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.

GALLERY OF SHAME

Most of the 161 MPs who signed the Church House Declaration yesterday appeared to be quite proud of themselves.  A handful tweeted a picture of themselves...

Heidi Allen (Ind) and Stephen Doughty (Lab)

Kevin Brennan (Lab)

Luciana Berger (Ind), Bambos Charalambous (Lab) and Stephen Doughty (Lab)

Janet Daby (Lab)

Louise Ellman (Lab)

Luciana Berger (Ind) and Rupa Huq (Lab)

Rachael Maskell (Lab)

Chris Matheson (Lab)

Madeleine Moon (Lab)

For a full list of who signed please click here.

LUCAS'S FEMINIST COUP

Caroline Lucas, Justine Greening and Anna Soubry

Green MP Caroline Lucas has bizarrely called for an all-female unity government to stop a no deal Brexit.  She has written to nine fellow Remain MPs, plus Nicola Sturgeon, asking them to join forces with her in forming a feminist anti-Brexit government in the event that the Johnson administration is brought down by a no confidence vote.  Who would be the Prime Minister following Lucas's ambitious coup?  Well, according to the Guardian, it could be none other than Lucas herself.  Jo Swinson could be her deputy.  It's sounds absolutely nuts, but this is the current political climate we are in and these people will do almost anything to stop Brexit from happening.

The recipients of Lucas's letter were all women and all Remainers:

Heidi Allen MP (Ind)

Kirsty Blackman MP (SNP)

Yvette Cooper MP (Lab)

Justine Greening MP (Con)

Sylvia Hermon MP (Ind)

Liz Saville Roberts MP (Plaid)

Anna Soubry MP (Change UK)

Jo Swinson MP (Lib Dem)

Emily Thornberry MP (Lab)

Nicola Sturgeon MSP (SNP, First Minister of Scotland)

Dear Colleagues

It is hard to remember a moment in my lifetime when Britain faced a greater crisis.  A coup led by a small group of right-wing libertarians is all but complete, as the Vote Leave team has been re-assembled and taken control of 10 Downing St.  They are set upon implementing the most extreme 'No Deal' version of Brexit - and, most terrifyingly, we are running out of time to stop them.

At times of national crises, political leaders need to bring a country together.  But that is not happening.  The government is hell-bent on creating more divisions, scapegoating our friends and neighbours, and ignoring the inequality and democratic deficit that fueled the Brexit vote.

We will only get through this crisis if we come together, from across the political spectrum, and set up an 'emergency cabinet' - not to fight a Brexit war, but to work for reconciliation.  And I believe this should a cabinet of women.

Why women?  Because I believe women have shown they can bring a different perspective to crises, are able to reach out to those they disagree with and cooperate to find solutions.  It was two women who began the Peace People movement during the worst of the troubles in Northern Ireland; it was two women who were key to the signing of the Paris Agreement on climate; difficult, intractable problems have found the beginning of resolution thanks to the leadership of women.

That is why I am reaching out to you, not so that a small group of us decide on Britain's future, but so that we end the dangerous pursuit of a crash-out Brexit and find a way forward which allows the British people to decide which course to take.

It means denying Boris Johnson the reins of power with a no confidence vote, establishing a national unity government and then pressing the pause button in order to organize a confirmatory vote which offers people the choice of the status quo or pressing ahead with the latest government plan – whether that is a revised Withdrawal Agreement or, as seems more likely, a proposal to leave with no deal.

It also means a commitment that, as politicians, we accept the outcome of that fair, transparent and informed vote, even if it delivers a result we do not agree with.

I believe we can make this happen.  I'm asking you to meet with me in the coming days, so together we can transform the conversation about Brexit.  So together we can find a positive way forward, revitalize our democracy and stand up to this Government's reckless gamble with Britain's future.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Best wishes,

Caroline Lucas MP

Considering that Caroline is from the painfully politically correct Green Party, the idea of an exclusively female government is hypocritical to say the least.  Such is her party's dedication to gender equality that it has been traditionally led by a male and female co-leader for most of its existence.  So why has she now ditched this 50:50 mantra in favour of a 100% female agenda?  Is it a self-serving power grab so that she can claim the top job and ultimately the 'glory' for reversing Brexit?

