WHATEVER HAPPENED TO CHANGE UK?

The eleven Change UK founders
back row l-r: Chris Leslie, Gavin Shuker, Chuka Umunna, Mike Gapes
middle: Angela Smith, Luciana Berger, Ann Coffey
bottom: Sarah Wollaston, Heidi Allen, Anna Soubry, Joan Ryan

One year ago today a group of eleven MPs formed Change UK, a party whose primary objective was to overturn the EU referendum.  Despite leaving the parties for whom they were elected, all refused to fight by-elections under their new banner.  The party was crushed in the European elections and was dissolved following the general election, at which none were re-elected to Parliament.

So, who faced the electorate and who bottled it?

Chris Leslie 

Leslie was the Labour MP for Nottingham East from 1997, a 57% Remain seat.  He defended the seat and finished fourth, losing his deposit.

Nadia Whittome (Lab) 25,735 (64.3%) -7.1%
Victoria Stapleton (Con) 8,342 (20.9%) -0.8%
Robert Swift (Lib Dem) 1,954 (4.9%) +2.3%
Chris Leslie (Change) 1,447 (3.6%) New
Damian Smith (Brexit) 1,343 (3.4%) New
Michelle Vacciana (Green) 1,183 (3.0%) +1.2%

Gavin Shuker

Shuker was the Labour MP for Luton South from 2010, a 55% Leave seat.  He left Change UK in June, but stood as an independent, finishing third.

Rachel Hopkins (Lab) 21,787 (51.8%) -10.6%
Parvez Akhtar (Con) 13,031 (31.0%) -1.3%
Gavin Shuker (Ind) 3,893 (9.3%) New
Garry Warren (Brexit) 1,601 (3.8%) New
Ben Foley (Green) 995 (2.4%) +1.4%
Mohammed Ashraf (Ind) 489 (1.2%) New
John French (Luton) 268 (0.6%) New

Chuka Umunna

Umunna was the Labour MP for Streatham from 2010, a 79% Remain seat.  He left Change UK in June and joined the Lib Dems later the same month.  He stood for the party in the Cities of London &Westminster, but failed to win.

Nickie Aiken (Con) 17,049 (39.9%) -6.7%
Chuka Umunna (Lib Dem) 13,096 (30.7%) +19.6% 
Gordon Nardell (Lab) 11,624 (27.2%) -11.2%
Zack Polanski (Green) 728 (1.7%) -0.4%
Jill McLachlan (Christian) 125 (0.3%) New
Dirk van Heck (Lib) 101 (0.2%) New

Mike Gapes

Gapes was the Labour MP for Ilford South from 1992, a 57% Remain seat.  He defended the seat, but finished third.

Sam Tarry (Lab) 35,085 (65.6%) -10.2%
Ali Azeem (Con) 10,984 (20.5%) -0.4%
Mike Gapes (Change) 3,891 (7.3%) New
Ashburn Holder (Lib Dem) 1,795 (3.4%) +2.0%
Munish Sharma (Brexit) 1,008 (1.9%) New
Rosemary Warrington (Green) 714 (1.3%) +0.4%

Angela Smith

Smith was the Labour MP for Penistone & Stocksbridge from 2005, a 61% Leave seat.  She left Change UK in June and joined the Lib Dems in September.  She stood for the party in Altrincham & Sale West and finished third.

Graham Brady (Con) 26,311 (48.0%) -3.0%
Andrew Western (Lab) 20,172 (36.8%) -2.0%

Angela Smith (Lib Dem) 6,036 (11.0%) +3.3%
Geraldine Coggins (Green) 1,566 (2.9%) +1.0%
Neil Taylor (Lib) 454 (0.8%) +0.3%
Iram Kiani (Ind) 224 (0.4%) New

Luciana Berger

Berger was the Labour MP for Liverpool Wavertree from 2010, a 65% Remain seat.  She left Change UK in June and joined the Lib Dems in September.  She stood for the party in Finchley & Golders Green, but failed to win.

Mike Freer (Con) 24,162 (43.8%) -3.1%
Luciana Berger (Lib Dem) 17,600 (31.9%) +25.3%
Ross Houston (Lab) 13,347 (24.2%) -19.6%

Ann Coffey

Coffey was the Labour MP for Stockport from 1992, a 53% Remain seat.  She stood down at the election.

