INDEPENDENT GROUP

[ICTChris]

The best thing if they have any success is the spiral of spittle flecked fury that it will drive people to.  I don't think it's very likely though.  Fingers crossed.

[topcat(The most tip top)]

To me TIG may be stuck between a rock and a hard place right off the bat.
It appears they’re leaving their group deliberately vague in the hope that it swells their ranks. But the spectre of a snap election looms over them and you’d imagine they would have to have some concrete policies/party form in place for that.

If the Brexit referendum showed us anything it was that not having concrete policies isn’t really a problem

[Granny Danger]

32 minutes ago, topcat(The most tip top) said:

 

The Lib Dem’s getting trounced in the Europhile centre ground by a party that isn’t actually a party, has only existed for a few days and whose MPs have already made some stupid gaffes.

 

 

This is the bizarre thing, if the electorate really wanted a centrist party who were opposed to Brexit why the f**k have the LibDems been struggling in the polls.  Personally I think their leadership is ineffectual but it’s still strange that they could not capitalise on this supposed vacumn.

[Londonwell]

5 minutes ago, Granny Danger said:

This is the bizarre thing, if the electorate really wanted a centrist party who were opposed to Brexit why the f**k have the LibDems been struggling in the polls.  Personally I think their leadership is ineffectual but it’s still strange that they could not capitalise on this supposed vacumn.

Maybe people just don't trust the Lib Dem's anymore? And then when presented with the a shiny new thing it immediately attracts them.

I know in my own Highland constituency where the Libs have dropped to 3rd behind the Tories (a former Liberal stronghold) that there seems to be the residual effects from years of liberal cuntiness. 

Edited February 21, 2019 by Londonwell

[BawWatchin]

10 minutes ago, topcat(The most tip top) said:

If the Brexit referendum showed us anything it was that not having concrete policies isn’t really a problem

It seems that the less policies a political force has, the easier it is to rally up support from the dumbed down masses. Who really wants to read through pages upon pages of a party manifesto, when they can back a political force that doesn't encourage them to read or think?

[Jacksgranda]

15 minutes ago, topcat(The most tip top) said:

 

If the Brexit referendum showed us anything it was that not having concrete policies isn’t really a problem

 

@Melanius Mullarkey

[Melanius Mullarkey]

25 minutes ago, Jacksgranda said:

@Melanius Mullarkey

I’ve got a few involving encasing most politicians in the stuff.

[Cerberus]

Remember when the Lib Dems were the centrist party?

Before Nick Clegg and them valuing people's lives less than getting a 5p bag charge.

[DeeTillEhDeh]

The only reason I’m still a member is because I pay £5 a year and get invited to loads of free local association events where there is food and alcohol... [emoji102]

. . . and . . .

[Fullerene]

What if in the next few days a huge number of Labour MPs and a huge number of Tory MPs all decided to defect to this party that then became the largest party in the House of Commons but without having a leader or a manifesto or a platform or even knowing if it is a party of the left or the right, for austerity or against it, for nationalisation or for privation or basically more or less anything.

Couldn't be any worse than where we are now.

[Londonwell]

1 hour ago, MixuFixit said:

Are you in the one where the hangdog libdem is chapping doors and saying he was pals with Charles Kennedy?

Craig Harrow. Haven’t  met him so won’t comment on him personally but if it’s anything like the last couple of campaigns then the Libs truly deserve their political obsecurity.

[Falcor Roar]

Who actually wants a middle ground? The only thing that British people can agree is that things need to drastically change because the 'middle ground' is shit. We either go back to regulating  and intervening in market forces or we give more ground to corporate interests while blaming Muslims a bit. The middle ground is just the latter but without the racism as far as I can make out. 

[welshbairn]

19 minutes ago, Falcor Roar said:

Who actually wants a middle ground? The only thing that British people can agree is that things need to drastically change because the 'middle ground' is shit. We either go back to regulating  and intervening in market forces or we give more ground to corporate interests while blaming Muslims a bit. The middle ground is just the latter but without the racism as far as I can make out. 

