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Independent Alliance (UK)

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This article is about the technical group of members of Parliament formed in 2024. For other uses, see Independent Alliance (disambiguation).
Not to be confused with The Independent Group.

Independent Alliance
SuccessorYour Party (provisional name)
Formation2 September 2024; 10 months ago (2024-09-02)
Founders
Websiteindependentalliance.co.uk

The Independent Alliance is a technical group of six independent members of Parliament (MPs) in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom.[1][2][3] It is not a political party.

The Independent Alliance was formed on 2 September 2024 by Jeremy Corbyn, formerly leader of the Labour Party alongside Shockat Adam, Adnan Hussain, Ayoub Khan and Iqbal Mohamed. All members were elected as independent MPs in the 2024 general election. The group was created partly to gain more speaking time in Parliament.[1][2][4]

At six MPs, the Independent Alliance is currently the fifth-largest grouping in the House of Commons, with Labour, the Conservatives, the Liberal Democrats, and the Scottish National Party outnumbering it.[1][2][3] While the Independent Alliance is not a political party, there have been discussions about forming one, also involving former Labour MP Zarah Sultana, who announced in July 2025 that she would be co-founding a new party with Corbyn.[5] Sultana joined the Independent Alliance. Later in July 2025, Corbyn and Sultana launched a new party, known by a provisional name of Your Party, with the support of the rest of the Independent Alliance.[6]

The group opposes austerity, the two-child benefit cap, the sale of arms to Israel, the abolition of the winter fuel allowance for most pensioners[1][2][7] and restricting eligibility for Personal Independence Payments (PIP).[8]

History

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Background

[edit]

In the 2024 general election, the Labour Party won a landslide victory, but a record six independent candidates were also elected.[7]

Three of the new independents—Ayoub Khan, Adnan Hussain and Shockat Adam—defeated the Labour incumbent MPs. Iqbal Mohamed was elected to the new constituency of Dewsbury and Batley, which was created from abolished constituencies contested at the previous general election in 2019: Dewsbury had elected a Conservative MP while Batley and Spen elected a Labour member. The results were suggested to be, in part, a push-back against Labour's stance on the Gaza war, the Gaza humanitarian crisis, and issues regarding Islamophobia in the Labour Party.[9][10]

Several more seats won by Labour in 2019 came close to being won by independent candidates—Labour candidates won at Ilford North, Bradford West and Bethnal Green and Stepney by margins of less than 5% of the vote.[11][12]

In Islington North, Jeremy Corbyn, the incumbent MP since 1983, had been forbidden from standing as a Labour parliamentary candidate by the Labour Party's National Executive Committee despite "unanimous support" from his Constituency Labour Party (CLP).[13] After announcing on 24 May 2024 that he would stand as an independent candidate, he was fully expelled from the Labour Party.[14] Corbyn was comfortably re-elected against the Labour candidate with a majority of 7,247.[15][16]

On 23 July 2024, the Scottish National Party (SNP) tabled an amendment to the King's speech to scrap the two-child benefit cap. Labour whipped its MPs to vote against the SNP amendment, resulting in the amendment being rejected by 363 no votes to 103 ayes. Despite the whip, seven Labour MPs rebelled by voting to abolish the cap and were suspended from the party for at least six months.[17][18] The seven Labour MPs suspended were John McDonnell, Richard Burgon, Ian Byrne, Rebecca Long-Bailey, Imran Hussain, Apsana Begum and Zarah Sultana.[17][18]

Shortly after, Shockat Adam, Jeremy Corbyn, Adnan Hussain, Ayoub Khan, and Iqbal Mohamed produced a joint letter decrying the two major parties and stated the need for a caring alternative.[19] Corbyn also stated that he was disappointed with Labour's actions, but dismissed the idea of forming a new political party as being premature.[20] Instead, Corbyn and Adam said they would continue working with Ayoub Khan, Adnan Hussain and Iqbal Mohamed.[19][20][21] The five informally worked together with the Greens in tabling motions, and reached out to cooperate with the seven suspended Labour MPs.[19][21][22]

Formation and activities

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On 2 September 2024, Shockat Adam, Jeremy Corbyn, Adnan Hussain, Ayoub Khan and Iqbal Mohamed announced the formation of the Independent Alliance.[1] The MPs stated they had formed the group so that they would be allocated parliamentary time to ask questions and speak in debates.[1] While the seven suspended Labour MPs were not founding members, the Independent Alliance's MPs said they would welcome other MPs who share their principles.[1]

