New Independent Group meets the elections watchdog for talks

New Independent Group meets the elections watchdog for talks on becoming a full blown political party

  • Chuka Umunna said the new group held talks at the Electoral Commission today 
  • The ex-Labour MP has been appointed ‘spokesman’ for the 11-strong group 
  • It was formed out of defections from Tory and Labour MPs last month 
  • The Independent Group plans to take on Labour and the Tories as a new party  

The new Independent Group held talks with the elections watchdog today on becoming a full-blown political party.

Chuka Umunna said the group was meeting officials at the Electoral Commission as it developed from being a group of defectors.

Mr Umunna, the MP for Streatham, was one of 11 politicians to desert their parties last month to set up the new group.

He has been made ‘spokesman’ for the group but not so far its formal leader.

Chuka Umunna (pictured right in Westminster last week) said the group was meeting officials at the Electoral Commission as it developed from being a group of defectors

Of the talks, Mr Umunna said: ‘We are going to have that discussion today.

‘We think people want an alternative. If you want to present an alternative you have to become a party, so we want to find out what that involves.’

Eight Labour MPs were followed by three Tories in quitting their parties to form a new centrist grouping in potentially the most significant realignment in British politics in a generation. 

It is the biggest split in either party since the SDP walked out of Labour in 1981.  


  • Brexit hardliners demand May orders her ministers to vote…


    ‘The British are smart enough to make their own judgement’:…

Share this article

Members have said they are united by a shared “non-tribal” belief in “progressive” values combined with deep unhappiness at the directions their former parties had taken, particularly on Brexit.

Among the ex-Labour MPs there was also anger at what they said was the failure of the party leadership to deal with the spread of anti-Semitism in the party. 

The group quit two of the traditional political parties saying they wanted to give the nation something fresh and counter the stale status quo.

Eight Labour MPs were followed by three Tories in quitting their parties to form a new centrist grouping in potentially the most significant realignment in British politics in a generation 

But there was a very traditional look to the surroundings as MPs who sensationally quit in fury at their former parties’ respective political directions held their first meeting last week.

TIG chose the plush, wood-panelled surroundings of One Great George Street, a conference venue within a stone’s throw of Parliament, for their debut get-together.

It came a week after seven Labour politicians decided they had finally had enough of Jeremy Corbyn’s leadership and launched a centrist breakaway from what had been their political home for decades over Brexit and inaction over anti-Semitism.

Luton South’s Gavin Shuker will take on the role of ‘convener’ for the Independent Group after a unanimous vote – but ruled out becoming its full time leader.  

Source: Read Full Article