The Magnificent Seven....

[10ClarionSt]

...............or wot? Not for me. The seven MP's who've resigned are a disgrace. They're hypocrites. One of them said she was ashamed of Labour. However, they are not resigning from the commons. What do their constituents think of them? The people who voted for a Labour MP? If they didn't vote for a Labour MP, why not resign, stand again as an Independent and see how much the people want them? But it's one thing having principles. It's another putting them into practice.

[cassa333]

Actually I think they end up being more Labour that’s the Socialists now running the Labour Party.

Perhaps they have been talking to their constituents. Perhaps they have consulted with their party members in their constituents?

Who knows.

[ichkeria]

Give them a chance.
All of these MPs would argue that they have not changed their position on anything. Mike Gapes in particular wrote his manifesto pre-election. MPs are elected by name not by party list. And apart from anything else we need decent voices in parliament

[mushroom25]

at least they've saved labour the bother of deselecting them.

[Kromovaracun]

I think they're being quite principled actually. Obviously they are not going to resign from the commons - the whole point of doing this is to do politics differently, and they wouldn't be doing it at all from the outside.

Of course, we'll see how much good their principles do them. Our wonderful electoral system is not forgiving on new parties.

[ichkeria]

The “safe” and dishonest thing for these people to do would be to lie low and sit in some cases in safeish seats under a Labour banner. When the election comes around people will make their choice then. And I’d say exactly the same thing I’d it was Tory MPs defecting to UKIP or wherever
Or indeed to ... :-)

[10ClarionSt]

Well, I honestly feel they are being selfish and showing a total disregard for their constituents. If they have been talking to their constituents, none of them have mentioned it so far.

They wouldn't be doing it from the outside for sure but they were elected to the inside on different issues. Now they've changed their mind and are snubbing the people who voted for them.

[ichkeria]

They HAVEN’T changed their mind. That’s the whole point.
And of course they talk to their constituents: that means talking not just to Labour voters but all.

[10ClarionSt]

I bet not many of their constituents saw this coming.
It sounds like they're the only ones in step then? Everyone else doing it wrong..

[grumpy01]

Let's hope this is the start of a political "revolution" in this country.The majority of people in this country would,I think, like to see centrist party develop,for far too long we have swung from right to left and the economy and other issues have suffered.If nothing else we can only hope Brexit and the anti-semitism issue are the catalyst for a new begining in politics.

[naomi24]

I think they’re principled. That said, since they were elected under a Labour banner I do think they should stand for re-election immediately.

[ichkeria]

I agree but I think there are a lot of things going against it - especially with our voting system. The problem with a large centre movement, much as I would to see one, is what is the opposition? The same old parties?
In France Macron started a new movement which caught on like wildfire, and took people from existing parties and none, but it was very much "top down" as this sort of thing usually is, with the result that there is no real connect between the party and the people, and I am sure that is one factor that has fuelled the revolting (in more ways than one) yellow vests.

[-Talbot-]

The Magnificent Seven...were always going to Clash at some point.

[dave50]

I dont think they need to stand again. You vote for an individual whose beliefs you agree with, not a party.

[ichkeria]

Actually no MP is elected under a prty "banner" as such. It depends how you look at it: fundamentally parliament is meant to be a collection of elected individuals, unlike some systems where a "party list" operates (that's one reason I'm hesitant about strict PR, where I think there would be more of an obligation for sitting MPs to resign.
Somewhat ironic, given the system we have favours large party groupings because of how it works.

[youngmafbog]

I dont particularly like them but at least they are principled (although they may have jumped before being pushed).

And no, personally I dont see why they should stand down. They were elected for them as much as the Party and lets face it the party is the one that is changing rapidly.

I suspect these wont be the last.

[JF85]

My heart bled for the MP who gave a personal story to explain her position. Apparently she can no longer stand with Labour because her school let her down for a full term in 1972.

[naomi24]

Dave, //You vote for an individual whose beliefs you agree with, not a party. //

I don't. I vote for the party. One man/woman doesn't equate to the government we eventually get.

[jim360]

Different voters vote for different things. I can see the point about testing their individual support at by-elections, for sure -- but to describe these MPs as hypocrites as the OP does is surely going too far.

[Canary42]

I bet there are seven that Teresa would like to see pull out of the Tory Government (except she needs the numbers of course).

[Gromit]

Noone there will be missed. All second raters.

I am reminded of my reply on here when Chuka stood for leader in 2017

// Chuka Umunna is terrible. Hope he never becomes leader of anything.
17:27 Thu 05th Jan 2017 //