Andrew Willshire

The plan that could give rebel Labour MPs the space to break away

Reports that Theresa May’s team are considering a June election haven’t exactly been met with universal acclaim. Tory MPs in marginal seats are horrified by the prospect, demanding assurances from the party’s chairman Brandon Lewis that this isn’t the case. But it’s not only Tories concerned about losing their seats who should be worried. A snap election would also be bad news for the band of Labour MPs considering breaking away to form a new party.

The arguments against forming a new party due to the crushing forces of our first past the post electoral system are familiar and have acted as a brake on the formation of significant new parties since 1983. But there are reasons to think that a new movement right now could succeed – as long as the country doesn’t go to the polls in the coming months.

Firstly, there is plenty of dissatisfaction with the current parties. That all parties are coalitions has never been so obvious and nor have the fracture lines between the factions been so stark. Even against this backdrop, the Lib Dems have been unable to rediscover their mojo.

Secondly, there is a perception that both Labour and the Conservatives have abandoned the centre ground. In the case of Labour, the far-left has captured the party and its institutions from top to bottom. While many MPs are utterly unconvinced by the Corbyn project, they know better than to step out of line. Deselection beckons for any moderates foolish enough to be too obviously anti-Corbyn. What’s more, there is now no realistic prospect of winning back the party from its hard-left membership.

For the Tories, the big problem is Theresa May. Under her leadership, with her “citizens of nowhere” rhetoric, the Conservatives have taken a step to the right.

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