Britain’s Moderate Mutiny Is Overdue

All too late, the British political system seems to be awakening to the insoluble crises posed by Brexit. With negotiations stalled and no obvious solution at hand, both main parties are on the verge of historic break-ups. Squint and you just might see some reasons for optimism.

This week, 11 legislators — three from the Tories and eight from Labour — revolted from their parties to form a new centrist bloc, known as the Independent Group. As the mild name suggests, their broader agenda is one of moderation, modesty and vague broad-mindedness. They object to simmering fanaticism among their erstwhile colleagues, and share a sense that the larger system is broken, adrift and careening toward disaster.