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/politics/2019/jul/10/heidi-allen-launches-remain-alliance-oppose-brexit
The article has changed 4 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Change UK exiles rebrand again as the Independents | Change UK exiles rebrand again as the Independents |
| (about 2 months later) | |
| The former Tory MP Heidi Allen, who quit the fledgling party Change UK after four months, has announced that independent MPs will form another new parliamentary group, to be known as The Independents. | The former Tory MP Heidi Allen, who quit the fledgling party Change UK after four months, has announced that independent MPs will form another new parliamentary group, to be known as The Independents. |
| Allen said the new group would be a cooperative and she would be coordinating a “remain alliance” of parties against Brexit. | Allen said the new group would be a cooperative and she would be coordinating a “remain alliance” of parties against Brexit. |
| Allen left the Conservatives to join the Independent Group, led the successor political party Change UK, which formed for the EU elections, and then quit after a disastrous set of results. | Allen left the Conservatives to join the Independent Group, led the successor political party Change UK, which formed for the EU elections, and then quit after a disastrous set of results. |
| The MPs have been through a series of shakeups, both as a collective and in separate groups. At one point they registered with the Electoral Commission as the Independent Group for Change. | The MPs have been through a series of shakeups, both as a collective and in separate groups. At one point they registered with the Electoral Commission as the Independent Group for Change. |
| Allen had been tipped to follow another former Change UK MP, Chuka Umunna, in joining the Liberal Democrats, but on Wednesday she said she and others who had quit the party would remain independent and focus their efforts on forming an anti-Brexit alliance of different parties. | Allen had been tipped to follow another former Change UK MP, Chuka Umunna, in joining the Liberal Democrats, but on Wednesday she said she and others who had quit the party would remain independent and focus their efforts on forming an anti-Brexit alliance of different parties. |
| “The Independents is the new home for independent politicians in Westminster,” the cooperative said in a statement, adding that it was not a political party and wanted to work across party lines. | “The Independents is the new home for independent politicians in Westminster,” the cooperative said in a statement, adding that it was not a political party and wanted to work across party lines. |
| “It launches today to encourage a stronger spirit of cross-party working and its members will work collaboratively in the national interest, including to prevent a damaging no-deal Brexit which will put the jobs and futures of young people of this country at risk.” | “It launches today to encourage a stronger spirit of cross-party working and its members will work collaboratively in the national interest, including to prevent a damaging no-deal Brexit which will put the jobs and futures of young people of this country at risk.” |
| Allen will launch a group called Unite to Remain, which she said would work with the Lib Dems, Greens, Change UK, Plaid Cymru and the remainder of Change UK in order to ensure the anti-Brexit vote was not split. | Allen will launch a group called Unite to Remain, which she said would work with the Lib Dems, Greens, Change UK, Plaid Cymru and the remainder of Change UK in order to ensure the anti-Brexit vote was not split. |
| Luciana Berger, Ann Coffey, Mike Gapes, Chris Leslie, Gavin Shuker, Angela Smith and Chuka Umunna quit the Labour party. Almost immediately Smith is heavily criticised for referring to people from minority backgrounds as having a 'funny tinge' - for which she later apologises. | Luciana Berger, Ann Coffey, Mike Gapes, Chris Leslie, Gavin Shuker, Angela Smith and Chuka Umunna quit the Labour party. Almost immediately Smith is heavily criticised for referring to people from minority backgrounds as having a 'funny tinge' - for which she later apologises. |
| Three Conservative MPs leave their party to join the group: Sarah Wollaston, Heidi Allen, and Anna Soubry. Joan Ryan, ex-Labour, had joined the group the day before. | Three Conservative MPs leave their party to join the group: Sarah Wollaston, Heidi Allen, and Anna Soubry. Joan Ryan, ex-Labour, had joined the group the day before. |
| After renaming itself Change UK, the party gets into a row with petition site Change.org, who release a statement warning it will be 'seeking guidance' over the 'imitation' of its brand. | After renaming itself Change UK, the party gets into a row with petition site Change.org, who release a statement warning it will be 'seeking guidance' over the 'imitation' of its brand. |
| Two election candidates are forced to resign within 24 hours of each other after offensive tweets emerge, including Joseph Russo, the party's top Scotland candidate, writing 'black women scare me'. | Two election candidates are forced to resign within 24 hours of each other after offensive tweets emerge, including Joseph Russo, the party's top Scotland candidate, writing 'black women scare me'. |
| MP Joan Ryan bizarrely implores the audience at the party's Bath rally to look at their palms: 'It's there, the future is in your hands'. The day before the party's lead Scottish candidate felt the future lay elsewhere - defecting to the Lib Dems a week before European elections. | MP Joan Ryan bizarrely implores the audience at the party's Bath rally to look at their palms: 'It's there, the future is in your hands'. The day before the party's lead Scottish candidate felt the future lay elsewhere - defecting to the Lib Dems a week before European elections. |