Of course the irony of the so-called 'national unity government' is that it wouldn't be and couldn't be anything of the sort.  It is dedicated to the overthrow of a pro-Leave government, replacing it with an exclusively pro-Remain government, one that would not merely be concerned with stopping a no deal Brexit, but would be committed to revoking Article 50 full stop.  This would not lead to 'unity', it would lead to chaos.

The only recipient of Lucas's letter to respond publicly at the time of writing is Emily Thornberry.

I thank @CarolineLucas for her fight against Brexit, and I will always stand with her on a platform to Remain, but I worry her new proposed plan would not solve our country's divisions. The people must have the final say, not politicians from either side. Here's my full reply. pic.twitter.com/VByHbf9d7Y

— Emily Thornberry (@EmilyThornberry) August 11, 2019

Diane Abbott also expressed reservations.

Backdoor route to a National Government. Didn’t work for Ramsey Mcdonald and won’t work now, whatever the gender of the participants https://t.co/ru0CbHwrK4

— Diane Abbott (@HackneyAbbott) 11 August 2019

But Clive Lewis was impressed, though he complained that Lucas had neglected to write to any BAME women.

.⁦@CarolineLucas⁩ calls for emergency female cabinet to block no-deal Brexit> I think this a very interesting proposal.. One genuine question: Where are the BAME women politicians? 🤷🏽‍♂️ https://t.co/qQu5m6wsHV

— Clive Lewis MP (@labourlewis) August 11, 2019

What they all really need to realise is that Vote Leave won in 2016.  If it has been "re-assembled" in Downing Street, as Lucas puts it, then we may actually have a chance to see the Leave mandate implemented.  She wants to overturn that mandate.  She doesn't want to "revitalise" democracy, she means to destroy it.

LONG-BAILEY IN CLOUD CUCKOO LAND

Labour frontbencher Rebecca Long-Bailey says Labour are not interested in being part of a 'unity government' and want a general election so they can form a majority government.  She says this with a straight face and later adds that Labour holds the "true interests of the British people at heart".  Astonishing.  We all know that Labour cannot win a majority and would rely on the SNP to form an anti-British coalition with IndyRef2 part of the deal.

Channel 4's Cathy Newman appears to betray her political agenda in this interview by proposing three ardent remoaners as potential leaders of a unity government.  Heidi 'On A Hat Trick' Allen, Yvette 'Ignores Her Constituents' Cooper and Jo 'Ignores The Country' Swinson command the "respect of the House"?  Really?  Parliament is in a worse state than previously thought if this is the case.

BREXIT-BLOCKING LEGAL ACTIONS

A second legal action aimed at preventing a no deal Brexit has been launched.  Remain campaigner Gina Miller has already served a legal notice on Boris Johnson that she be informed of any plan to suspend Parliament with seven days notice (so that she can challenge the decision in court).  Yes, she holds herself in such high regard.  Despite everything Gina is still bizarrely claiming that she is not trying to stop Brexit.  As Niall Paterson recently observed in a Sky interview with her:  "There will be people watching this going 'Who do you think you are?'"  Miller replied (with a straight face):  "Each of us in a democracy as a citizen has the right to exercise our legitimate questions of the courts".  Well Gina, there were 17.4million citizens of this democracy who exercised their rights in 2016 and you are clearly trying to frustrate and deny their legitimate mandate.

The latest attempt to stop Boris Johnson proroguing Parliament involves a group of cross-party MPs and peers seeking a ruling from the Court of Session in Edinburgh.  Their aim is to declare such a move 'unlawful'.  Politicians named in the legal action are mostly Labour, with a spattering of SNP, Plaid, Lib Dems, Green and a couple of former Change UK cranks (see list below).

Debbie Abrahams (Labour)

Rushanara Ali (Labour)

Heidi Allen (Ind, at time of writing)

Tonia Antoniazzi (Labour)

Hannah Bardell (SNP)

Roberta Blackman-Woods (Labour)

Ben Bradshaw (Labour)

Tom Brake (Lib Dem)

Karen Buck (Labour)

Ruth Cadbury (Labour)

Joanna Cherry (SNP)

Marsha de Cordova (Labour)

Ronnie Cowan (SNP)

Neil Coyle (Labour)

Geraint Davies (Labour)

Lord Hain (Labour)

Baroness Jones (Green)

Ian Murray (Labour)

Baroness Royall (Labour)

Angela Smith (Ind)

Jo Swinson (Lib Dem)

Hywel Williams (Plaid)

Lord Winston (Labour)

Lord Wood (Labour)

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?