Sarah Wollaston

Wollaston was the Conservative MP for Totnes from 2010, a 54% Leave seat.  She left Change UK in June and joined the Lib Dems in August.  She defended her seat as a Lib Dem, but lost.

Anthony Mangnall (Con) 27,751 (53.2%) - 0.5%
Sarah Wollaston (Lib Dem) 15,027 (28.8%) +15.9%
Louise Webberley (Lab) 8,860 (17.0%) -9.9%
John Kitson (Ind) 544 (1.0%) New

Heidi Allen

Allen was the Conservative MP for South Cambridgeshire from 2015, a 62% Remain seat.  She left Change UK in June and joined the Lib Dems in October.  She stood down at the election.

Anna Soubry

Soubry was the Conservative MP for Broxtowe from 2010, a 53% Leave seat.  She defended the seat, but finished third.

Darren Henry (Con) 26,602 (48.1%) +1.3%
Greg Marshall (Lab) 21,271 (38.5%) -6.8%
Anna Soubry (Change) 4,668 (8.5%) New
Kat Boettge (Green) 1,806 (3.3%) +2.0%
Amy Dalla Mura (Eng Dem) 432 (0.8%) New
Teck Khong (Ind) 321 (0.6%) New
David Bishop (Elvis) 172 (0.3%) New

Joan Ryan

Ryan was the Labour MP for Enfield North from 1997, a 51% Remain seat.  She stood down at the election.

MOST UNWANTED POLL

It's a bit later than promised, but the results from the above Facebook post can finally be revealed.  There were almost two thousand responses when we went through them over the weekend and 186 names were submitted.  Not all of them were defending their seats at this election.  The most obvious example was Ken Clarke (six votes) - he stood down.  Around a quarter of the votes were ineligible because they failed to observe the simple rules set down in the post - excluding party leaders, name one MP.  Votes for Corbyn (there were at least a few dozen) and Swinson (a handful) were ignored, as were votes that named more than one individual (hundreds).  There were also a number of votes rejected that we suspect may have been intended for John McDonnell, but were submitted as 'McDonald' and could have been potentially been intended for his colleague Andy McDonald.

These were the top responses and as you can see it was a very close call between the top two.  In brackets we've included the likelihood of them actually losing their seats.

1)   Anna Soubry - 234 (gone tomorrow)

2)   Diane Abbott - 231 (safe as houses)

3)   Yvette Cooper - 137 (under threat)

4)   John McDonnell - 103 (likely safe)

5)   Emily Thornberry - 65 (safe as houses)

6)   Dominic Grieve - 52 (gone tomorrow)

7)   Ian Blackford - 37 (under threat)

8)   Jess Phillips - 35 (likely safe)

9)   Dave Lammy - 32 (safe as houses)

10) Hilary Benn - 15 (safe as houses)

11) Laura Pidcock - 12 (under threat)

11) Barry Sheerman - 12 (under threat)

11) Chuka Umunna - 12 (gone tomorrow)
14) Richard Burgon - 11 (safe as houses)
15) Barry Gardiner - 10 (likely safe)
15) Angela Rayner - 10 (likely safe)
17) Dennis Skinner - 9 (likely gone)
18) Naz Shah - 8 (safe as houses)
18) Keir Starmer - 8 (safe as houses)
18) Anna Turley - 8 (under threat)
18) Karl Turner - 8 (under threat)

CHUKA CHOPS AND CHANGES (AGAIN)

Chuka Umunna will now enter the Commons under a third party name this year (it's still only June).

I’m delighted to say I’ve joined the ⁦@LibDems!⁩ - here’s my joint interview with ⁦@vincecable⁩ in ⁦tmr’s ⁦@thetimes⁩ where I explain why https://t.co/DcqnCWikzg

— Chuka Umunna (@ChukaUmunna) June 13, 2019

This is an act of self-preservation for Chuka.  Change UK was a trainwreck and it was quite obvious that he had zero chance of re-election under that banner.  He is now pinning his hopes on an amber rosette continuing his Parliamentary career, but it's still a long shot.  Although the Lib Dems topped the poll in Lambeth in the recent Euro elections, such votes rarely translate into a Parliamentary election - as we saw last week in Peterborough.  All three MPs in Lambeth (Chuka in Streatham, Kate Hoey in Vauxhall and Helen Hayes in Dulwich) have huge majorities.  They were all elected for Labour.  In Chuka's seat the Lib Dems actually came third in the last general election, miles behind the Tories let alone Labour.