| Party leader Heidi Allen suggests Change UK may not exist at general election. 'Will I stand again [...] as Change UK, in whatever format? Let's hope, depends when next general election comes,' she says | Party leader Heidi Allen suggests Change UK may not exist at general election. 'Will I stand again [...] as Change UK, in whatever format? Let's hope, depends when next general election comes,' she says |
| In the week before the European parliamentary elections it emerges that Change UK spent £87,000 on Facebook adverts, becoming the biggest single political advertiser on Facebook - including spending at least £1,300 promoting Facebook adverts mistakenly saying it was campaigning to 'remain in the UK'. The party ends up winning 3.4% of the vote at the election, securing no MEPs. | In the week before the European parliamentary elections it emerges that Change UK spent £87,000 on Facebook adverts, becoming the biggest single political advertiser on Facebook - including spending at least £1,300 promoting Facebook adverts mistakenly saying it was campaigning to 'remain in the UK'. The party ends up winning 3.4% of the vote at the election, securing no MEPs. |
| Six of Change UK’s 11 MPs, including its spokesman Chuka Umunna and interim leader Heidi Allen, abandon the fledgling party. Former Conservative business minister and anti-Brexit campaigner Anna Soubry becomes leader. | Six of Change UK’s 11 MPs, including its spokesman Chuka Umunna and interim leader Heidi Allen, abandon the fledgling party. Former Conservative business minister and anti-Brexit campaigner Anna Soubry becomes leader. |
| Party announces it would be renamed for third time after legal threat from Change.org, and has applied to the Electoral Commission to be known as the Independent Group for Change. | Party announces it would be renamed for third time after legal threat from Change.org, and has applied to the Electoral Commission to be known as the Independent Group for Change. |
| Chuka Umunna says there is no room for two centre-ground parties in British politics after he joins the Liberal Democrats 10 days after abandoning Change UK. | Chuka Umunna says there is no room for two centre-ground parties in British politics after he joins the Liberal Democrats 10 days after abandoning Change UK. |
| Four of the original breakaways, Heidi Allen, Luciana Berger, Gavin Shuker and Angela Smith form a new group, the Independents. Joining them is former Labour MP John Woodcock. | Four of the original breakaways, Heidi Allen, Luciana Berger, Gavin Shuker and Angela Smith form a new group, the Independents. Joining them is former Labour MP John Woodcock. |
| Not to be confused with either independent MPs or the Independent Group for Change, they say they are not forming a party, but are 'a co-operative of independent politicians working with you to find new ways forward in politics'. | Not to be confused with either independent MPs or the Independent Group for Change, they say they are not forming a party, but are 'a co-operative of independent politicians working with you to find new ways forward in politics'. |
| Sarah Wollaston joins the Liberal Democrats. | Sarah Wollaston joins the Liberal Democrats. |
| Luciana Berger joins the Liberal Democrats. | |
| Angela Smith joins the Liberal Democrats. | |
| Heidi Allen joins the Liberal Democrats. | |
| She said the grouping had been formed because of the increasing likelihood of a snap general election, should Boris Johnson attempt to force through a no-deal Brexit in the autumn. | She said the grouping had been formed because of the increasing likelihood of a snap general election, should Boris Johnson attempt to force through a no-deal Brexit in the autumn. |
| The movement, which Allen said was not a new political party, will conduct a seat-by-seat analysis and encourage the parties to step aside to support whichever has the best chance of winning. It hopes to form an alliance for between 150 and 180 seats across the country, though the Scottish National party has declined to take part. | The movement, which Allen said was not a new political party, will conduct a seat-by-seat analysis and encourage the parties to step aside to support whichever has the best chance of winning. It hopes to form an alliance for between 150 and 180 seats across the country, though the Scottish National party has declined to take part. |
| The independent grouping will also include the former Labour MPs Luciana Berger, Gavin Shuker and Angela Smith, who all quit Change UK. | The independent grouping will also include the former Labour MPs Luciana Berger, Gavin Shuker and Angela Smith, who all quit Change UK. |
| The MP John Woodcock, who left the Labour party while under investigation for harassment, said he hoped to join the group and said he had offered to have the complaint against him investigated under its new procedures. | The MP John Woodcock, who left the Labour party while under investigation for harassment, said he hoped to join the group and said he had offered to have the complaint against him investigated under its new procedures. |
| Woodcock is a critic of Jeremy Corbyn and has said he did not believe he would be subject to a fair process by Labour. He tweeted on Wednesday: “I strongly deny the charge and said when I left Labour that I was committed to finding a way to get a fair hearing for both sides that had been denied by the party’s corrupted internal processes which are failing both complainants and those accused.” | Woodcock is a critic of Jeremy Corbyn and has said he did not believe he would be subject to a fair process by Labour. He tweeted on Wednesday: “I strongly deny the charge and said when I left Labour that I was committed to finding a way to get a fair hearing for both sides that had been denied by the party’s corrupted internal processes which are failing both complainants and those accused.” |
| Heidi Allen | Heidi Allen |
| Independent Group for Change | Independent Group for Change |
| Brexit | Brexit |
| news | news |
| 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 |