I think we could get the first Tory switcher as soon as tomorrow!

I doubt I'll be a huge fan of their general policies but it's good that some in Labour are taking a stand over Brexit and the bullying/intimidation going on in the party.
The moment you use 'traitors', people automatically stop registering with your argument.

Speak for yourself!

It's just a word. But I may have been a little heated when I made that comment. To clarify it's not directed at the concept of splitting off but at the way in which these particular individuals picked their time to, and seemed to decide to in a way to harm the party they previously stood in support of and who pays their salaries, after using their positions to slam their leadership on spurious grounds and unfounded stories while not actually opposing the current government at all who are on record doing much worse.

That speaks imo to people of not strong principles who are out for their own benefit, not the benefit of the people. Perhaps they will change and present better, but at present that's the cut of the jib it seems to be. If you don't like the word traitor or traitorous I could alternatively have said backstabbers, self-interested, liars, or anything else of the sort. The fact the 'new party' is set up as a private company, already soliciting donations, but with no rules or regulations, doesn't seem to have any policies, and that when prominent member Chuka was asked couldn't name any Labour policies he disagrees with - yet felt disenfranchised enough he had to leave and strike out alone - all put them on thin ice from the off in my book. Before we even get into 'funny tinge'!

3. Corbyn has failed to do what he promised to do when Labour supporters made it clear they wanted a referendum if they didnt get an election. He is refusing democracy, not the leavers who support the party policy. He is the one who puts personal opinion over party and country, not them. They know perfectly well that are risking their cushy MP wage, and future by not sitting there and doing what agenda-driven extremists are pushing us towards - the brink of No-Deal. Unlike all of the lying Brexiteers and those who pay lip service to Remainers, these people are prepared to put their own job, and personal well-being in the face of aggression, death-threats, and constant harrassment by people and the media, on the line. I'd say they are the ones who positively HAVE scruples, unlike those who know they are right and sit and say nothing, just like the leader of the Labour party does nothing because we all know he wants Brexit and is prepared to ruin the country if he thinks he can get into power on the back of it. Centrists who take the moral highground usually get slaughtered for it, so no-one has any illusions about rubbish terms like "self-interested" "backstabbers" and "liars" being applied to them while the Corby is stabbing his own supporters in the back, and lying about it by ignoring party policy because of his own self-interested aims.

The current group could style themselves The First XI.

Although I usually find myself agreeing with you, I don't on this point. These individuals stood and campaigned as Labour candidates and on Labour policy. Now they have left that and are still remaining - on full salary may I add. On the claim they were elected as individuals - if that's the case, why did they not stand as independents from the off? And why have they not called by-elections now based on their own independent priciples rather than paying that lip service while still happily taking a Labour salary?

Do they stand for a second referendum or against Brexit? Because they don't seem to have made much noise about that so far if that's the case.

And it's very difficult to observe how Corbyn is doing as Labour leader with the media against him the likes I have never seen before or historically. Put both the government and the opposition under equal and balanced scrutiny and we'll see who is better and who can get people onside. But consistently slamming the opposition to the point of misrepresentation, lies, and taking things out of context - while giving the sitting government an absolute free pass, I'm not here for that. And for the record I'm not even a Labour voter, I'm just concerned with fairness and unfairness. I judge these people for jumping on unconfirmed and misleading narratives and portraying them as fact because it suits them to be perceived as a neutral voice of reason, and they know that by being actively anti-Corbyn the media will get onside with them right away and give them an easy ride.

The current group could style themselves The First XI.

I'm sure it won't be that polite, sadly, not least because there'll be more than that if the two main parties don't take the kick up the arse as a learning experience and just dig their heels in. Given the majority of them are females who have been mercilessly slagged-off by their own party members and non-party extremists I should imagine there'll be loads of sexist references and jolly quips about sewing and doing the ironing instead. Oh how the LOL's will be gushing....

But the current group will still be the first XI.

So the three Conservatives defected then. Unsurprisingly, it was Brexit that made them jump into TIG's arms, which helps underly the problems that the party will have when it comes to clear policy goals - outside of Brexit, there isn't as much to unite the ex-Labourites and ex-Tories, and so far their suggest policies are vanilla neo-liberalism that isn't a million miles away from Blairism, so they'll need to come up with some really interesting, headline grabbing initiatives soon, lest the wind is taken out of its sails and it loses its momentum, after already losing its Momentum.

Now, on to nomenclature, as how TIG is branded in the media/on social media will be important over the next few weeks, as if the "wrong" brand is set in the public's mind, then they will be forever tarnished with that name and won't be able to shake it off in the voters' heads. The original splitters will hope that they will be branded "The Magnificent Seven", as they have already been somewhat dubbed. I'm slightly disappointed they didn't go for S Club 7, buy hey ho, the original is better. What they don't want to be known as is the "Seven Dwarfs", as even in the politically-correct, current year that we live in, it still stings to be called a dwarf.

As for the 3 Tory defectors, they've already taken to brand themselves "The Three Amigos", which is a good start - it compliments the "Magnificent Seven" well, and its slightly Spanish, which helps with their pro-Europe credentials amongst the so-called "anywheres". What they don't want to be dubbed however, is the "Three Stooges", which would hurt them badly - after all, it's impossible to twist "stooge" into a positive, and once branded a stooge, your confirmation bias will see their every misstep as stooge-like activity.
Brett-Butler is available for political consultancy for the low cost of 5 Battenbergs a day.

I'm anti-Tory, and left-central leaning, and I have been utterly depressed by Corbyn's useless leadership. His party, regardless of the usual Right-wing UK press, should be miles ahead, and he should be doing what his party wants: a second referendum and trying to halt Brexit. The reaosn all the MP's have left is because that's what they want and Corbyn isn't budging.

(Most of) his MP's may want to stop Brexit, but if even 10% of Labour voters want to Leave, those are votes he cannot afford to lose - and we all know his personal feelings on Brexit...