During the launch of her campaign to become leader of the Conservative Party, Kemi Badenoch alleged 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.[23][24] In a joint statement, the five MPs of the alliance condemned the comments as dangerous and Islamophobic, particularly in the aftermath of the 2024 United Kingdom riots.[23][24] Ayoub Khan attributed death threats and harassment targeted at him to Badenoch's comments.[24]

In October, Shockat Adam introduced a private members bill seeking official UK recognition of the State of Palestine. Co-sponsoring MPs included the four other members of the Independent Alliance, as well as Siân Berry of the Green Party, Stephen Gethins and Brendan O'Hara of the SNP, Liz Saville Roberts of Plaid Cymru, the suspended Labour member Ian Byrne and the sitting Labour member Kim Johnson.[25][26]

The creation of the Independent Alliance raised questions on the status of independent Members of Parliament and in December, the Procedure Committee of the House of Commons launched an inquiry on independent MPs.[27] Although the inquiry will mostly deal with the status of parliamentary groupings by independent MPs, it will consider the status of MPs who have had the whip suspended too.[27]

Towards a new party

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In December 2024, The Spectator claimed that the Independent Alliance is likely to form a political party in 2025.[28] According to The Spectator, Adam, Khan and Hussain were in favour of the creation of a political party to build a momentum but Corbyn was more hesitant.[28]

MP Zarah Sultana, who had been elected as a Labour Party candidate but had had the whip suspended, announced in early July 2025 that she was leaving Labour and planned to create a new political party with Corbyn and other independents.[29] Mohamed supported her comments on social media.[30] Corbyn confirmed there were ongoing discussions around forming a new party based around the Independent Alliance members.[31]

Corbyn and Sultana launched a new party going by the interim name of Your Party on 24 July 2025, with the support of the other members of the Independent Alliance. Sultana became a member of the Independent Alliance.[32]

Policy aims

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In their 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.[33]

The group's MPs call for an end to austerity policies as well as the two-child benefit cap.[1][2] The group's MPs also advocated against the abolition of the winter fuel allowance[1][2] and proposals to limit eligibility for Personal Independence Payments (PIP).[8]

In regards to the Israeli–Palestinian conflict and the ongoing Israeli invasion of the Gaza Strip, the MPs of the group call for a total arms embargo on Israel, an end to Israeli settlements, and immediate recognition of the State of Palestine.[23]

Members of Parliament

[edit]

The Independent Alliance's members are:

