This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/feb/26/independent-group-nandos-photo
The article has changed 4 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| For the Independent Group, even Nando's is a photo opportunity | For the Independent Group, even Nando's is a photo opportunity |
| (12 days later) | |
| It is day eight of the existence of the Independent Group, which is currently polling at 18% (according to YouGov). The group has said it will hold off calling byelections for now, and is not at this stage registered as a political party, but in its early days it is, of course, keen to raise its profile. This has led to a number of beautiful photo opportunities, press conferences and broadcast appearances. Let’s take a look, shall we? | It is day eight of the existence of the Independent Group, which is currently polling at 18% (according to YouGov). The group has said it will hold off calling byelections for now, and is not at this stage registered as a political party, but in its early days it is, of course, keen to raise its profile. This has led to a number of beautiful photo opportunities, press conferences and broadcast appearances. Let’s take a look, shall we? |
| A photo of the group’s first outing was tweeted last night by Chuka Umunna. As so often with politicians trying to appeal to the people, it was a food-based photo opportunity: | A photo of the group’s first outing was tweeted last night by Chuka Umunna. As so often with politicians trying to appeal to the people, it was a food-based photo opportunity: |
| First @TheIndGroup meal out before votes tonight at Nando’s! pic.twitter.com/Qxdrk75Mx6 | First @TheIndGroup meal out before votes tonight at Nando’s! pic.twitter.com/Qxdrk75Mx6 |
| The first observation here is that Umunna’s sentence structure is off. “TheIndGroup meal out before votes tonight at Nando’s!” reads as though the vote is taking place at Nando’s, and the gang have just gone out for a quick bite beforehand. I am assuming this was not the case. | The first observation here is that Umunna’s sentence structure is off. “TheIndGroup meal out before votes tonight at Nando’s!” reads as though the vote is taking place at Nando’s, and the gang have just gone out for a quick bite beforehand. I am assuming this was not the case. |
| Huge props go to Heidi Allen, who is absolutely not waiting for this photo opportunity to be over to dig in. And to Angela Smith, who is reaching for her glass of wine like someone who knows this snap is going on Twitter whether she likes it or not, and better not be tagged. Mike Gapes looks thrilled, because Mike Gapes never not looks thrilled (more on this later). | Huge props go to Heidi Allen, who is absolutely not waiting for this photo opportunity to be over to dig in. And to Angela Smith, who is reaching for her glass of wine like someone who knows this snap is going on Twitter whether she likes it or not, and better not be tagged. Mike Gapes looks thrilled, because Mike Gapes never not looks thrilled (more on this later). |
| But let us turn to Anna Soubry. Now, I’m never going to forgive Soubry for her record on welfare votes – it just isn’t happening – but her interventions on Brexit have been admirable indeed. She’s also dealt superbly with the bunch of knuckleheads, inspired by gilet jaunes, who see themselves as brave guards of a long-ago empire, but actually just look like marshals at a cross-country race in the local park: | But let us turn to Anna Soubry. Now, I’m never going to forgive Soubry for her record on welfare votes – it just isn’t happening – but her interventions on Brexit have been admirable indeed. She’s also dealt superbly with the bunch of knuckleheads, inspired by gilet jaunes, who see themselves as brave guards of a long-ago empire, but actually just look like marshals at a cross-country race in the local park: |
| Soubry has done a great job of ignoring them, and also of wearing a Russian style ushanka with a Arsène Wenger-esque long padded jacket and the most baller boots politics has ever seen. Aside from maybe in junta-run countries. To wit: | Soubry has done a great job of ignoring them, and also of wearing a Russian style ushanka with a Arsène Wenger-esque long padded jacket and the most baller boots politics has ever seen. Aside from maybe in junta-run countries. To wit: |
| But back at Nando’s, Soubry has let the side down. She appears to have ordered a salad. At Nando’s. (Although she is already stealth-reaching for a chip.) | But back at Nando’s, Soubry has let the side down. She appears to have ordered a salad. At Nando’s. (Although she is already stealth-reaching for a chip.) |
| But more egregiously, she has bottled still water. Nobody but a sociopath orders bottled still water at a restaurant that isn’t in a country where the water is dodgy. | But more egregiously, she has bottled still water. Nobody but a sociopath orders bottled still water at a restaurant that isn’t in a country where the water is dodgy. |
| The Nando’s trip was not the first key picture of the gang together. The original launch shots were pretty dull, aside from Ann Coffey who came dressed for success in an orange suit like the early morning sun. A new dawn has broken, has it not? | The Nando’s trip was not the first key picture of the gang together. The original launch shots were pretty dull, aside from Ann Coffey who came dressed for success in an orange suit like the early morning sun. A new dawn has broken, has it not? |
| When “the three amigos” – as Soubry, Sarah Wollaston and Allen refer to themselves – and Labour’s Smith joined the group, we were treated to some excellent pics with a girls night out vibe. Everyone out to All Bar One, then to the chippy where Allen as a northerner gets ripped for ordering chips and gravy, and then back to Soubs’ and a last bottle of Jacobs Creek and a singalong to Independent Women by Destiny’s Child: | When “the three amigos” – as Soubry, Sarah Wollaston and Allen refer to themselves – and Labour’s Smith joined the group, we were treated to some excellent pics with a girls night out vibe. Everyone out to All Bar One, then to the chippy where Allen as a northerner gets ripped for ordering chips and gravy, and then back to Soubs’ and a last bottle of Jacobs Creek and a singalong to Independent Women by Destiny’s Child: |
