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Original poster

7 Labour MPs quit to form Independence Group

27 replies

IdaBWells · 18/02/2019 17:40

There must be a thread but I can't find it.

This is good news as far as I am concerned. The Tories and Labour are both swinging to extremes and leading us nowhere. Anything to break the deadlock. I also agree that the political tone and conversation has become toxic in the Labour party, especially for women.

The Tories seem mostly led by pompous rich boys who don't care how ordinary people are affected by their policies.

OP posts:
Lasvegas · 18/02/2019 18:45

I couldn’t believe a thread hasn’t been started earlier in the day.

I think it’s good that there are more imdependent MP.s my ideal situation would be all 650 MP.s are independent.

But I think it’s appalling to be elected as Labour or Green etc and say you are delivering on that manifesto then to resign the whip. They should all stand in a by election and there should be legislation to male MP.s of all colours stand again. Citing anti semitism albeit a worthy reason should not negate a by elelection.

cdtaylornats · 18/02/2019 18:54

MPs are elected to represent the people of their constituencies not the party.

None of these MPs are guilty of changing the stance of the party.

If a party changes its manifesto commitments should all its MPs be required to resign their seat?

Decormad38 · 20/02/2019 06:05

This reply has been deleted

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MrPan · 20/02/2019 06:13

I resigned my Labour membership in the summer due to the sex-gender stance anti-Semitism and Brexit. It isn't my 'home' after a life time and the resigning Mps have been brave in my assessment.
Corbyn is great for the protesting youth, thought they will.be screwed by Labour facilitating Brexit, but also shit show for the grown ups.

bellinisurge · 20/02/2019 06:21

@Decormad38 , you must realise that "a little bit of antisemitism" is too much, right?
Anti Zionism means seeking the end of Israel. Plenty of people in Israel criticise Israeli policy . What with it being a democracy. Imperfect, like ours, but a democracy. If people start saying they are anti Zionist it means they don't want Israel to exist. And all that entails.
The debate over the creation of Israel was one for my dad's generation before WWII .

DonaldTwain · 20/02/2019 06:30

I’m looking forward to hearing what level of anti semitism is deemed acceptable. There was me thinking that post 6 million murdered, it was kind of a zero tolerance thing. Clearly a memo I missed there.

FormerlyFrikadela01 · 20/02/2019 06:43

They should be made to stand byelections.

Like it or not the vast majority of the British public are not voting for an individual candidate but the party as a whole.
According to the news they all increased their majorities during the last election... this was on the back of the Labour manifesto not their own personal one. And if indeed they did win their seat and the increase in majority on the back of their own personal charisma then they have nothing to fear from a by-election.

TheNumberfaker · 20/02/2019 06:46

Formerly everyone knows that we vote for the person, rather than the party in a General Election.

Decormad38 · 20/02/2019 06:47

If these MPs were so incensed at the Anti-Semitism why didn’t they leave the party at the time this revealed itself. That’s what Im saying. I think AS is wrong off course but it seems it is a little too late to use it as an excuse now.

FormerlyFrikadela01 · 20/02/2019 06:55

TheNumberfaker ask a member of the public who their candidate is at election time and I bet a significant number couldn't tell you.

And I agree with Decormad38. The antisemitism has been going on for a while, well before the last general election yet they were all still happy to stand under the Labour banner.

bellinisurge · 20/02/2019 07:02

Ah yes the fault on anti Semitism is with the people who experience it and don't say anything Hmm. Do you really believe that?

gettingtherequickly · 20/02/2019 07:02

I know one of them personally and this was an incredibly hard decision for her to make. I support her 100%, and many people round here voted for her, not the Labour Party.

bellinisurge · 20/02/2019 07:03

How many people endure prejudice and say nothing about it. Or tolerate it. Is it their fault now?

BerensteinBear · 20/02/2019 07:04

I note that the Tiggers are in favour of a people's vote re Brexit, but not a people's vote where their constituents can decide if they still want their MP now that they have left the Labour Party.
These all increased their majorities in the last election, so they should have nothing to be concerned about, right?

bellinisurge · 20/02/2019 07:06

Yes, they should be superhuman on everything. Perfect in every way. Beyond reproach on anything.
Like the Dear Leader.

Monty27 · 20/02/2019 07:07

I don't understand anti semitism. I seriously don't. On any level. Would a patient poster explain it to me please?

bellinisurge · 20/02/2019 07:10

Contempt, hatred, prejudice towards Jews. Dress it up with all sorts of justification but basically antisemites don't like Jews. See also The Holocaust. Which was the systematic and industrial murder of Jews.

ThroughThickAndThin01 · 20/02/2019 07:11

Of course they shouldn’t stand in a by election yet. They need time to establish what they stand for so their constituents will be able to form an opinion and vote with knowledge and confidence in the next election.

ZenNudist · 20/02/2019 07:20

I vote for my MP not the party. I dont like what has happened to Labour but i think she is a safe pair of hands to represent our interests.

I worry this move is going to make Labour even weaker. I wish they'd get a decent leader and stand up for what the rest of the party say is their Brexit stance rather than Jezza going his own sweet way.

MrPan · 20/02/2019 07:24

So Tories get a low tax unregulated economy and split Labour.

SisterOfDonFrancisco · 20/02/2019 07:27

Good for them. But the people who voted for labour in their area must be feeling a bit miffed. I definitely would be. You vote for the party and their manifesto, not for a person. There might be a few outliers but generally this is what voters tend to do. Will be interesting to see how these MPs will vote in the parliament now. What will their manifesto be in the next ge.

BelleSausage · 20/02/2019 08:02

I’m really cautiously optimistic about this. If Labour can’t stop the extreme left wing controlling the party then it is time to go somewhere else.

I’m not so wedded to Labour to ignore the sickness in it’s heart.

bellinisurge · 20/02/2019 08:14

@MrPan - do some research in Derek Hatton. Yes, splintering Labour plays into the Tories' hands. But that doesn't mean you should let wankers like Hatton take over and turn a broad church into a cult.

MrPan · 20/02/2019 08:26

Bell - fwiw I don't need to research Hatton. I recall it all.

And I do agree. Sorry for the misunderstanding. The future under Corbyn and his Momentum tribe is bleak for Labour. Only Tories and LDs will benefit.

littlebillie · 20/02/2019 20:23

I caught an interesting radio programme on the fact there are three parties in the Uk, Right, Left and middle. The middle party will arrive next 12 months we could see a huge shift in politics. Most of us want a solid economy who want to support the vulnerable, protect our streets, educate the coming generation and maintain our NHS. Any voter in the UK would look for something like this in party. I have been a floating voter and at the moment I couldn't trust Corbyn and May has lost her way. I liked what they had to say today and the new joiners this afternoon, they were articulate women.

I think most of us are seeking a middle ground where we pay a fair amount of tax to preserve and protect our society.