Some tweets don't age well

2017 General Election:  Streatham

Chuka Umunna (Lab) 38,212
Kim Caddy (Con) 11,927
Alex Davies (Lib Dem) 3,611
Nicole Griffiths (Green) 1,696
Robert Stephenson (UKIP) 349

It's difficult to see how Chuka could cling on to this seat, even with a huge swing to the Lib Dems.  Labour would make this eminently more implausible by selecting an openly Remain candidate to fight him.  They'd be daft not to in this Remain heartland.  Furthermore, how can his constituents trust a man who has changed his party twice since being re-elected in 2017 and hasn't entrusted them once with a by-election.

The only rosette that could keep Chuka on the Westminster gravy train is a red one, but perhaps this would be a change too far even for Chuka - as if Corbyn would have the turncoat Zionist Blairite traitor back in the first place.

Well tonight Matthew, I'm going to be a Lib Dem...

CHANGE UK SPLITS

'Change UK' met today and its eleven MPs have decided to part ways.  This follows its European election disaster in which it spent shedloads of cash and finished eighth with not a single seat to show for its efforts.  The split itself was thought to have been triggered by a public spat between Anna Soubry and Change leader Heidi Allen.

Soubry will now take Heidi's place as leader while four of her colleagues stay put - Ann Coffey, Mike Gapes, Chris Leslie and Joan Ryan.

Those who have quit Change UK will return to being just plain old independents - Chuka, Heidi, Luciana Berger, Gavin Shuker, Angela Smith and Sarah Wollaston.

By-elections anyone?

TIG SMEARS LEAVE PARTIES

Several Change UK MPs have tweeted some outlandish smears this week regarding pro-Brexit parties.  In fact they are nothing short of bare-faced lies...

Bare-faced lie #1

Here Chris Leslie signals his 'solidarity' with Jess Phillips who has recently been the focus of some unpleasant remarks by UKIP candidate Carl Benjamin.  Except here there is no mention of UKIP and he suggests that the Brexit Party is responsible.  Desperately and deliberately misleading.

Bare-faced lie #2

Here Chuka is spouting off about both UKIP and the Brexit Party, but he attaches an article about Tommy Robinson.  Robinson is not standing for either party and is an independent.  Again, desperately and deliberately misleading.

Conversely, Change UK's Gavin Esler appeared on Politics Live today and started ranting about people telling lies!  A bit rich Gavin.  In this rather lively spat with Martin Daubney of the Brexit Party, Esler would not let his opponent get a word in and changes the subject when Daubney brings up the smears.  "Change"?  Your party is just more of the same!

CHUKA BEMOANS PETITION DEBATE

Chuka is not happy...

In #WestminsterHall to speak in the debate on the “Revoke Article 50 and remain in the EU” petition - when a petition has been signed by over 6 million people, it is a disgrace it is not being debated in the main chamber of the ⁦@HouseofCommons⁩! https://t.co/6QHTwePGNr

— Chuka Umunna (@ChukaUmunna) April 1, 2019

Unfortunately the main House of Commons is being taken up by the debate around the latest 'indicative votes', something you helped bring about!

TIG OPTS FOR CHANGE

Chuka's Independent Group are well aware of what's going to happen next with the Brexit process.  That's why they've announced they're finally registering as a political party with the Electoral Commission - in preparation to contest the European Elections in May.  The party name will be 'Change UK', even though there is nothing to 'change' at the moment as Britain appears to be remaining in the EU for the foreseeable future.  However, there will be a significant changes ahead if and when the quitters contest a general election - zero MPs for Change UK.

A very cosy looking announcement was made by Chuka and newly announced 'interim party leader' Heidi Allen...

