Angela Smith: Former Labour MP joins the Lib Dems

[arista]

Making the LibDems
17 MP's now.


[Former Labour MP Angela Smith has
joined the Liberal Democrats, calling them
"the strongest party to stop Brexit".
She said: "We are facing a national crisis
and people deserve better than the choice
of the old two parties."
Ms Smith is the third MP to join the Lib Dems
in a week, after Luciana Berger
and Philip Lee defected.]


https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-49623885

[Cherie]

The Lib Dem’s will be the party with the most MPs at this rate that’s 4 in a few days?

[joeysteele]

The Lib Dems don't need an election, at this rate they'll have doubled their tally of MPs in around a year.

Their problem remains however in first past the post elections, they still have a mountain to climb.
They need PR.
Which they should have fought more for in joining the coalition.

Never just settling for a vote on a poor substitute for PR in AV.

[Oliver_W]

A quick google tells me her constituency voted 60% leave, so saying she wants to "stop Brexit" isn't exactly representing her people.

Oh, and this is the second time she's changed party this year.

[arista]

A quick google tells me her constituency voted 60% leave, so saying she wants to "stop Brexit" isn't exactly representing her people.

Oh, and this is the second time she's changed party this year.



Yes can she Win in a General Election
maybe not...........

[Oliver_W]

Yes can she Win in a General Election
maybe not...........

I guess it depends on when her constituency voted, it was for her, or for Labour/Corbyn.

[bots]

I think people need to re-evaluate the status of the lib dems. The tories and labour have been fatally damaged over the last 3 years. We are no longer in pre brexit times and the old rules regarding party loyalty just do not apply as they used to. No-one knows how big a change there will be when people actually vote at a GE but we are not in a predictable situation anymore. I think the lib dems will do well. We need a central government at the moment and they would be a good choice for many

[Kizzy]

I don't think this should be allowed. The electorate cast their vote on manifesto promise and record, to me its not an individual popularity contest, you don't vote for the MP personally regardless of which party they represent... That's nonsense to me yes it plays a part to some extent how effective they are in the role but it shouldn't override political ideology, if their constituents had wanted a lib dems representative they would've voted for one.
Also as highlighted in the news last night what about the existing hard working lib dems? Those who have worked tirelessly for a chance to represent their constituency at an election, in come these newbies and years of hard work go out the window for these carreerists!

[arista]

"I don't think this should be allowed"


Sure Kizzy
but its the way our Parliament has been for years.

Thats why a General Election is good
as many MP's that have jumped ship
can sink away.

[bots]

i'm split on whether there should be a bi election when an mp changes party. They are on the face of it sticking to their political convictions at the time of the election and that is why they were voted in. The fact that a party changes its direction making that MP feel isolated is not the MP's fault. Politics covers such a wide remit there are going to be variations all the time. I don't think it's a simple issue

[joeysteele]

I think it's all very well changing once.
Although an approval vote from the constituents would be welcome.

However, changing from a Party to Independent, then as others have, a new Party, then Independent again, finally maybe joining yet another.

Is frankly farcical and inappropriate.

[Twosugars]

I think people need to re-evaluate the status of the lib dems. The tories and labour have been fatally damaged over the last 3 years. We are no longer in pre brexit times and the old rules regarding party loyalty just do not apply as they used to. No-one knows how big a change there will be when people actually vote at a GE but we are not in a predictable situation anymore. I think the lib dems will do well. We need a central government at the moment and they would be a good choice for many

True, they will do well

[Withano]

A quick google tells me her constituency voted 60% leave, so saying she wants to "stop Brexit" isn't exactly representing her people.

Oh, and this is the second time she's changed party this year.

She’s probably listening to what her constituency (and the country) wants today instead of what they wanted several years ago

[Oliver_W]

She’s probably listening to what her constituency (and the country) wants today instead of what they wanted several years ago

"She's probably asking a magic eight ball what to do next".