Name Portrait Constituency First elected Joined
Shockat Adam Leicester South 4 July 2024 2 September 2024 (2024-09-02)
Jeremy Corbyn Islington North 9 June 1983
Adnan Hussain Blackburn 4 July 2024
Iqbal Mohamed Dewsbury and Batley 4 July 2024
Ayoub Khan Birmingham Perry Barr 4 July 2024
Zarah Sultana Coventry South 12 December 2019 24 July 2025 (2025-07-24)[34][32]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i Elgot, Jessica (2 September 2024). "Jeremy Corbyn to Form Alliance With Four Independent Pro-Gaza MPs". The Guardian. Retrieved 2 September 2024.
  2. ^ a b c d e f Morrison, Hamish (2 September 2024). "Independent MPs, Including Jeremy Corbyn, Form 'Alliance' to Challenge Labour". The National. Archived from the original on 2 September 2024. Retrieved 2 September 2024.
  3. ^ a b "Independent Alliance: Jeremy Corbyn and four independent MPs form new group". Sky News. Retrieved 2 September 2024.
  4. ^ Marsh, Alex (2 September 2024). "Corbyn forms new group in Parliament with four other MPs". Islington Gazette. Retrieved 2 September 2024.
  5. ^ Adu, Aletha (3 July 2025). "MP Zarah Sultana says she will 'co-lead' new party as she quits Labour for Corbyn group". The Guardian. Retrieved 5 July 2025.
  6. ^ "Jeremy Corbyn and Zarah Sultana announce new political party".
  7. ^ a b Francis, Sam (2 September 2024). "Jeremy Corbyn Forms New Commons Group With Four Pro-Gaza MPs". BBC News. Retrieved 2 September 2024.
  8. ^ a b "Independent MPs table amendment to scrap 'disgusting' welfare bill". The National. 19 June 2025. Retrieved 1 July 2025.
  9. ^ Stacey, Kiran (5 July 2024). "Senior Labour figures admit stance on Gaza cost party seats". The Guardian. Retrieved 6 July 2024.
  10. ^ Ford, Robert (7 July 2024). "Labour put 'safe' seats at risk to target marginals. It paid off – but there's a cost". The Observer. Retrieved 7 July 2024.
  11. ^ Mulla, Imran. "UK election 2024: British-Palestinian Leanne Mohamad narrowly loses to Labour's Wes Streeting". Middle East Eye. Retrieved 6 July 2024.
  12. ^ Kelly, Kieran. "Labour's Jess Phillips wins seat by less than 700 votes against candidate who said trans people are 'danger to society'". LBC. Retrieved 6 July 2024.
  13. ^ Allegretti, Aubrey (18 May 2023). "Jeremy Corbyn tells local Labour party he wants to carry on as their MP". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 9 July 2024. Retrieved 25 February 2024.
  14. ^ "Jeremy Corbyn confirms he will stand against Labour in Islington". BBC News. 24 May 2024. Archived from the original on 25 May 2024. Retrieved 24 May 2024.
  15. ^ Dyer, Henry (5 July 2024). "Jeremy Corbyn re-elected in Islington North after expulsion from Labour". The Guardian. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
  16. ^ Tahir, Tariq (5 July 2024). "Jeremy Corbyn Re-elected: Chants of 'free Palestine' as Former Leader Beats Labour". The National. Archived from the original on 6 July 2024. Retrieved 6 July 2024.
  17. ^ a b Francis, Sam; Eardley, Nick (23 July 2024). "Labour suspends seven rebel MPs over two-child benefit cap". BBC News. Retrieved 3 September 2024.
  18. ^ a b Bienkov, Adam (24 July 2024). "Keir Starmer's Suspension of Seven Labour MPs for Voting to Scrap the Two Child Benefit Cap is the Politics of Boris Johnson and Dominic Cummings". Byline Times. Retrieved 3 September 2024.
  19. ^ a b c Gye, Hugo; Vaughan, Richard (24 July 2024). "Corbyn trying to form rebel alliance to fight Starmer after Labour benefits revolt". inews. Archived from the original on 24 August 2024. Retrieved 3 September 2024.
  20. ^ a b Marsh, Alex (25 July 2024). "Corbyn 'disappointed' with Labour and vows to work with suspended MPs". Islington Gazette. Retrieved 3 September 2024.
  21. ^ a b "Jeremy Corbyn in talks to form new group with independent MPs". BBC News. 9 August 2024. Retrieved 2 September 2024.
  22. ^ * Penny, Eleanor; Denvir, Daniel (16 August 2024). Jeremy Corbyn on Palestine, the Labour Party, and Global Solidarity for the Verso Podcast (Video). Verso Books. Retrieved 3 September 2024.
  23. ^ a b c "Corbyn's new pro-Gaza UK parliamentary bloc slams Kemi Badenoch's 'Islamophobic slur'". The New Arab. 3 September 2024. Retrieved 4 September 2024.
  24. ^ a b c Riley, Henry (4 September 2024). "MP in Jeremy Corbyn's Independent Alliance blames Kemi Badenoch's 'Islamist' slur for death threat". LBC. Retrieved 4 September 2024.
  25. ^ "Cross-party support for Westminster bill to recognise Palestine statehood". The National. 21 October 2024. Retrieved 22 October 2024.
  26. ^ "UK: Shockat Adam presents bill recognising Palestinian state to parliament". Middle East Eye. Retrieved 22 October 2024.
  27. ^ a b "Inquiry launched into the status of independent Members of Parliament". UK Parliament. Retrieved 15 December 2024.
  28. ^ a b Heale, James (10 December 2024). "Gaza independents to register new party". The Spectator. Retrieved 15 December 2024.
  29. ^ Adu, Aletha (3 July 2025). "MP Zarah Sultana says she will 'co-lead' new party as she quits Labour for Corbyn group". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 4 July 2025.
  30. ^ "MP Zarah Sultana who was ousted from Labour announces new party with Jeremy Corbyn - but he says 'discussions ongoing'". news.sky.com.
  31. ^ "Discussions ongoing about new party, says Jeremy Corbyn". www.bbc.co.uk. 4 July 2025.
  32. ^ a b "Jeremy Corbyn and Zarah Sultana announce new political party". news.sky.com.
  33. ^ Elgot, Jessica (2 September 2024). "Jeremy Corbyn to form alliance with four independent pro-Gaza MPs". The Guardian.
  34. ^ Mohamed, Iqbal (24 July 2025). "Independent Alliance statement on the formation of a new party". Twitter. Retrieved 24 July 2025.
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