RETURN OF THE CORBYNBABY

With nine days to go, Parliament in disarray and Theresa May providing open goals to all comers - only a compete moron of an opposition 'leader' would opt to throw his rattle out of the pram now...

Jeremy Corbyn has refused to attend a Brexit meeting with the PM 'because Chuka Umunna was there'.

Here the Independent Group spokesman tells @PaulBrandITV about the Labour leader's 'extraordinary behaviour' https://t.co/GxA9ZXQEp7 pic.twitter.com/cHiqb3E0fp

— ITV News (@itvnews) March 20, 2019

Fellow Parliamentarians (and Twitter in general) were brutal.

CHUKA APPOINTS HIS TEAM

Chuka's Independent Group have clearly had a busy week planning for the future (all three years of it, if that).  Of course they'd rather have spent the week welcoming new members, but the flow appears to have trickled to a full stop.  Anyhow, they've allocated their roles...

No surprises to see Chuka as de facto leader aka "spokesman", but interesting to see some of the other choices.  Poor Gavin Shuker has been designated "group convener", a title that sounds about as important as that of teaboy!  Surely 'chairman' would have sounded better?  Sarah Wollaston also appears to have gone to the bottom of the pile as her role sounds like someone who answers the front door at a house party.  The problem with that analogy is the doorbell hasn't rang since she and her Tory colleagues signed up.

Soubry is responsible for Brexit, a role more accurately described as 'stopping Brexit'.  Angela 'Funny Tinge' Smith has got a surprisingly big portfolio for an idiot.  Berger, Gapes and Leslie appear to be Chuka's top dogs.

It's all moot, of course.  None of them will be MPs after the next election.

CHUKA'S REFERENDUM HYPOCRISY

Chuka appeared on This Week last night and was given a rough ride by Andrew Neil.  Brillohead repeatedly exposed the hypocrisy of the Independent Group and Chuka's own reluctance to hold a by-election in Streatham.

Don't forget to follow our YouTube channel, more videos to follow in the next few weeks.

YOU CAN'T PLEASE ALL THE PEOPLE...

The Spectator reports that a meeting of the Parliamentary Labour Party (PLP) earlier tonight wasn't as plain sailing as perhaps Jeremy Corbyn had envisaged.  It appears that with this latest massive u-turn he can't even please hardcore remoaners like Owen Smith.  Smith is reported to have asked Corbyn 23 times whether 'Remain' would be on the ballot paper of this proposed second referendum.  23 times Corbyn evaded the question.

Still, Owen was cock-a-hoop on Twitter at the prospect of his beloved so-called 'People's Vote' receiving the support of the leadership...

Of course it would be Keir Starmer that Owen chose to retweet, Sir Keir being the most influential frontbench remoaner in the PLP.  The great irony of his appointment as Shadow Brexit Secretary is that in government the only thing he would never negotiate is to leave the EU.  This is a fact not lost on Labour Brexiteer John Mann...

At the time of writing Mann has tweeted four times about the u-turn.  This was his finest...

Meanwhile, 11 losers gathered around a table in Nando's...

Smith and Soubry don't look happy.  Tensions already?

WHAT'S THE POINT CHUKA?

Chuka gave an interesting interview today with Sky's Sophy Ridge (see full interview below).  She managed to extract an admission from him where he confessed to "wanting to play the biggest role in the group".  So, despite what he says, it does appear that Chuka is lining himself up for leader.  However, having spoken to constituents in Chuka's Streatham seat, Sophy doubts that the new party would win there - and if they can't win there (in 79% Remain territory) surely TIG is doomed!

THREE TORIES JOIN CHUKA & CO

Together at last!

Conservative MPs Heidi Allen, Anna Soubry and Sarah Wollaston have today resigned the party whip and joined up with the Independent Group of anti-Brexit former Labour MPs.  This takes the tally to 11 MPs and gives the group the same number of MPs as the Lib Dems!

Who are the latest remoaner quitters?

Heidi Allen has been the MP for South Cambridgeshire since 2015.  This is a 62% Remain voting constituency.

Anna Soubry, one of the highest profile remoaners in Parliament.  She has been the MP for Broxtowe in Nottinghamshire since 2010.  Broxtowe is a 53% Leave voting constituency.