The middle ground means the cash points still work and we don't get concentration camps. 

[Sooky]

What if in the next few days a huge number of Labour MPs and a huge number of Tory MPs all decided to defect to this party that then became the largest party in the House of Commons but without having a leader or a manifesto or a platform or even knowing if it is a party of the left or the right, for austerity or against it, for nationalisation or for privation or basically more or less anything.

Couldn't be any worse than where we are now. [emoji6]

 

Not any policies, but they do have eleven (pretty vague) ‘values’ on their website: https://www.theindependent.group/values

 

 

Ours is a great country of which people are rightly proud, where the first duty of government must be to defend its people and do whatever it takes to safeguard Britain’s national security.

 

Britain works best as a diverse, mixed social market economy, in which well-regulated private enterprise can reward aspiration and drive economic progress and where government has the responsibility to ensure the sound stewardship of taxpayer’s money and a stable, fair and balanced economy.

 

A strong economy means we can invest in our public services. We believe the collective provision of public services and the NHS can be delivered through government action, improving health and educational life chances, protecting the public, safeguarding the vulnerable, ensuring dignity at every stage of life and placing individuals at the heart of decision-making.

 

The people of this country have the ability to create fairer, more prosperous communities for present and future generations. We believe that this creativity is best realised in a society which fosters individual freedom and supports all families.

 

The barriers of poverty, prejudice and discrimination facing individuals should be removed and advancement occur on the basis of merit, with inequalities reduced through the extension of opportunity, giving individuals the skills and means to open new doors and fulfil their ambitions.

 

Individuals are capable of taking responsibility if opportunities are offered to them, everybody can and should make a contribution to society and that contribution should be recognised. Paid work should be secure and pay should be fair.

 

Our free media, the rule of law, and our open, tolerant and respectful democratic society should be cherished and renewed.

 

We believe that our parliamentary democracy in which our elected representatives deliberate, decide and provide leadership, held accountable by their whole electorate is the best system of representing the views of the British people.

 

In order to face the challenges and opportunities presented by globalisation, migration and technological advances, we believe the multilateral, international rules-based order must be strengthened and reformed. We believe in maintaining strong alliances with our closest European and international allies on trade, regulation, defence, security and counter-terrorism

 

As part of the global community we have a responsibility to future generations to protect our environment, safeguard the planet, plan development sustainably and to act on the urgency of climate change.

 

Power should be devolved to the most appropriate level, trusting and involving local communities. More powers and representation should be given to local government to act in the best interests of their communities

[Fullerene]

50 minutes ago, welshbairn said:

The middle ground means the cash points still work and we don't get concentration camps. 

It all means you don't get a knock on the door in the middle of the night to be taken off to the gulag because you don't like the leader's hair cut.

All the same, I think I better say that whatever else I think about Theresa May or Jeremy Corbyn, I think their haircuts are okay.
(Better safe than sorry - that's what I say)

[John Lambies Doos]

 
Not any policies, but they do have eleven (pretty vague) ‘values’ on their website: https://www.theindependent.group/values
 
 
Ours is a great country of which people are rightly proud, where the first duty of government must be to defend its people and do whatever it takes to safeguard Britain’s national security.
 
Britain works best as a diverse, mixed social market economy, in which well-regulated private enterprise can reward aspiration and drive economic progress and where government has the responsibility to ensure the sound stewardship of taxpayer’s money and a stable, fair and balanced economy.
 
A strong economy means we can invest in our public services. We believe the collective provision of public services and the NHS can be delivered through government action, improving health and educational life chances, protecting the public, safeguarding the vulnerable, ensuring dignity at every stage of life and placing individuals at the heart of decision-making.
 
The people of this country have the ability to create fairer, more prosperous communities for present and future generations. We believe that this creativity is best realised in a society which fosters individual freedom and supports all families.
 
