some might say Farron has left an open goal for Farage...

 

[ViolentPanda]

yvette cooper, David lammy, Stephen kinnock

John Mann, Liz Kendall, Ian Austin, Owen Smith.

 

[ViolentPanda]

Currently at legs 11. 13 will be unlucky for some, but if they make it up to 33, that's fish, chips and peas, in honour of their spiritual leader, Peter Mandelson.

Fish, chips and guacamole, surely?

 

[ViolentPanda]

Petit bourgeois Mandelsonism

Given his mushy peas/guacamole gaffe, surely that should be petit pois bourgeois Mandelsonism?

 

[ViolentPanda]

Upper middle class tosser!

His grandad - who gave Kim Philby a clean slate - weren't much cop, either.

 

[Kaka Tim]

blair might be joining according to this

Tony Blair tipped to be next to join Independent Group

kiss of death. "new politics" my big fat fucking hair bollock.

 

[Humberto]

None of them seem to have an original idea and the courage to back it up.

 

[Humberto]

As long as cunts make money out of politics mammon will be your breakfast lunch and tea.

Put that on the back of a packet of Frosties.

 

[Raheem]

blair might be joining according to this

Tony Blair tipped to be next to join Independent Group

kiss of death. "new politics" my big fat fucking hair bollock.

Yeah, but that article also tips Heidi Allen to be next to follow the three Tories who eloped today.

 

[Dom Traynor]

Doubt it. Not Stella Creasy either (I think she considers herself more a Co-op member anyway these days).

I would be very surprised if she did, or Alison McGovern as mentioned above - they are both Labour to the core. Never say never in these strange times but the likes of the and Wes Streeting, or Caroline Flint leaving would surprise me.

 

[Sprocket.]

I cannot see Flint igniting any further rebellion.

 

[killer b]

The new group is more than anything an anti Brexit group, so flint isn't going to be joining. Same for mann. Kendall has made her peace with Brexit too IIRC. The only reason Austin hasn't jumped yet is because of this - on the balance i think he might still, but it'll involve some significant contortions to make himself fit...

 

[andysays]

I've got a feeling it won't be one more to make an even 12 - just cos I know I won't get to call them the DIrty Dozen somehow.

Is there anyone called Baker who might jump? If they brought a friend, we could have a baker's dozen...

 

[skyscraper101]

Would Ken Clarke ever do it? He has to be looking at retirement soon I’d have throught.

 

[Smokeandsteam]

blair might be joining according to this

Tony Blair tipped to be next to join Independent Group

kiss of death. "new politics" my big fat fucking hair bollock.

Never heard of the source but other stories I’ve read suggest he’s working on a centrist project of his own. The field for a Macron ‘management of collapsing neoliberal for the rich’ organisation is a crowded one.

 

[Sprocket.]

The new group is more than anything an anti Brexit group, so flint isn't going to be joining. Same for mann. Kendall has made her peace with Brexit too IIRC. The only reason Austin hasn't jumped yet is because of this - on the balance i think he might still, but it'll involve some significant contortions to make himself fit...

Flint is a good example of a policy Labour should have dropped. She was parachuted into Don Valley by the Blair organisation and replaced the labour members who had always worked towards becoming the local MP.
The Labour majority when a NUM member, Martin Redmond stood was over 14000. In 2017 Flint had just over 5000. She also promoted staying in Europe, but my old village, Denaby Main returned a 85% Leave vote.
She will do or say anything to keep her snout in the Westminster trough. So no, much as locals would like to see her gone, she will hang on.

 

[Smokeandsteam]

Flint is a good example of a policy Labour should have learned. She was parachuted into Don Valley by the Blair organisation and replaced the labour members who had always worked towards becoming the local MP.
The Labour majority when a NUM member, Martin Redmond stood was over 14000. In 2017 Flint had just over 5000. She also promoted staying in Europe, but my old village, Denaby Main returned a 85% Leave vote.
She will do or say anything to keep her snout in the Westminster trough. So no, much as locals would like to see her gone, she will hang on.

Flint is a labour leave supporter mate. I’d also suggest politically she more from the union RW labour tradition rather than Blairite.

 

[ska invita]

Owen Smith would be logical to some extent maybe.

woah woah woah...easy now...you don't want to bring out your big guns so soon. Owen Smith will be holding back to deliver the sucker punch.

As to Blair joining, he isnt an MP, nor can he go out in public without being accosted....I guess he could stand as an independent in the safe independent seat of the private security cordon in which he permanently lives.

though seriously, once you start looking at the known knowns, the known unknowns and the unknown unknowns, the list of potential leavers is a long one

 

[JuanTwoThree]

I suppose that if there is any theoretical underpinning to this or to what Blair might come up with it would be

Radical centrism - Wikipedia

but all I see is flouncing.

 

[Pickman's model]

woah woah woah...easy now...you don't want to bring out your big guns so soon. Owen Smith will be holding back to deliver the sucker punch.

As to Blair joining, he isnt an MP, nor can he go out in public without being accosted....I guess he could stand as an independent in the safe independent seat of the private security cordon in which he permanently lives.

though seriously, once you start looking at the known knowns, the known unknowns and the unknown unknowns, the list of potential leavers is a long one

Of all the things you may associate with Owen Smith, punches sucker or otherwise are not among them

 

[moochedit]

Would Ken Clarke ever do it? He has to be looking at retirement soon I’d have throught.

I think i read somewhere that he said he wasn't standing next election. So i guess he might think he has nothing to lose. Although it might bugger up his chances of a seat in the lords which might stop him.

Found this:

Belfast Telegraph: Ken Clarke: Party risks losing moderates unless it changes direction.
Ken Clarke: Party risks losing moderates unless it changes direction - BelfastTelegraph.co.uk

Edit - he decided to run in 2017 despite previously saying he would not run in 2020.

Ken Clarke to stand to be an MP again

 

[two sheds]

Of all the things you may associate with Owen Smith, punches sucker or otherwise are not among them

Oh I don't know