Sarah Wollaston has been the MP for Totnes in Devon since 2010.  Initially a Vote Leave supporter at the start of the referendum campaign, she switched to Remain shortly before the vote.  Totnes is a 54% Leave voting constituency.

It is with a heavy heart I have today resigned from the Conservative Party. pic.twitter.com/wzPUB84w5Z

— Anna Soubry MP (@Anna_Soubry) February 20, 2019

CHUKA SPEAKS OUT

Despite declaring that the Gang of Seven are "not the SDP", Chuka Umunna has revealed that he is hoping to have a party up and running by the end of this year.  If this comes to fruition it will dash Lib Dem hopes of incorporating the seven (and almost doubling Lib Dem Parliamentary numbers in the process).  More bad news for Vince Cable came with the news that three separate polls today had the 'Independent Group' outpolling the Lib Dems!  No wonder he wants Chuka and co to sign up.

Richard Madeley's final question to Chuka was whether he thought Corbyn was a Marxist - "I think so, yes" was his reply.  Watch the full interview below.

2-4-6-8 IT'S NOT A SPLIT

The will-they-won't-they saga continues.  Various news outlets are now putting figures on how many Labour MPs will quit.  The Daily Mail says 'up to ten', the Express 'eight' and the Guardian says 'six or more'.  They all agree the 'split' is 'imminent', although none can agree on when it will happen.  The Mail claimed it might happen on Friday, the Express says it may happen on Monday.  ITV are very specific and claim it 'may' happen on the 27th of Feb.

Give us a break!  Whether or not these half a dozen(ish) MPs walk out and form their own Remain party, it is hardly a split.

If we take the upper estimate of ten quitters - that's less than 4 per cent of the Parliamentary Labour party and would give the new party less MPs than the Liberal Democrats.  The Lib Dems have their origins in an earlier Labour split, but their current pathetic Parliamentary numbers should be fair warning for anyone trying to set up a new party, let alone something that could possibly challenge the two-party monopoly.  If Chuka and co are serious about prolonging their Parliamentary careers why don't they just join the referendum-ignoring Lib Dems?  After all that is their game - trying to overturn the referendum result.

Whatever happens, whenever it happens, or if it doesn't happen at all (good chance of the latter) - it's hardly a split.

Potential quitters (according to various sources)

Chuka Umunna, of course (but as a leader?)

Ian Austin, having recently voted against extending Article 50 would he join a clique of hardcore Remainers?

Luciana Berger, no-one would blame her for walking away

Angela Eagle, failed leadership bottler of 2016

Peter Kyle, hasn't even served a full Parliamentary term yet

Chris Leslie, long-term critic of Corbyn

Alison McGovern, snowflake who categorically denied on Friday she would be quitting

Gavin Shuker, who?

Ruth Smeeth, another Jewish MP under the cosh

Angela Smith, ardent remoaner embarrassingly turned away from Labour HQ with 'Losers Vote' petition

Owen Smith, failed leadership challenger and another ardent remoaner

A lesson from history Chuka!

MOMENTUM TROLLS CHUKA

The loony left are not known for a sense of humour, but on this St Valentine's Day Momentum did tickle...

You’ve put your career first.
You’ve been flirting with the Lib Dems.
You’ve even called us dogs.
But Valentine's Day is a day for coming together. 💕 pic.twitter.com/13xVbHc5Gu

— Momentum (@PeoplesMomentum) February 14, 2019

Ironically, Momentum are currently in the process of trying to get Chuka deselected, having seized control of his local branch recently.  So, this video is probably not so much an olive branch, but a genuine piss take.  Who knew they possessed such a capacity...

A SPLIT? DON'T HOLD YOUR BREATH!

Right now the media is full of talk of 'the split'.  Words like 'inevitable' and 'imminent' are being increasingly used.  However, the so-called 'split' has been the focus of ongoing media speculation for the last three years, it's nothing new and it's neither inevitable or imminent.

Who would lead this new centre party?  Chuka is persistently touted, but if one recalls his previous attempt to lead a party - his three day aborted bid for the Labour leadership - how likely is that?  The whole idea of a 'split' is nonsense and in any case we are talking about half a dozen MPs resigning the whip (out of more than 250).  Hardly a 'split' is it?

