END OF THE ROAD FOR JIM?

MPs are dropping like flies at the moment and not a ballot paper has been filled in yet.  Well, they've probably already filled in a few thousand in Tower Hamlets, but let's not digress.  Since the election passed through the Commons we've had the departure of Owen Smith (Pontypridd) and yesterday Adrian Bailey (West Bromwich West) also announced he would stand down, both unapologetic Remainers.  They were both among the eleven Labour MPs who opposed an election, fearing for their seats amid a Brexit backlash.  Tory Remainers Amber Rudd and Nicky Morgan have also announced they too are quitting.

Today it was announced that the Standards Committee has (finally) taken action against Keith Vaz.  One of the original 'teflon' MPs, Vaz has survived more scandals than we care to list.  Considering that his cocaine and rent boy exploits were exposed over three years ago, you could be forgiven for thinking that he'd escaped unscathed once again.  Unfortunately, that may yet to prove to be the case.  The Mirror reports that although Vaz has been suspended from the Commons for six months, the ban may only last two days because it will lapse after Parliament is prorogued next week.

So Keith could well be back in the Commons by Christmas if he is re-elected in December.  Of course he has to be re-selected by Labour in order to defend his seat and pressure is beginning to mount on the party to finally give him the boot.  Diane Abbott told reporters earlier:  "I think he should consider his position and I think he himself should agree not to be a candidate".  That's wishful thinking on her part, as Jim clearly possesses no shame whatsoever.  He has a whopping big majority in Leicester East and will be desperate to cling on yet again.  Watch this space.

Leicester East general election 2017

Keith Vaz (Lab) 35,116 (67.0%) +5.9%
Edward Yi He (Con) 12,688 (24.2%) +1.2%
Sujata Barot (Ind) 1,753 (3.3%) New
Nitesh Dave (Lib Dem) 1,343 (2.6%) N/c
Melanie Wakley (Green) 1,070 (2.0%) -1.0%
Ian Fox (Ind) 454 (0.9%) New

BIG O'S CORBYN DIG

Failed leadership challenger Owen Smith doesn't miss a trick when it comes to posting a dig at his old adversary Jezza.  The member for Pontypridd and ardent remoaner was retweeting the result of a local by-election in Cardiff last night.  As with almost every single council by-election stretching back months the Labour share of the vote shrunk...

LABOUR U-TURN ON LEAFLETS

The draft version of the Labour leaflet for the forthcoming European Elections has been causing a stir among its MPs and MEPs.  The failure to mention the party's commitment to a second referendum has enraged remoaners like Owen Smith, Clive Lewis, Chris Bryant and Ben Bradshaw.

The leaflet that has got remoaners foaming at the mouth

We are used to Labour u-turns on Brexit, in fact since 2016 the party position has changed almost as many times as Diane Abbott has misplaced her abacus.  Lifelong EU critic Jeremy Corbyn was probably hoping to sit on the fence during the election period, but 74 of his MPs penned a protest letter yesterday and have reportedly succeeded in forcing a redesign of the leaflet.  It will now include a reference to holding a 'confirmatory vote' aka a referendum re-run.  14 MEPs also signed the letter, after all they would be out of a job if we were ever to actually leave the EU.  A copy of the letter and all its signatories can be found below.

Click to enlarge

If polling is correct the European Elections will be a straight battle between Labour and the Brexit Party for top spot.  Corbyn's fence sitting strategy may have kept hardcore Labour Leave voters on board, but by repositioning itself as a Remain party (again) this will surely alienate swathes of Labour voters in the Brexit heartlands.  Far from setting themselves up to tackle the Brexit Party challenge, these one-eyed remoaner MPs are making sweet music to the ears of Nigel Farage and UKIP!

TRAITORS ON THE MARCH

Apparently some sections of the Loser's March today were singing "Where's Jeremy Corbyn" as opposed to "Oh Jeremy Corbyn".  This was in response to the notable absence of said Great Leader (and lifelong Eurosceptic).  He was in Lancashire.  His deputy Tom Watson was at the march, but there weren't many other frontbenchers in attendance - if any, in fact.  Nope, not even Keir Starmer.  There were plenty of backbench MPs present though and here's our list of the traitors on show...

Stella Creasy (Lab, Walthamstow) - gave an interview in which she defended her presence and outrageously claimed that she "absolutely respected how people voted in 2016".  The balls on that woman!

Alison McGovern (Lab, Wirral South)

Rachael Maskell (Lab, York Central)

Chi Onwurah (Lab, Newcastle-upon-Tyne Central)

Kevin Brennan (Lab, Cardiff West)

Stephen Doughty (Lab, Cardiff South & Penarth)

Anna McMorrin (Lab, Cardiff North)

Jo Stevens (Lab, Cardiff Central)

All four Cardiff MPs - Brennan, Doughty, McMorrin & Stevens (plus Owen Smith photobombing)

Phil Wilson (Lab, Sedgefield) - Tony Blair's successor, ironically his constituency returned a 59% Leave vote.

Ian Murray (Lab, Edinburgh South)

Stephen Morgan (Lab, Portsmouth South) - his constituency returned a 52% Leave vote.

