Independent Group democracy thieves gave themselves fake roles

Independent Group (IG), the gang of MPs who deserted the parties for whom their voters voted but refused to call by-elections, gave themselves some made-up remits.

None of the respective assigned roles for the MPs has any meaning because IG is not a political party. The game IG is playing is the antithesis and abuse of parliamentary democracy. The MPs are democracy thieves.

The job title descriptions adjacent to each member’s name below were taken directly from an IG press release.

Gavin Shuker – Group Convenor

No-one knows what ‘convenor’ means in this context. Shuker is the owner of shell company Gemini A Limited that owns IG.

Chuka Umunna – Group Spokesperson; Cabinet Office; Government Policy Coordination

If Umunna is a spokesperson then it might be better to have nothing to say. The third feature of his role appears to mean that Umunna will coordinate with the Tory government; surely, one of the ex-Tory MPs in IG should do that. His role description is as flaky as he is.

Chris Leslie – Treasury and Trade

An associate of former Prime Minister and financial de-regulator Gordon Brown, Leslie wrote an excruciating paper called Centre Ground for Social Market Foundation think-tank last year that should have been called ‘Not Quite As Nasty As The Tories.’ “It is left to the centre ground to take a more balanced, common sense approach, where taking tough decisions can induce short-term acute unpopularity” is not the language of a socialist.

Joan Ryan – Group Business Manager; International Development

Joan Ryan’s history of international expertise is selective: Joan Ryan and Shai Masot

Luciana Berger – Home Affairs; Health; Digital and Culture

Given Berger’s relaxed attitude to the law, particularly libel law, it must be assumed that ‘home affairs’ is not the equivalent of Home Secretary.

Ann Coffey – Children and Education

Coffey was one of two signatories of a letter requesting a vote of no confidence in Jeremy Corbyn in 2016.

Mike Gapes – Foreign Affairs and Defence

Gapes’ foreign affairs are in Riyadh: Gapes on a jolly

Angela Smith – Transport; Local Government and Housing; Energy; Environment and Rural Affairs

Smith’s extensive brief doesn’t include utilities which is surprising given her connection to Anglia Water. Hopefully, none of the farmers she might meet when working on ‘rural affairs’ will have a funny tinge.

Sarah Wollaston – New Colleagues

An assumption to be made from the assignment of this role to a former Tory MP is that ‘new colleagues’ are likely to be Tories.

Anna Soubry – Brexit and Justice, (and assisting on Defence)

There was an absence of justice for the thousands of deceased victims of Tories’ Social Murder policy that Soubry has supported in every vote in parliament.

Heidi Allen – Welfare and Pensions; Social Care; Business

No Tory should ever be allowed near welfare, pensions and social care. In parliamentary votes Allen supported vicious and fatal attacks on welfare, she supported the theft of pensions from women and she supported the decimation of social care. The IG’s decision to assign her these roles is disgusting and a blatant display of contempt for humanity.