The barriers of poverty, prejudice and discrimination facing individuals should be removed and advancement occur on the basis of merit, with inequalities reduced through the extension of opportunity, giving individuals the skills and means to open new doors and fulfil their ambitions.
 
Individuals are capable of taking responsibility if opportunities are offered to them, everybody can and should make a contribution to society and that contribution should be recognised. Paid work should be secure and pay should be fair.
 
Our free media, the rule of law, and our open, tolerant and respectful democratic society should be cherished and renewed.
 
We believe that our parliamentary democracy in which our elected representatives deliberate, decide and provide leadership, held accountable by their whole electorate is the best system of representing the views of the British people.
 
In order to face the challenges and opportunities presented by globalisation, migration and technological advances, we believe the multilateral, international rules-based order must be strengthened and reformed. We believe in maintaining strong alliances with our closest European and international allies on trade, regulation, defence, security and counter-terrorism
 
As part of the global community we have a responsibility to future generations to protect our environment, safeguard the planet, plan development sustainably and to act on the urgency of climate change.
 
Power should be devolved to the most appropriate level, trusting and involving local communities. More powers and representation should be given to local government to act in the best interests of their communities

Do they have anything on democracy?

[Granny Danger]

12 minutes ago, John Lambies Doos said:

1 hour ago, Sooky said:

 
Not any policies, but they do have eleven (pretty vague) ‘values’ on their website: https://www.theindependent.group/values
 
 
Ours is a great country of which people are rightly proud, where the first duty of government must be to defend its people and do whatever it takes to safeguard Britain’s national security.
 
Britain works best as a diverse, mixed social market economy, in which well-regulated private enterprise can reward aspiration and drive economic progress and where government has the responsibility to ensure the sound stewardship of taxpayer’s money and a stable, fair and balanced economy.
 
A strong economy means we can invest in our public services. We believe the collective provision of public services and the NHS can be delivered through government action, improving health and educational life chances, protecting the public, safeguarding the vulnerable, ensuring dignity at every stage of life and placing individuals at the heart of decision-making.
 
The people of this country have the ability to create fairer, more prosperous communities for present and future generations. We believe that this creativity is best realised in a society which fosters individual freedom and supports all families.
 
The barriers of poverty, prejudice and discrimination facing individuals should be removed and advancement occur on the basis of merit, with inequalities reduced through the extension of opportunity, giving individuals the skills and means to open new doors and fulfil their ambitions.
 
Individuals are capable of taking responsibility if opportunities are offered to them, everybody can and should make a contribution to society and that contribution should be recognised. Paid work should be secure and pay should be fair.
 
Our free media, the rule of law, and our open, tolerant and respectful democratic society should be cherished and renewed.
 
We believe that our parliamentary democracy in which our elected representatives deliberate, decide and provide leadership, held accountable by their whole electorate is the best system of representing the views of the British people.
 
In order to face the challenges and opportunities presented by globalisation, migration and technological advances, we believe the multilateral, international rules-based order must be strengthened and reformed. We believe in maintaining strong alliances with our closest European and international allies on trade, regulation, defence, security and counter-terrorism
 
As part of the global community we have a responsibility to future generations to protect our environment, safeguard the planet, plan development sustainably and to act on the urgency of climate change.
 
Power should be devolved to the most appropriate level, trusting and involving local communities. More powers and representation should be given to local government to act in the best interests of their communities

Do they have anything on democracy?

They’ve got a bit on no by-elections if that helps.

[Detournement]

You can imagine every single sentence in that statement being uttered by Cameron or May.

It's complete drivel. Bland rhetoric that will be will be used to dress up tax cuts, deregulation, privatisation and outsourcing.

[D Angelo Barksdale]

That's a lot of words to say very little.

They could have just stuck up a picture of Tony Blair with the caption 'Cool Brittania'

[Miguel Sanchez]