The Independent Group - Six MPs quit The Independant Group!

rammywhite wrote:Bonce,
You omitted to say who it was signed by. Perhaps that might shed some light on its authenticity and provenance.

Dear David, Our country is in crisis and needs a Labour Government.  Our opponents are the Tories, not each other, and it's disappointing that a small group of MPs have felt unable to continue to work together for the Labour policies that inspired millions at the last election and saw us increase our vote by the largest share since 1945.  Labour won people over on a programme for the many not the few – redistributing wealth and power, taking vital resources into public ownership, investing in every region and nation, and tackling climate change.  The Conservative Government is bungling Brexit, while Labour has set out a credible alternative, keeping all options on the table, including a public vote to stop a disastrous 'no deal' Brexit.  When millions are facing the misery of Universal Credit, rising crime, homelessness and poverty, now more than ever is the time to bring people together to build a better future for us all. For those millions the only solution is a Labour Government that will invest in and transform our country.  That's why we must be united – not for ourselves but to deliver a Labour Government.  Yours,  Jeremy Corbyn Leader of the Labour Party

boltonbonce wrote:This just arrived in my mailbox.


Dear David,

Well, they've finally done it. After years of briefings and threats, a handful of Labour MPs, led by Chris Leslie and Chuka Umunna, have announced they're resigning the whip and forming a new "independent grouping".

Leslie and Umunna know that a new party can't win an election. Just when Labour has the flailing Tories on the ropes, they have decided to leave the fight. Whatever they say, their real goal is simply to stop Jeremy Corbyn's Labour Party coming to power and prevent a transformation of this country for the many, not the few.

They are even reportedly planning to deliberately stand in marginal seats where splitting part of the Labour vote would have the most effect - that effect being that the Tory wins. In short, they are trying to create a Blairite spoiler part



Antisemitism is a serious issue. We are committed to rooting it out of the party and hope all Jewish members will stay to help us do this.

But Leslie and Chuka have been undermining the leadership from the very moment Jeremy was elected. They are attacking Labour for "weaken[ing] our national security", supporting "states hostile to our country" and being "hostile to businesses large and small". In short, their agenda is for war and big business.

Their politics of the past cannot solve the challenges of today - and we need to do everything we can to fight it.

But they will do everything they can to sabotage Labour now, and we know they'll have major donors and corporate backing already lined up. So we need to fight back. We're bringing in more video experts to help us combat them on social media, and hiring more organisers to prepare for possible by-elections.

boltonbonce wrote:A second referendum isn't feasible. However, these people were elected as Labour members, to represent their constituency, and as far as I'm concerned, they've jumped ship, and need to go back to the voters, and let them have their say.

T.R.O.Y wrote:They were elected on a Labour manifesto and backed by Labour money and acitovists. Not suggesting the party are the only factor but it’s major enough that a re election is necessary.

Xmiles - if you’re suggesting the Tories are comfortable in power right now then I’d say it’s you who’s guilt of magical thinking.

What do you want them to do on anti-semitism they haven’t already? Difficult to control a bunch of idiots on the internet im sure you’ll agree.

boltonbonce wrote:We've had the referendum. What's the point of another one? It was flawed from the start, but it's done.

Leavers won. So leave.

xmiles wrote:

boltonbonce wrote:We've had the referendum. What's the point of another one? It was flawed from the start, but it's done.

Leavers won. So leave.

So if someone sold you something under false pretences you would just accept that you had been robbed and let it go?

The point is pretty obvious - to get it reversed but if there is another vote to leave then that unfortunately is it. Nobody knows what those who voted leave thought they were voting for because the leave campaign promised all sorts of impossible and contradictory things. If a second referendum was held we would all know the terms.

T.R.O.Y wrote:There are no democratic justifications for another vote. A soft Brexit is far and away the best option left.

wanderlust wrote:

T.R.O.Y wrote:There are no democratic justifications for another vote. A soft Brexit is far and away the best option left.

But a soft Brexit which many Leave voters voted for isn't an option any more since May - without either consensus or mandate - took leaving the EU but staying in the Single Market and Customs Union off the table.

T.R.O.Y wrote:Polls are all well and good, but Labour’s performance in general elections is what counts. And their last performance shows how close they are. 

700 cases of anti semitism is a tiny portion of the membership. Maybe you’re right and more could be done, but this is categorically not a racist or anti Semitic party (I would not vote for it if it was). The issue is ramped up to attack the leadership. They’ve left because they don’t like the direction of the party and the left wing policies. A shame to lose anyone from the party, but life goes on.

boltonbonce wrote:

xmiles wrote:

boltonbonce wrote:We've had the referendum. What's the point of another one? It was flawed from the start, but it's done.

Leavers won. So leave.

So if someone sold you something under false pretences you would just accept that you had been robbed and let it go?

The point is pretty obvious - to get it reversed but if there is another vote to leave then that unfortunately is it. Nobody knows what those who voted leave thought they were voting for because the leave campaign promised all sorts of impossible and contradictory things. If a second referendum was held we would all know the terms.

You can't keep having votes until you get he result you want. I'm a remainer, but the mugs who bought the lies now have to pay the price. Unfortunately, we've got to pay it with them.
Anything else will lead to riots in the streets.

T.R.O.Y wrote:

wanderlust wrote:

T.R.O.Y wrote:There are no democratic justifications for another vote. A soft Brexit is far and away the best option left.

But a soft Brexit which many Leave voters voted for isn't an option any more since May - without either consensus or mandate - took leaving the EU but staying in the Single Market and Customs Union off the table.

I know, that’s why getting May out and Labour in is the best chance of us getting that deal.