Centrist dads of the world unite
It’s expected a group of MPs will announce their departure from the Labour party this morning.
There have been growing reports of backbenchers, frustrated by the Corbyn leadership’s stance on Brexit, weighing up their futures in the party over the past few months.
An announcement regarding “the future of British politics” will be made on Monday morning, the BBC reports.
The names widely associated with the split are Chuka Umunna, Chris Leslie, Angela Smith, Ian Austin and Mike Gapes. Other than Chuka, most voters will not have heard of the MPs – particularly as they’ve been increasingly marginalised in the newly socialist Labour party.
It’s possible that a split not involve a new political party and simply a departure from Labour, for the time being.
Labour’s deputy leader Tom Watson pulled out of an interview with Sky News this morning.
Tom Watson was due to speak to @SkyNewsPolitics at 0830 but he pulled out 20 minutes before.
— Aubrey Allegretti (@breeallegretti) February 18, 2019
At the weekend, John McDonnell warned on the Marr show splintering the party could have dire consequences, citing the “Gang of Four” who left to start the SDP in 1981. He said: “It would be like the 1980s because my constituency in Hayes and Harlington – we had a Labour MP join the SDP and we lost the seat to the Conservatives.
“And it basically installed Mrs Thatcher in power for that decade.
“I don’t think any of the people who have even been mentioned around this split would want that.”
Tories are likely wringing their hands, what delicious irony that Brexit destroy the Labour party and not their own.
Straight-talking backbencher Jess Phillips ominously tweeted this morning:
Today I will attempt to act with nuance. Which means everyone will hate me on twitter by the end of the day.
— Jess Phillips MP (@jessphillips) February 18, 2019