Owen Smith (Lab, Pontypridd)

Chris Bryant (Lab, Rhondda) - Captain Underpants was there, despite his recent cancer diagnosis.  Rhondda returned a 60% Leave vote.

Peter Kyle (Lab, Hove)

Chris Bryant, Peter Kyle and Owen Smith

Meg Hillier (Lab, Hackney South & Shoreditch)

Siobhain McDonagh (Lab, Mitcham & Morden)

Catherine West (Lab, Hornsey & Wood Green)

Clive Lewis (Lab, Norwich South)

Kate Osamor (Lab, Edmonton)

Lloyd Russell-Moyle (Lab, Brighton Kemptown) - attended despite his 'ordeal' on Thursday!

Kate Osamor (second from left), Clive Lewis & Lloyd Russell-Wotsit

Neil Coyle (Lab, Bermondsey & Old Southwark)

Janet Daby (Lab, Lewisham East)

Alex Sobel (Lab, Leeds North West)

Daniel Zeichner (Lab, Cambridge)

Susan Elan Jones (Lab, Clwyd South) - her constituency returned a 60% Leave vote.

Chris Elmore (Lab, Ogmore) - his constituency returned a 59% Leave vote.

Mary Creagh (Lab, Wakefield) - her constituency returned a whopping 63% Leave vote.

Mary Creagh managed to find someone even more odious than herself - James O'Brien

Liz Kendall (Lab, Leicester West) - her constituency returned a 51% Leave vote.

Wes Streeting (Lab, Ilford North) - his constituency returned a 53% Leave vote.

Barry Sheerman (Lab, Huddersfield) - his constituency returned a 52% Leave vote.

Steve Reed (Lab, Croydon North)

Rosie Duffield (Lab, Canterbury)

Dave Lammy (Lab, Tottenham)

Two politicians who despise our country - Nicola Sturgeon & Dave Lammy

Rosena Allin-Khan (Lab, Tooting)

Gareth Thomas (Lab, Harrow West)

Marsha de Cordova (Lab, Battersea) - a pleasant surprise while we were compiling this list, she follows us on Twitter!

Catherine McKinnell (Lab, Newcastle-upon-Tyne North) - her constituency returned a 57% Leave vote.

Tom Watson (Lab, West Bromwich East) - one of the main speakers, Tom's constituency returned a huge 68% Leave vote.

Jess Phillips (Lab, Birmingham Yardley) - fake feminist Jess took the stage with Tory MP Dominic Grieve.  Her constituency returned a 60% Leave vote.

Jess Phillips didn't look very comfortable sharing the stage with Tory MP Dominic Grieve

Dominic Grieve (Con, Beaconsfield) - shared the stage with Labour's Jess Phillips.

Ian Blackford (SNP, Ross, Skye & Lochaber) - the only SNP MP at the march?  Seriously?  Nicola Sturgeon clearly isn't the big draw she once was.

Caroline Lucas (Green, Brighton Pavilion)

Vince Cable (Lib-Dem, Twickenham)

Jo Swinson (Lib-Dem, East Dunbartonshire)

Heidi Allen (TIG, South Cambridgeshire)

Mike Gapes (TIG, Ilford South)

Chris Leslie (TIG, Nottingham East)

Gavin Shuker (TIG, Luton North) - his constituency returned a 59% Leave vote.

Angela Smith (TIG, Peniston & Stocksbridge) - her constituency returned a 61% Leave vote.

Anna Soubry (TIG, Broxtowe) - her constituency returned a 53% Leave vote.

Chuka Umunna (TIG, Streatham)

Sarah Wollaston (TIG, Totnes) - her constituency returned a 54% Leave vote.

TIG MPs Umunna, Soubry, Shuker, Gapes, Leslie and Wollaston (Heidi Allen & Angela Smith not in photo)

We tried to make this list as comprehensive as possible, but if we've missed anyone out please put in the comments below.

NO SURPRISES FROM OWEN

Why does he even bother tweeting his voting intention?  We already know how you're going to vote sunshine!

NO SURPRISES FROM OWEN

This is such a predictable tweet, one wonders why he bothered to even put it in writing.

"BREXIT IS RACIST" RANTS OWEN SMITH

Labour remoaner Owen Smith went mental in the Commons today, labelling Brexit a "racist, xenophobic, right-wing, reactionary project".  Corbyn's commitment to a second referendum clearly hasn't pacified the member for Pontypridd...

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?

7-8-11-WHO'S NEXT?

There may be several more defections today, there may not.  The Independent Group (TIG) may have played all its cards and no-one else is going to join them.  Doubtful.  What is certain is that every defection has been and will be timed for maximum impact.  There won't be a cascade, more of a drip drip every day or two in order to prolong media attention and cause maximum disruption.  And, of course, to maintain momentum (pun intended).

So, who will be next?  Let's look at some of the favourites...

Ian Austin (Lab, Dudley North).  A Brownite and staunch enemy of Corbyn.  He has been threatening to join TIG over the last two days, but people who make threats often can't be trusted.  The Gang of Seven never made such threats.  Furthermore, all of the current TIG members are staunch Remainers.  Austin is not.