| Then there was the main sublime photoshoot so far. I’m afraid the most widely shared picture was the one below, and once I envisioned the group as Borrowers people in an empty baked beans tin, I couldn’t see anything else: | Then there was the main sublime photoshoot so far. I’m afraid the most widely shared picture was the one below, and once I envisioned the group as Borrowers people in an empty baked beans tin, I couldn’t see anything else: |
| There were plenty more snaps from this shoot to enjoy, with Soubry featuring heavily. Including this one of her about to drop a freestyle verse with support from her hype women: | There were plenty more snaps from this shoot to enjoy, with Soubry featuring heavily. Including this one of her about to drop a freestyle verse with support from her hype women: |
| And this one, which is very “all-girls school group of friends at a wedding”, with Soubry about to catch the bouquet: | And this one, which is very “all-girls school group of friends at a wedding”, with Soubry about to catch the bouquet: |
| Here we have Gavin Shuker looking like an absolute PLAYER. Don’t hate him cos you ain’t him: | Here we have Gavin Shuker looking like an absolute PLAYER. Don’t hate him cos you ain’t him: |
| Then we have Soubry (again) leading a tour on Pugin’s gothic architecture, which the rest saw on Groupon, pointing out some intricate roof detail: | Then we have Soubry (again) leading a tour on Pugin’s gothic architecture, which the rest saw on Groupon, pointing out some intricate roof detail: |
| But it was the Tiggers’ first foray on to the green benches of the Commons that was most enjoyable. The shot had the look of a school assembly scene: | But it was the Tiggers’ first foray on to the green benches of the Commons that was most enjoyable. The shot had the look of a school assembly scene: |
| Chris Leslie is the boy who is forcibly separated from his mate and then catches his eye minutes later. Luciana Berger has spotted her crush from biology. Soubry is LOLing at her mate who is getting told off by the teacher for talking – despite the fact Soubry was also talking. Coffey looks like she’s just been told the upcoming exams are the most important of her life, and she has done zero revision. Smith, meanwhile, is all of us, WhatsApping plans to meet at break. | Chris Leslie is the boy who is forcibly separated from his mate and then catches his eye minutes later. Luciana Berger has spotted her crush from biology. Soubry is LOLing at her mate who is getting told off by the teacher for talking – despite the fact Soubry was also talking. Coffey looks like she’s just been told the upcoming exams are the most important of her life, and she has done zero revision. Smith, meanwhile, is all of us, WhatsApping plans to meet at break. |
| Umunna already seems jostling for future leadership of the Independent Group (it has said it will elect one at the end of the year) but the main Tigger is Mike Gapes, because he is permanently energised, smiling and beaming. He has the demeanour of a guy who wins millions on the lottery, but tells his local paper he will continue his job as a gardener, because that is what brings him true happiness. Look at him: | Umunna already seems jostling for future leadership of the Independent Group (it has said it will elect one at the end of the year) but the main Tigger is Mike Gapes, because he is permanently energised, smiling and beaming. He has the demeanour of a guy who wins millions on the lottery, but tells his local paper he will continue his job as a gardener, because that is what brings him true happiness. Look at him: |
| ALWAYS happy: | ALWAYS happy: |
| MIKE GAPES, NEVER NOT LOVING LIFE: | MIKE GAPES, NEVER NOT LOVING LIFE: |
| Finally, there was this exquisite moment last night on Newsnight, in which Labour and Corbyn loyalist Barry Gardiner placed a hand on Umunna’s wrist and – how best to put this? – it was met with … revulsion? Disgust? The type of repugnance when one takes a swig of sour milk? (As an extra bonus, there is Emily Maitlis wildly pointing a pencil at the two, and, at this point, which of us is above threatening all of our politicians with an HB?) | Finally, there was this exquisite moment last night on Newsnight, in which Labour and Corbyn loyalist Barry Gardiner placed a hand on Umunna’s wrist and – how best to put this? – it was met with … revulsion? Disgust? The type of repugnance when one takes a swig of sour milk? (As an extra bonus, there is Emily Maitlis wildly pointing a pencil at the two, and, at this point, which of us is above threatening all of our politicians with an HB?) |
| “If you look at what happened at our party conference, we laid out all of this systematically”Barry Gardiner refutes any notion that the Independent Group scared Labour into supporting a public vote#newsnight | @BarryGardiner pic.twitter.com/pJCyz1iIcO | “If you look at what happened at our party conference, we laid out all of this systematically”Barry Gardiner refutes any notion that the Independent Group scared Labour into supporting a public vote#newsnight | @BarryGardiner pic.twitter.com/pJCyz1iIcO |
| There’ll be many more press appearances, social media content and pics to come from the Independent Group. And possibly more MPs joining them, depending what happens on Wednesday’s day of Brexit amendment votes. But for now, it’s bye from me and bye from Mike Gapes! | There’ll be many more press appearances, social media content and pics to come from the Independent Group. And possibly more MPs joining them, depending what happens on Wednesday’s day of Brexit amendment votes. But for now, it’s bye from me and bye from Mike Gapes! |
| Independent Group for Change | |
| Opinion | Opinion |
| Chuka Umunna | Chuka Umunna |
| Heidi Allen | Heidi Allen |
| comment | comment |
| Share on Facebook | Share on Facebook |
| Share on Twitter | Share on Twitter |
| Share via Email | Share via Email |
| Share on LinkedIn | Share on LinkedIn |
| Share on Pinterest | Share on Pinterest |
| Share on WhatsApp | Share on WhatsApp |
| Share on Messenger | Share on Messenger |
| Reuse this content | Reuse this content |