Former Labour, former CUK, now LibDem – but Umunna didn’t do a cleanse of his Twitter feed
As the SKWAWKBOX flagged last week, serial quitter Chuka Umunna has officially announced that he has joined the LibDems – a move that LibDem members are far from happy about. Umunna made his announcement in a tweet linking to an article he has written about the change:
As the SKWAWKBOX pointed out, Umunna previously had an extremely dim view of the LibDems, saying that he could ‘never forgive’ them for what they had done to Streatham.
But even a cursory search of Umunna’s Twitter history shows that his disapproval of the LibDems continued for years – and that the new LibDem didn’t bother to ‘cleanse’ his Twitter feed before making his announcement.
Umunna correctly roasted the LibDems for their cowardly u-turn on tuition fees and their abetting of the Tories in cuts and in attacks on our rights, for hospital closures, the bedroom tax and more – and took specific aim at the same Vince Cable he’s proudly pictured with in today’s announcement:
Yet now he’s ‘delighted’ to be joining them.
Ironically, this move may reunite him with the former ‘CUK’ colleagues that he abandoned just a few months after joining them – acting leader Anna Soubry is reportedly deep in discussions with the LibDem leadership about a merger. Although, following yet another name change today, the ‘Independent Group for Change’ might result in a rather clunky name for the merged party – perhaps, given that TIG/CUK/IGC formed by splitting and is now looking to merge, ‘The Irony Party’ might be appropriate for the joint venture.
Another irony is that Umunna’s move to join the LibDems may well result in him facing the deselection battle he was desperate to avoid as a Labour MP. LibDem rules give members the right to decide who represents them in elections.
SKWAWKBOX view:
Flip-flopping Umunna and the flip-flopping LibDems – a natural but probably short-lived marriage. They deserve each other.
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China Umuna – three parties in a year. He has more of a social life than me.
Stores in Streatham should stock up on popcorn. This show will run and run, and there won’t be a happy ending – for Chuka, at least.
When you’ve burned every bridge and you’re tumbling in the torrent even a piece of rotten old rope must look tempting.
He’ll have to insist the Liberals change their name to reflect this new beginning though – perhaps the Neo-Liberal Party?
And if they don’t do what he says he should threaten to leave!
I had to chuckle when I read *the serial quitter* part . . that was funny …
His unvarnished careerism is now laid bare. He’s not even trying to hide it anymore!
What a cockwomble!
Our Labour party has been infested with chucky types for year’s and he only reminds me why the Purge must start soon or we can go whistle for a Labour government.
He has changed his position faster than Lucy Powell dropped her opposition to Trident replacement.
Claimed to oppose it when trying to win back Manchester Withington from the Liberal Democrats in 2010.
But then voted for it once she became the MP for Manchester Central.
How the mighty have fallen, from an aspiring contestant of the Labour party before withdrawing, failing to lead the Tinge party and now is supposed to be a card carrying member of the Limp Dems. Just give him a few weeks he will knocking the door of , yes you are right, Brexit party.
This man summed it up years ago. Jimmy Cliff: Hypocrites.
‘Umunna correctly roasted the LibDems for their cowardly u-turn on tuition fees and their abetting of the Tories in cuts and in attacks on our rights, for hospital closures, the bedroom tax….’
And THAT’S why he was such an ardent supporter of Jeremy Corbyn of course!