A new centrist party has been launched in Australia. Three moderate MPs, two from Labor and one Liberal, quit their seats to form 'Centrist Alliance'. They claim the old parties are captured by extremes.
Westminster is watching. Closely. The same forces are in play here. The 'Centre Ground' is a fickle beast, but there's money behind it. Lord (Maurice) Saatchi's think tank, The Centre for Policy Studies, has been sketching out plans for a UK equivalent. And the talk in the Strangers' Bar is that a handful of Labour MPs are 'seriously looking' at options.
One name keeps coming up: Stephen Kinnock. The MP for Aberavon, son of the former Labour leader, has been hinting at a 'realignment' for months. He's not the only one. A 'non-aggression pact' between centrists from all parties is being discussed. The goal? To take on the 'hard left and hard right'.
The numbers game is brutal. A new party would need a 'big beast' to lead it. Names floated: ex-Conservative ministers like Rory Stewart, maybe an ex-Labour figure like Alan Milburn. But the big question: would they ever get more than a few seats under first-past-the-post?
For now, it's gossip. But the Australian move is a catalyst. A 'red team' operation is rumoured to be underway, funded by an unnamed donor. Don't dismiss it. In this game, you can never tell which whisper becomes a roar.
