Independence. And the independents independent of the Independents
It’s been a big week for independence.
It began with Adam Boulton and Andrew Neil betraying semblances of independent thought by training their guns on the right of the Tory Party and the right of centre think tank, the Institute of Economic Affairs, respectively. Neil’s comments, in particular, drew attention, as he has often been harangued for supposedly being biased in favour of the political right. The accusation levelled at the IEA, that it’s shady about its funding, often appears hypocritical; it’s only ever aimed at free market think tanks, not supposedly independent charities.
But Neil asked the funding question anyway, and frankly, it’s good that he did – not for the view itself, per se, but because journalists, even those working for the BBC, should be free to air their thoughts independent of the corporation’s impartial stance. This came in the wake of the announcement, last week, that This Week was to be let go by the BBC, to exist forever more in a state of perpetual independence from the airwaves.
Then, of course, we had the formation of the new Independent Group in the House of Commons, initially of Labour members, but then joined by three Tories who seemed to share Boulton’s view on the right of their party. The group very quickly began to wish it could become independent of Anna Soubry and Angela Smith, though, after realising just how Tory former Tory Soubry was, and just how racially insensitive former Labour member Smith could be. Which, given the parties they so recently became independent of, shouldn’t actually have been that big a shock. But there we are.
The group subsequently declared itself independent of the democratic process, opting against holding by-elections in their constituencies, a view shared by MPs Jared O’Mara, who is independent of the Labour whip, and Fiona Onasanya, who is independent of her freedom. Ian Austin joined in on becoming independent when he saw how much fun it was, though insisted he was independent of all the other Independents. In the pantheon of indie politicians, he is, to the SNP’s People’s Front of Judea and the Independent Group’s Judean People’s Front, the lone member of the Judean Popular People’s Front. Splitter.
Derek Hatton rejoined Labour, and celebrated his return after three decades of independence by being made independent again 48 hours later, for tweeting that Jewish people in the UK were not independent of the actions of Israel. George Galloway stood up for his old pal, whilst making it clear he didn’t want to be independent anymore.
In Spain, Catalan Independence campaigners brought parts of Barcelona to a standstill in a general strike. And, somewhere in the Syrian desert, Shamima Begum, Islamic State harridan and meme phenomenon, remains independent, having been set free by the Foreign Office (which considers itself independent of the British legal system) and promptly rejected by Bangladesh which, having gained independence from Britain, could have been forgiven for thinking it wouldn’t be dragged into this mess.
All this happened amidst the backdrop of the ticking clock, as the United Kingdom stumbles ever closer to becoming independent of the European Union; an independence the Independents are determined to stop.
In fact, the only thing missing has been the biannual call from the Scottish National Party for another referendum on Scottish independence, which is only marginally preferable to a hammed-up alien invasion featuring nuclear warheads, the destruction of cities, and Jeff Goldblum in a spaceship – as featured in Independence Day. But, if you feel shortchanged by the lack of either of these eventualities, on the 24th of February Estonia celebrates its independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. Which was kind of like the destruction depicted in Independence Day, yet, somehow, worse.
Welcome to the world of independence. It’s enough to drive anyone to a dependence.
