The Home Secretary is afloat on a sargasso sea of returning jihadis, human rights laws, bewildering intelligence, gaps in the law – and a shrieking media.
The new group’s platform is not very inspiring. But its biggest problem is it they won’t be very different from the Conservatives’.
Bower writes him off as a loser, which is perhaps what he will end up being. But he did much better at the last general election than the commentariat expected.
This is not about infiltration. Rather, it’s about defending democracy and the Leave vote, in a traditional, decent, moderate, thoughtful and patriotic way.
It may have produced Anna Soubry – but it also gave us a mixed cross-section of Tories, including Conor Burns, Esther McVey, Priti Patel and Liz Truss.
When asked for it, the three MPs presented none. The reason is simple: this supposedly sinister entryist army does not exist.
Plus: In news elsewhere, a luxury women’s health spa in Belgravia – with annual membership fees of £5,500 – this week blamed Brexit for its closure.
She could give us invaluable insights into jihadi recruitment techniques, and if deradicalised become a valuable asset.
No less than the ERG, the group of three sees everything through the prism of Brexit – which, let it not be forgotten, they voted to support themselves.
It should be about the relationships between towns, cities and regions, as well as between the four nations that make up our United Kingdom.
The third writer in our mini-series argues for a focus on finding and keeping good teachers. And asking tough questions of some PGCE courses.
We regret the Party being less broad a tent than it did this morning. But the position of these MPs had become impossible – and intolerable.
She hopes to move quickly while Labour is splitting, get a quick gloss on the backstop, square the ERG with a hint of Malthouse later – and, hey presto, the deal will be done.
As long as traditional Labour voters stick with the party, opportunities for the Independent Group will be limited.
The second writer in our mini-series says that creating more grammars is a distraction from change that matters.