HEIDI CANNED

Change UK's Heidi Allen was scheduled to appear on Have I Got News For You on Friday evening, but sadly it was canned shortly before broadcast.  As we are now in an election period (again), the Beeb was apparently concerned it would contravene its rules on political neutrality (yes, you've got to laugh).  The announcement came roughly half an hour before the show was scheduled to go out, in traditional witty HIGNFY style...

Sorry everyone. The BBC have pulled tonight’s edition of #HIGNFY - no, we didn’t book Danny Baker. We booked Heidi Allen, a member of a party no-one knows the name of (not even the people in it), because the Euro elections, which nobody wants, may or may not be happening.
Sorry.

— Have I Got News For You (@haveigotnews) May 10, 2019

Heidi cried foul and lashed out at... Nigel Farage!  That seems to be the default Change UK reaction to everything this week.  Quite how persistently smearing the Brexit Party benefits Change UK is anyone's guess.  One is a hard Leave party and one is a hard Remain party, they're hardly competing for the same votes.

Maybe I'm just not as funny as Nigel Farage eh #hignfy @haveigotnews !? He's so funny, he seems to be on the BBC all the time! An explanation would be appreciated, not least to acknowledge the hard work of the entire crew who worked diligently to put the show together. https://t.co/lV6ZDa90qr

— Heidi Allen MP (@heidiallen75) May 10, 2019

It's been a rough week for Heidi's party.  They bottled out of the Peterborough by-election, Gavin Esler had a meltdown on live television and Rachel Johnson had an airhead moment and also appeared to be drunk on This Week.  It's fair to say their prospects for winning seats in these elections is wearing thinner by the day and both the Lib Dems and the Greens will almost certainly rout them on the Remain side.  After May 23rd they will be even more weary of elections than they already are!

HEIDI DOESN'T WANT AN ELECTION...

Change UK's Heidi Allen appeared on Iain Dale's LBC show yesterday in a typically cringeworthy interview.  She named several remoaner Tories she hopes to recruit into her new party - Guto Bebb, Alberto Costa, Justine Greening, Sam Gyimah, Phillip Lee, Hugh Merriman and Antoinette Sandbach - not sure they'll all be best pleased that they've been name dropped by hapless Heidi!

Heidi said one of the reasons none of these MPs had crossed over yet was because they didn't want to "destabilise the government" as "we don't want a general election right now".  That's right Heidi, because you and your ten colleagues would all lose their seats!

REDWOOD VS REMAIN TV

John Redwood is the latest Brexiteer to get an ear bashing from the Remain media.  The Tory MP was calling on Theresa May to get us out on April 12th with no deal when Channel 4's Krishnan Guru-Murthy suddenly interjected with an outburst of "cloud cuckoo land!"  The interview went downhill fast after that with Guru-Murthy calling Redwood and the ERG "irrelevant".  When Redwood claimed that polls were showing people in favour of no deal, Guru-Murthy lost the plot completely and just kept repeating the words "not true" over and over again like a stuck record before ending the interview abruptly.  Watch the exchange below.

Now having watched that very unprofessional and almost aggressive interview, contrast and compare with how Guru-Murthy interviewed Heidi Allen of the Independent Group/Change UK.  He did question the polling she quoted, but doesn't jump in straight away and the tone is completely different.  At least Redwood could quote his source (ComRes) whereas Heidi couldn't quote fuck all.

The bias is unreal!

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...

HEIDI APPEALS TO VERHOFTWAT

Heidi Allen of the Independent Group appears to have ideas way above her station.  While EU negotiator Verhoftwat plays hard ball on the surface, the reality is he doesn't want Britain to leave and is still pinning his hopes on a cancellation or a 'Loser's vote' (as hopeful Heidi and her fellow TIG remoaners want).

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