The Independent Group

[kevin04]

11 members of parliament/joint 4th party with the Lib Dems.

Do you live in any of their constituencies? And if so, do you back them?

If not, and a few more go over to the TIG (feck, I'm making up abbreviations) and a UK election is called. Would you then vote for a TIG candidate?

[Vespa]

I can't see them forming a party. I'm not sure all 11 are in the group.

[Royal24s]

No they won't . At least two of them started off thinking they were going to be the "Leader" but it's not going to happen. No common denominator except hubris and disloyalty.

[Royal24s]

If they do though, this has got to be their theme at the first Party Conference

[Ralph]

No they won't . At least two of them started off thinking they were going to be the "Leader" but it's not going to happen. No common denominator except hubris and disloyalty.

I (sort of) agree with Royals here. No really. They’ve left their parties for different reasons.


Chuka Umanna = Ambition and regret for not standing for the Labour leadership when he could have won it.

Mike Gapes = Personal grievance with Corbyn and because he’s been wound up by Twitter trolls

Chris Leslie = Agrees with austerity etc. Joined the wrong party.

Joan Ryan = Can’t stand any criticism of Israel at all, no matter how mild.

Anna Soubry = Scatter brain.

Ian (future member) Austin = Could fall out with someone in an empty room.

Angela Smith = Because she’s appalled by the racism aimed at people with a funny tinge.


They’ll end up at each other’s throats. It’s just a matter of time. It happened with the SDP and there were serious politicians with a record of achievement involved.

[Zambo]

A total farce in more ways than one. The moment they resigned they lost the mandate of the people. Do they seriously believe that the public voted for them and not the party they stood for at the GE. There should be forced by elections with new appointees for the parties. Let's see how many votes they get then.

Moreover, Tories and Labour members merging, is a bit like Villa and Blues supporters meeting in the pub for a drink before a derby. It will end in bloodshed.

[Ralph]

A total farce in more ways than one. The moment they resigned they lost the mandate of the people. Do they seriously believe that the public voted for them and not the party they stood for at the GE. There should be forced by elections with new appointees for the parties. Let's see how many votes they get then.

Moreover, Tories and Labour members merging, is a bit like Villa and Blues supporters meeting in the pub for a drink before a derby. It will end in bloodshed.

I agree there should be by-elections. No question that’s the right thing to do. When the facts change the electorate should have the opportunity to vote differently.

Agreed Zambo?

[Zambo]

A total farce in more ways than one. The moment they resigned they lost the mandate of the people. Do they seriously believe that the public voted for them and not the party they stood for at the GE. There should be forced by elections with new appointees for the parties. Let's see how many votes they get then.

Moreover, Tories and Labour members merging, is a bit like Villa and Blues supporters meeting in the pub for a drink before a derby. It will end in bloodshed.

I agree there should be by-elections. No question that’s the right thing to do. When the facts change the electorate should have the opportunity to vote differently.

Agreed Zambo?

No, the Government are voted into run the country, although until we are out of the EU it obviously doesn't work like that. The referendum was a one off to obtain the views of the public.

[Ralph]

A total farce in more ways than one. The moment they resigned they lost the mandate of the people. Do they seriously believe that the public voted for them and not the party they stood for at the GE. There should be forced by elections with new appointees for the parties. Let's see how many votes they get then.

Moreover, Tories and Labour members merging, is a bit like Villa and Blues supporters meeting in the pub for a drink before a derby. It will end in bloodshed.

I agree there should be by-elections. No question that’s the right thing to do. When the facts change the electorate should have the opportunity to vote differently.

Agreed Zambo?

No, the Government are voted into run the country, although until we are out of the EU it obviously doesn't work like that. The referendum was a one off to obtain the views of the public.

The referendum was a one off but these MPs should be forced to fight by-elections. You have a self-serving view of how democracy should work Zambo.

[Royal24s]

I expect I'll get accused of expressing an opinion here as I was when I explained the position regarding manifestos v. Local opinion.
Thing is though that,even though we might think they should be made to have by elections , they haven't got to . They're elected as individuals and that status isn't dependent on continued connection to the parties they represented at the election.
It's open to them and it'd be the honourable course of action but I don't see any honourable individuals in this bunch so they'll probably sit it out as long as the law allows them to.

[AlcoholBrazil]

a bit like Villa and Blues supporters meeting in the pub for a drink before a derby. It will end in bloodshed.

I'm sure you and Lawnsy would get on socially. It's only a game.

[carcinogen]

Feel slightly sorry for the Berger lady. All the Brexiteers quickly latched onto her genuine concerns regarding Jew-Baiting.

[Royal24s]

I'll agree with that, although it's the other lot rather than Brexiteers.
Anti semitism is implicit in socialism as anyone who's bothered to study it's philosophy will know . Hence the extreme actions of the German National Socialists or Nazis. Once again though, many people have been hoodwinked into the belief that they somehow weren't socialists .
In both cases I've long given up trying to convince the " true believers" to examine or at least properly study the philosophy they recommend .
The fact is though that the more extreme the socialism the more extreme the anti semitism and the more powerful socialists get the more likely that is to result in violence and murder of their opponents, including those considered inconsistent with their nightmare vision of a socialist society by virtue of their race.

[m4rkb]

I have lot of admiration for all of them.

They were unable to reform the organisations they belonged to from within so decided to leave.

[Zambo]

I have lot of admiration for all of them.

They were unable to reform the organisations they belonged to from within so decided to leave.

The problem is, they haven't left.