MPs split off from the Labour Party. Voters say ‘Good riddance!’

Chuka Umunna: Good riddance.

A group of seven MPs has split off from the Labour Party – to gasps of relief across the United Kingdom.

The reaction is probably not what they wanted.

The group includes Chuka Umunna, Chris Leslie, Gavin Shuker and Angela Smith as expected.

Joining them are Luciana Berger – quitting before her Liverpool Wavertree CLP pushes through the “no confidence” vote that members have been readying? – along with Mike Gapes and Ann Coffey.

The group has released a statement but it seems its website is having teething problems – odd since it has been registered since 2015 – and I can’t really be bothered unless Vox Political readers are genuinely interested. Are you?

It’s much more fun to highlight the public response, which is primarily relief. The flood of comments yesterday (Sunday, February 18) when rumours spread that the split would happen today, speaks for itself. Some thought this was another publicity stunt and they would not go through with it:

https://twitter.com/UKDemockery/status/1097258776015577093

Others pointed out the qualities of the expected splitters and the likely tensions between them:

The prevailing mood – especially in the case of Mr Umunna, was clear:

And some posted wish lists of other Labour members they would like to see split off – for a very obvious reason:

Mr Jeffery will be pleased to see Ms Berger and Mr Gapes among the splitters. Mr Gapes is also on Matt Zarb-Cousins’s list:

Speculation on what the “Independent Group” would represent has been overwhelmingly negative towards them:

And the departure will provoke comparisons with the “Gang of Four” who formed the SDP in 1981. That decision led to the formation of the Liberal Democrats, a party that apparently killed itself off as a national political organisation by forming a coalition with the Conservatives between 2010 and 2015. Here’s Martin O’Neill:

As ever, Tony Benn called it correctly – 38 years ago.

Last word goes to Liam Young:

https://twitter.com/liamyoung/status/1097252105499348994

Damn straight – good riddance.

No Comments

  1. trev February 18, 2019 at 12:49 pm - Reply

    Haha good riddance! Don’t forget to close the door on your way out.

  2. James February 18, 2019 at 1:07 pm - Reply

    This isn’t good though, Mike. When Labour split last time in 1981 we were out of power for 16 years until until 1997. It’s a real shame because, for a while, I thought that Labour might be able to form a coalition with the Liberal Democrats and Scottish National Party, with Jeremy Corbyn as notional Prime Minister after the next general election. That won’t happen now. It’s a heartbreaking, crying shame. It really really is.

  3. Bob Vant February 18, 2019 at 1:45 pm - Reply

    Bit of a misleading headline? “Voters say ‘Good riddance!’”……well, I must say I was expecting more examples from “voters,” rather than politically-engaged people!

    • Mike Sivier February 18, 2019 at 4:54 pm - Reply

      They’re voters too.

  4. Dan February 18, 2019 at 2:12 pm - Reply

    There’s only one problem here, and that’s that more bitter Blairites didn’t have the bottle to leave too.

    I wonder how many of the seven will have the courage to go back to the people and face a by-election? Any? I’m not holding my breath…

  5. corneleus51 February 18, 2019 at 3:13 pm - Reply

    Please people, see this for what it is – an ideal opportunity to rid ourselves of the dreaded “Tories in Disguise” and revert back to the party for the people – All the people, not just the money Grubbers!

  6. Malcolm James February 18, 2019 at 3:34 pm - Reply

    Just a pity that they didn’t take that odious gobshite Jess Phillips with them.

  7. Mr David Anthony Penson February 18, 2019 at 3:40 pm - Reply

    Absolutely Mike, just heard the news on L.B.C , Chris Leslie came out with the biggest load of garbage I have ever heard from an mp in trying to justify his resigning from Labour , the party is far better off without these self serving socially inadequate freaks.

  8. Michael McNulty February 18, 2019 at 3:59 pm - Reply

    So they’re independent enough to leave the Labour Party but not independent enough to leave the Labour seat? Those are Labour majorities they carry not their own.

  9. Rik February 18, 2019 at 4:21 pm - Reply

    Yep good bloody riddance….. I just hope they go down & dissapear into the ether . .
    I suppose the MSM will be rubbing their hands in glee . .

  10. Zippi February 18, 2019 at 8:02 pm - Reply

    Well, Katie Hopkins has endorsed them; they’re sure to win the next election by a landslide!
    I shan’t tell you what my mother said and she was such a fan of Blair that she actually gave the Conservatives her vote, in protest!
    Aye, good riddance! About time! Why did they wait so long?

  11. Nick February 18, 2019 at 9:01 pm - Reply

    the main problem here is that the public will see this as a a weakness within labour and vote commiserative at the next election guaranteed

    it’s the same when immigration gets mentioned every one wakes up and votes against it as the former prime minister found out when he put quitting the EU to the vote and lost

  12. Zippi February 18, 2019 at 10:09 pm - Reply

    It’s all just a little but of history repeating… The S.D.P. sounded the death knell of the £iberal Party.

  13. Adrian J Andrews February 18, 2019 at 11:50 pm - Reply

    No place for “Nay-Sayers.” Jeremy is better off without those who won’t stand behind him. Oh happy days!

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