When Douglas Carswell and Mark Reckless defected from the Tories to UKIP in 2014 they did not spend weeks in the media spotlight talking about it beforehand, they just did it.  Sorry Chuka and co, but until you actually jump ship you are all just full of hot air.  As usual then...

THE TRAITORS LIST

Below is a comprehensive list of serving Members of Parliament who have publicly backed a second EU referendum in defiance of the People's Vote of 2016.  Labour MPs are in bold.

Rushanara Ali – Labour

Heidi Allen – Conservative

Rosena Allin-Khan – Labour

Tonia Antoniazzi – Labour

Guto Bebb – Conservative

Margaret Beckett – Labour

Luciana Berger – Labour
Ian Blackford – SNP

Roberta Blackman-Woods – Labour

Ben Bradshaw – Labour

Tom Brake – Lib Dems

Chris Bryant – Labour

Karen Buck – Labour

Richard Burden – Labour

Vince Cable – Lib Dems

Ruth Cadbury – Labour
Alistair Carmichael – Lib Dems

Ann Clwyd – Labour

Ann Coffey  – Labour

Neil Coyle – Labour

Mary Creagh – Labour

Stella Creasy – Labour

Janet Daby – Labour

Ed Davey – Lib Dems

Geraint Davies – Labour

Stephen Doughty – Labour

Rosie Duffield – Labour
Angela Eagle – Labour

Maria Eagle – Labour

Julie Elliott – Labour

Louise Ellmann – Labour

Tim Farron – Lib Dems

Paul Flynn – Labour

Mike Gapes – Labour

Roger Godsiff – Labour

Kate Green – Labour

Justine Greening – Conservative

Dominic Grieve – Conservative

Paul Farrelly – Labour

Helen Hayes – Labour

Wera Hobhouse – Lib Dems 

Margaret Hodge – Labour

Rupa Huq – Labour

Christine Jardine – Lib Dems

Darren Jones – Labour

Susan Elan Jones – Labour

Peter Kyle – Labour

Norman Lamb – Lib Dems

David Lammy – Labour

Chris Leslie – Labour

Caroline Lucas – Green

Kerry McCarthy – Labour

Siobhan McDonagh – Labour

Alison McGovern – Labour

Catherine McKinnell – Labour
Anna McMorrin – Labour

Madeleine Moon – Labour

Layla Moran – Lib Dems

Stephen Morgan – Labour

Ian Murray – Labour

Jess Phillips – Labour

Bridget Phillipson – Labour

Stephen Pound – Labour

Steve Reed – Labour

Ellie Reeves – Labour
Rachel Reeves – Labour

Liz Saville Roberts – Plaid Cymru

Joan Ryan – Labour

Virendra Sharma – Labour

Barry Sheerman – Labour

Tommy Sheppard – SNP
Tulip Siddiq – Labour

Andy Slaughter – Labour

Angela Smith – Labour

Jeff Smith– Labour

Owen Smith – Labour

Alex Sobel – Labour
Anna Soubry – Conservative

Jo Stevens – Labour

Jamie Stone – Lib Dems

Wes Streeting – Labour

Jo Swinson – Lib Dem
Gareth Thomas – Labour

Stephen Timms – Labour
Anna Turley – Labour
Chuka Umunna – Labour

Catherine West – Labour

Martin Whitfield – Labour
Paul Williams – Labour
Phil Wilson – Labour

Sarah Wollaston – Conservative

Daniel Zeichner – Labour

MOST SHARED: WEEK 190

Shared 2,899 times via the Facebook page, although it would have probably have been second placed had Facebook not removed this post.

Chuka and his fellow remoaners (Green MP Caroline Lucas and Tory MP Justine Greening) could barely contain their delight as they delivered the 'People's Vote' petition to Downing Street last week.  As with all remoaning activity they are smirking in the face of the only people's vote that matters - that of 23rd of June 2016.  Speaking of 23rd of June 2016...

As the votes edged towards Leave in the early hours Chuka Umunna stated categorically that even if the margin was a single vote in favour of Leave, the decision should be respected.  Funny then how Chuka has since devoted his entire political life to trying to overturn that decision.

Credibility?  Three Day Chuka hasn't got any.