Guto Bebb (Con, Aberconwy).  Resigned from the government to pursue a second referendum.  A career politician he was a Plaid Cymru activist before joining the Tories, so would he sacrifice himself?  Not yet perhaps, but if there is no Brexit deal...

Nick Boles (Con, Grantham & Stamford).  A Remainer strongly tipped to be the next Tory to join TIG, but tweeted on Wednesday that he is "not ready to give up yet".  Could be a late addition if there is no Brexit deal.

Neil Coyle (Lab, Bermondsey & Old Southwark).  Nominated Corbyn for the leadership in 2015, but has since become one of his most brutal critics.  Says he will stay, but clearly very unhappy when interviewed by the BBC.  Could be pushed out eventually if the hard left push hard enough!

Stephen Doughty (Lab, Cardiff South & Penarth).  It's been suggested that Welsh Labour defections are unlikely because Labour are in government there, but Welsh MPs sit in London.  Doughty is a staunch Remainer and has been attacking the party this week on both Brexit and anti-Semitism.  Has distanced himself from the quitters and is unlikely to quit any time soon.

Angela Eagle (Lab, Wallasey).  New Labour veteran and one of the longest serving MPs on the list.  Most famous for challenging Corbyn for the leadership before backing out to allow Owen Smith a clear run.  A Remainer and a member of Labour Friends of Israel, she's not said much this week and could spring a surprise, but would she take her twin sister with her...

Maria Eagle (Lab, Garston & Halewood).  Twin sister of Angela and elected the same year, but infinitely more low profile and not much is known about her.  Not a dickie bird about TIG this week.

Louise Ellman (Lab, Liverpool Riverside).  Jewish MP and Remainer under attack from Momentum, she has pledged to stay and fight anti-Semitism from "within".

Justine Greening (Con, Putney).  Another proponent of a second referendum, she has said nothing about any of the defections this week.  Dark horse.

Dominic Grieve (Con, Beaconsfield).  Has been pretty blunt about his resignation prospects and says he will resign the whip if May takes us into a no deal Brexit.  On that basis he won't be joining TIG for a few weeks.

Sam Gyimah (Con, East Surrey).  Staunch Remainer who resigned as a minister in order to pursue a second referendum.  Had been quiet this week, except to retweet Soubry's resignation, but later clarified that the retweet didn't mean he was going to "follow suit".

Peter Kyle (Lab, Hove).  A staunch Remainer and Blairite, Kyle refused to sign the outlandish Corbyn loyalty pledge that did the rounds on Twitter earlier this week.  However, on Wednesday he tweeted that he is "not about to quit".

Phillip Lee (Con, Bracknell).  Caused a bit of a stir on the BBC on Wednesday by referring to Brexit as a "turd".  Has been quoted as saying the "timing is not right", so could potentially quit in the event of a no deal Brexit.  Tick tock, tick tock...

Siobhain McDonough (Lab, Mitcham & Morden).  Blairite Remainer, bit of a non-entity, but thought to be close to TIG's Chris Leslie.  Probably too delicate to jump ship on her own.

Alison McGovern (Lab, Wirral South).  Blairite Remainer who categorically denied in a live TV interview last week she would be quitting.  She's gone a bit quiet this week, so could possibly reconsider if the hard left make things uncomfortable enough.

Ian Murray (Lab, Edinburgh South).  Corbyn critic, Blairite and Remainer.  Murray has publicly defended the Gang of Seven this week and has been on the receiving end of lots of hard left abuse in the process.  One to watch.

Jess Phillips (Lab, Birmingham Yardley).  Loudmouth Jess likes to be the centre of attention and has suggested she finds it hard "to disagree with a lot of what they [TIG] are saying".  Not sure what her particular axe to grind is and she is not under threat from Momentum.  Wild card.

Ruth Smeeth (Lab, Stoke-on-Trent North).  A Corbyn critic, a Remainer, but not a big remoaner.  As a Jewish MP receiving similar levels of abuse as Luciana Berger she was strongly expected to quit, but in an article for the Jewish News on Wednesday she said she is staying.

Owen Smith (Lab, Pontypridd).  Failed leadership challenger Owen is one of the most unapologetic remoaners in Parliament and most tellingly has said nothing about TIG all week.  Biding your time Owen?

Wes Streeting (Lab, Ilford North).  Another Corbyn critic and staunch Remainer.  Dismissed rumours of his departure by tweeting "I'm with her" in support of Ruth Smeeth's decision to stay.

Tom Watson (Lab, West Bromwich East).  The left would dearly love to see the back of Watson, but it's not likely in the short term.  As the elected deputy leader he can't be easily dislodged, but Corbyn and his followers have done everything they can to exclude him from proceedings.  His response to the Gang of Seven was generally supportive of them and highly critical of Corbyn and Momentum.  Watson is fearless and he won't quit.

Phil Wilson (Lab, Sedgefield).  Staunch Remainer and critic of Corbyn.  Very supportive of Tom Watson's damning response to the breakaway, but not a word on whether he would stay or go.  Another one to watch.

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!

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