So they aren’t much of a threat to the Labour party, and have in fact only proved the “Red Tories” label accurate?
What do you mean a threat? How are Labour doing polls wise now?
A lot better than they were doing prior to the 2017 General Election.
How do you see The Independent Group doing in a prospective 2019 General Election, given that any reasonable reading of the situation would suggest there’s at least 50-50 chance of one happening?
Really?
23% per YouGove with TiG included is better than before the election?
Much better?
I don’t really give a shit how they do. They aren’t even a political party. But polls show there is a level of popularity for them and is has dented Labour in the polls.
Your fantastic rebuttal of this was to bring up 1983- when Labour had an absolutely horrendous result. But I guess you would prefer to be ideologically “pure” and second over all else.
Labour’s poll results since the formation of the Independent Group are 36%, 33%, 36% and 30%.
Where are the Independent Group’s MPs going to come from?
Given that if there’s an election, they’re likely going to lose at least the majority of their MPs and are going to have to scratch around for unknown candidates in other constituencies who will have no name recognition and no chance?
The dominant narrative if there’s an election will be to get the Tories out, and you aren’t going to get the Tories out by voting for the Independent Group.
In fact Labour have now stolen their ground on Brexit, given that we don’t even know what the Independent Group’s actual official Brexit policy is, while Labour have switched to being in favour of a second referendum.
Stripping out TiG?
With them in it is 23%.
Ignoring that is just basic stupidity.
TiG losing their MPs is neither here nor there. The exact example you brought up of 1983 was the SDP getting a few hundred K votes shy of Labour but few seats…and the Labour Party losing over 50 seats and an increased majority.
Being ignorant seems to be your passion.
First past the post means they won’t get any MPs elected unless they have very high public profiles. But they might split the labour vote and then it gets interesting.
They’re highly unlikely to split the Labour vote in any constituency in which they don’t have a sitting MP though.
That’s because they’ll be scratching around for unknowns to stand for them in the vast majority of constituencies, and such candidates are unlikely to make any headway at all.
There’s a mooted pact with the Lib Dems. Unless more MPs defect to the Independent Group, that will mean the Independent Group will have to stand down in favour of a Lib Dem candidate in every constituency bar the ones with sitting TIG MPs.
Nick Cohen’s take on it. The comments below the article are a mixed bag.
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oh yeah, agree with that. No chance of getting some random non MP elected.
Elected but split the vote yes.
That’s what the SDP Liberal Alliance did as Sidney helpfully posted.
Anyway, this is their real achievement;
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Yet we don’t even know what their Brexit policy is yet, whereas we very much do know what Labour’s policy is - it’s the one which was set out at the party conference in September and which they’ve followed ever since.
Lk Bennett gone into administration. This will be a big deal for some of your life partners.
The Duke of Cambridge has been playing away with the Duchesses best friend, or so the rumour mill reports
Old news.
Be more shocking if he weren’t.
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Who’s the Duke of Cambridge?
Edit, just googled it.
Hmmm
Why? She’s a fine vanilla type dolly.