In the Independent Alliance's first statement, the group stated their opposition to austerity, the two-child benefit cap, the sale of arms to Israel, and the abolition of the winter fuel allowance for some pensioners.[1][2] The Independent Alliance welcomed other MPs to join the group,[1][2] in reference to seven MPs who were suspended from the Labour Party in July 2024.[1][2][6]
In Islington North, incumbent MP Jeremy Corbyn had been forbidden from standing as a Labour parliamentary candidate by the Labour Party NEC despite "unanimous support" from his Constituency Labour Party (CLP).[11] After announcing on 24 May 2024 that he would stand as an independent candidate, he was fully expelled from the Labour Party.[12] Corbyn was comfortably re-elected against the Labour candidate with a majority of 7,247.[13][14]
Shortly after, Shockat Adam, Jeremy Corbyn, Adnan Hussain, Ayoub Khan, and Iqbal Mohamed produced a joint letter decrying the two major parties and stating the need for a caring alternative."[17] Corbyn went on to say he was disappointed with Labour's actions, but dissmissed the idea of forming a new political party as premature.[18] Instead Corbyn and Adam said they would continue working with Ayoub Khan, Adnan Hussain, and Iqbal Mohamed.[17][18][19] The five informally worked together with the Greens in tabling motions, and reached out to cooperate with the seven suspended Labour MPs.[17][19][20]
During the launch of her leadership campaign, Kemi Badenoch alledged the MPs had been elected due to "sectarian Islamist politics", and said the group was more worrying than the rise of the right-wing Reform UK.[21][22] In a joint statement, the five MPs of the alliance condemned the comments as dangerous and Islamophobic, particularly in the aftermath of the 2024 UK riots.[21][22] Ayoub Khan attributed death threats and harassment targeted at him to Badenoch's comments.[22]
Policy aims
In its first statement, the MPs of the Independent Alliance declared:
Millions of people are crying out for a real alternative to austerity, inequality and war – and their voices deserve to be heard. As individuals we were voted by our constituents to represent their concerns in parliament on these matters, and more, and we believe that as a collective group we can carry on doing this with greater effect.[23]