Pro-Gaza Independent MPs Could Establish A New Formal Grouping In Parliament
Jeremy Corbyn speaking at rally with Palestinian flag behind (Credit: Julio Etchart / Alamy Stock Photo)
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Shockat Adam, who unseated top Labour figure Jonathan Ashworth to become MP for Leicester South at the General Election, has left open the possibility of a new formal grouping of Independents being established in Parliament.
In an exclusive interview with The House magazine, Adam said “all options are open” when asked whether the five newly elected Independent MPs could come together in a formal grouping.
Speaking of the four Independent MPs elected alongside him, he added: “I had never met any of these individuals before. Like myself, I don't think they'd heard of me, and I don't know all of them either. So, we're just getting to know each other.
“We have commonalities, especially on our foreign policies, et cetera, but we’re just navigating where we are politically on lots of things. We are working together on issues that we have common ground on.”
Adam also confirmed to The House that he intends to stand again at the next election.
When Adam beat Ashworth on July 4, the result was considered a major upset for Labour as the sitting MP was Shadow Paymaster General at the time and took a leading role in its national campaign.
In a recent parliamentary vote on the King’s Speech, seven MPs defied the Labour whip by backing an SNP amendment that called for an immediate end to the two-child benefit cap.
As a result, the rebels – John McDonnell, Richard Burgon, Ian Byrne, Rebecca Long-Bailey, Imran Hussain, Apsana Begum and Zarah Sultana – were placed under a six-month suspension of the Labour whip, pending review.
The five independent MPs elected in July – Adam, along with Jeremy Corbyn, Ayoub Khan, Adnan Hussain and Iqbal Mohamed – reacted by writing to the seven, thanking them for their vote to scrap the cap.
The letter said the Independents would "look forward to working closely" with the seven. But sources close to the rebel MPs have suggested they are keen to be readmitted to the Parliamentary Labour Party in six months.
Speaking to The House, Adam said he was “not at all” working with the newly suspended Labour MPs, unlike with those elected as Independents.
Asked whether he would like to see the seven MPs remain Independents beyond their six-month suspensions, the MP described it as a “fluid situation”.
“All of them have incredible political history behind them. They bring a wealth of talent and skill sets with them, but I think that is something that you would need to ask them,” he said.
Read the full interview with Shockat Adam in the first September edition of The House magazine.
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