HAS there ever been a more shambolic launch of a new political group as the Labour breakaway, Independent Group on Monday?

The not so magnificent seven called a press conference and began with group member, Luciana Berger, describing herself as a Labour MP despite quitting the party only moments earlier, and seemingly forgetting the whole reason she was there. After that slip up the event moved on smoothly enough - although their new way of doing politics looked more like the old way as they quickly began attacking opponents.

Then the new group’s website embarrassingly crashed, before Angela Smith - claiming she had left a racist party - went on to appear on BBC television talking about people being a funny tinge - remarks she was apologising for a few hours later.

You have to suspect, based on day one, this group of independents will go the way of many backbench groups and pointless parties - a political irrelevance very quickly.

What baffled me most was that I assumed this group of seven, having quit Labour, would immediately call by-elections on their seats. All seven say they support democracy, yet are calling for a second referendum and ignoring the result of the first one, and now have the audacity to ignore the calls to go back to the ballot box.

When people go to cast their vote many make their choice based on which party the candidate is from, not the person. Changing the party you represent surely means having a by-election is the moral and right thing to do. For example Mark Reckless and Douglas Carswell did that when they defected from the Conservatives to UKIP.

So far none of these seven have - what are they scared of, democracy?

• I have never seen so much written on such as straight forward topic as Shamima Begum, the woman who ran away to join Isis aged 15.

I would assume whether she can or can’t come back will depend on the law, and everything I have seen points to her being allowed to return as she is a Britain citizen.

On returning, the authorities would consider if she has committed crimes and whether to charge, like any other British citizen.

And those saying ignore the law would be the first to complain if another country refused to take one of their citizens back from Britain, in similar circumstances.

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