First the split.
Seven MPs have resigned from the Labour Party in protest at Jeremy Corbyn's approach to Brexit and anti-Semitism.
They are: Chuka Umunna, Luciana Berger, Chris Leslie, Angela Smith, Mike Gapes, Gavin Shuker and Ann Coffey.
The seven MPs, who all back a further EU referendum, are not launching a new political party - they will sit in Parliament as the Independent Group.
But
Chuka Umunna said they had "taken the first step" and urged other Labour MPs - and members of other parties - to join them in "building a new politics".
He said there would be "no merger" with the Liberal Democrats, who have 11 MPs, and the group wanted to "build a new alternative"
But, then came the first slip-up. A
"funny tinge".
In reply to Casper
Interesting
In reply to Casper
It will backfire spectacularly if the financial backing is proven true
In reply to Casper
Let's put aside Angela Smith's slip on BBC Politics Live that racism against Jews is more important than racism against those of us who have a "funny tinge".
Five of the seven, including Smith and Umunna, are registered members of this Israeli lobby group:
Labour Friends of Israel
Now, look at the name of the most recent resignation:
Joan Ryan, parliamentary chair of the LFI
Any time Jeremy Corbyn criticises Israel, the LFI yell "anti-Semitism"!
This group say they want to build "a new alternative", but they have put forward no policies aside from anti-Semitism. Curious, isn't it?
In reply to Chrissy
And now 3 Tory MPs quit to join the Independent Group citing the Conservative party is becoming too right wing. This brings their numbers to 11.
Rumours have there are more defections on the way.
but this is all a distraction from the main issue....the existential threat to the UK economy called Brexit, especially if we have a No deal Brexit.
In the meantime, foreign investors are starting to pull out of the UK.
One thing is for sure, British politics is changing.
In reply to mikesiva
Mike, thanks for giving us a close up view on this. I have confidence the British people and party members will see right through their agenda.
Can they cause damage to Labor?
Make Britain Great Again. Recolonize the Caribbean and North America.
Can someone please hep Britain out of this malaise?
In reply to Emir
As Ninesy posted, it's not just Labour - three MPs have just left the Tories to join the so-called "Independent Group".
Heidi Allen, Sarah Woollaston and Anna Soubry
Their issue is a bit different, though. The Labour party membership is about 500,000, so their constituency parties are strong in numbers and very active. In contrast, the Tory party membership has dropped to about 50,000, which is one-tenth of what the Labour membership is. What this means is that Tory constituency parties are vulnerable to UKIP members joining in significant numbers, and outnumbering the elderly three men and a dog who make up each of their constituency parties.
Tory deselections
As a result, these UKIP members are making moves to de-select any Tory MP who opposes a No-Deal Brexit. These three jumped before they were pushed by an increasingly right-wing Tory membership.
How do the two main parties differ on Brexit?
Conservatives - if May's hodge-podge deal doesn't get acceptance (and it won't!), then they want a No-Deal Brexit at the end of March.
Labour - they want to stay in the EU single market at the end of March.
The so-called Independent Group are building their entire campaign around a Second Referendum, which, to be frank, won't happen, would solve nothing, and would just further divide the country. The so-called Independent Group is offering nothing that the Lib Dems already offer, so they might as well merge with the Lib Dems. So, while they become the darlings of the British media, they have little or no voting support, like the SDP before them. If they get more than nine percent at the next General Election, if they last long enough to contest one, I will eat my Jamaica tam!
Another member of LFI quits....
Ian Austin has become the ninth MP to quit Labour this week, blaming leader Jeremy Corbyn for "creating a culture of extremism and intolerance".
He told the BBC the leadership had failed to tackle anti-Semitism and had turned the party into a "narrow sect".
But the MP for Dudley North said he had no plans to join the new Independent Group of former Labour and Tory MPs
Apparently, the so-called "Independent Group" is too left-wing for him!
