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

[Lord Camomile]

I put this very point to Chris Leslie via his fb page.

Thus far, no response

It was probably discussed round the table at Nando's.

"Guys, someone got in touch with me on Facebook, I think there's something we need to talk about..."

 

[bemused]

Do they look like they're doing it for fun..?

Heidi Allen is tucking in. I've a soft spot for Heidi she always seems so happy.

 

[pesh]

Although, and I can't believe this has only just occurred to me... isn't the idea of a 'group of independents' a bit oxymoronic?

The Lone Rangers

 

[SpackleFrog]

Heidi Allen is tucking in. I've a soft spot for Heidi she always seems so happy.

 

[JimW]

They only agreed to go to Nandos because they thought it was another forum for billionaires in Switzerland.

 

[Wilf]

They only agreed to go to Nandos because they thought it was another forum for billionaires in Switzerland.

'Welcome to Nandos. Are you the Umunna party?'
- no, we are just sitting as independents for the time being without a leader, but will revisit the issue before the end of the year.
'FFS, I just wanted to know if you needed a big table!'
- oh, sorry. Yes, erm, we are indeed a group.
'And will anyone be joining you later?'
- well, even after Corbyn's belated U turn on the second referendum, we have high hopes. The antisemitism thing alone will surely bring fresh recruits.
'Jaysus, I just wanted to know if anybody else was dining tonight'
- oops, sorry again, this low budget dining lark isn't easy!
'Right then. So, you choose a main meal and your sauce and then there's the sides'
- erm, can we change sides later?
'GET OUT!'

 

[Bahnhof Strasse]

 

[SpookyFrank]

'Welcome to Nandos. Are you the Umunna party?'
- no, we are just sitting as independents for the time being without a leader, but will revisit the issue before the end of the year.
'FFS, I just wanted to know if you needed a big table!'
- oh, sorry. Yes, erm, we are indeed a group.
'And will anyone be joining you later?'
- well, even after Corbyn's belated U turn on the second referendum, we have high hopes. The antisemitism thing alone will surely bring fresh recruits.
'Jaysus, I just wanted to know if anybody else was dining tonight'
- oops, sorry again, this low budget dining lark isn't easy!
'Right then. So, you choose a main meal and your sauce and then there's the sides'
- erm, can we change sides later?
'GET OUT!'

Excellent stuff, this is what we come to Urban for.

 

[Wilf]

Anyway, they seem to be stuck on 11. The Nandos thing doesn't seem to have attracted any more centrist epicurean mould breakers.

 

[cupid_stunt]

I put this on the bandwidth thread, but worth a re-post on this one.

 

[rekil]

Do they put the bill on their expenses or is there a food allowance limit.

 

[killer b]

Anyway, they seem to be stuck on 11. The Nandos thing doesn't seem to have attracted any more centrist epicurean mould breakers.

been a lot of shouting today over Williamson, I wouldn't be totally surprised if someone else went.

 

[agricola]

Do they put the bill on their expenses or is there a food allowance limit.

With them it could be both.

 

[SpackleFrog]

been a lot of shouting today over Williamson, I wouldn't be totally surprised if someone else went.

I feel more like they won't see the need, since they seem to be getting everything their own way inside Labour now.

 

[killer b]

Williamson being suspended is a good thing for the left too tbf.

 

[SpackleFrog]

Williamson being suspended is a good thing for the left too tbf.

You think?

I don't think he's particularly bright and while I don't know much about it he obviously shouldn't have gone near Beeley, much less praised her. But he's the only 'left' MP I've heard put forward anything about automatic reselection and democratising the party. I can't say I think very much positive about him but he seemed to be the only (mild) threat to Watson et al.

In any case, my guess is that having managed to remove him, the right will feel more confident about removing others. Who, having not defended Williamson, will struggle to defend themselves.

 

[killer b]

Yeah. He's a wrecker. He should have been stepped on years ago. Fuck him, fuck his defenders.

 

[butchersapron]

Yeah. He's a wrecker. He should have been stepped on years ago. Fuck him, fuck his defenders.

Around the time this decrepit little monkey man was leading derby labour party into a coalition with the tories and imposing his own version of progressive austerity - at the very latest.

 

[SpackleFrog]

Yeah. He's a wrecker. He should have been stepped on years ago. Fuck him, fuck his defenders.

Sorry - I meant, can you tell me why you think this?

 

[killer b]

He's a poisonous Jew-baiter and a tactical liability.

 

[SpackleFrog]

He's a poisonous Jew-baiter and a tactical liability.

I'm not gonna disagree on the latter, but then literally every Corbyn supporting MP is a tactical liability including Corbyn himself.

On the former, I hadn't heard anything about him being anti-semitic (although acknowledge butchersapron comments about his damascene like conversion from Tory collaborating Blairite to hard nosed left winger) can you give me any examples?

 

[killer b]

I didn't say he's been antisemitic. I said he's a jew-baiter, which he is.

 

[SpackleFrog]

I didn't say he's been antisemitic. I said he's a jew-baiter, which he is.

I'd be genuinely interested in what your opinion is on the difference.

 

[killer b]

I don't think Williamson has said anything explicitly antisemitic, but his words and actions (the 'pattern of behaviour' he's being investigated for) throughout the Labour antisemitism row has clearly been aimed to inflame the situation. Fuck him.

 

[SpackleFrog]

I don't think Williamson has said anything explicitly antisemitic, but his words and actions (the 'pattern of behaviour' he's being investigated for) throughout the Labour antisemitism row has clearly been aimed to inflame the situation. Fuck him.

I don't really understand that - maybe I haven't paid enough attention to his words and actions.

 

[Argonia]

All he said was that the party has been too apologetic on anti-semitism. Which is fine as far as free speech goes. What is all this censorship that goes on these days?

 

[killer b]

I don't really understand that - maybe I haven't paid enough attention to his words and actions.

This thread from last summer details some of the problem.

 

[SpineyNorman]

All he said was that the party has been too apologetic on anti-semitism. Which is fine as far as free speech goes. What is all this censorship that goes on these days?

It's not censorship, it's basic party discipline. A party is supposed to be a coalition built around a set of principles. If someone doesn't abide by those principles - whether in words or actions - it is only right that they are made to leave. Fuck all to do with censorship and fuck all to do with freedom of speech.

 

[SpackleFrog]

It's not censorship, it's basic party discipline. A party is supposed to be a coalition built around a set of principles. If someone doesn't abide by those principles - whether in words or actions - it is only right that they are made to leave. Fuck all to do with censorship and fuck all to do with freedom of speech.

To be fair the notion of the Labour PLP having a shared set of principles and abiding by any kind of basic party discipline disappeared a while ago.

 

[SpackleFrog]

This thread from last summer details some of the problem.

Thanks.