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| Co-Founder of Southampton Independents Andrew Pope |
Southampton Independents was co-founded in 2017 by campaigner, organiser and activist Andrew Douglas Pope and Denise Wyatt, working with residents of Southampton who were fed up of the big political parties.
Here is a brief history of Andrew Pope's achievements as a campaigner in Southampton, in Somerset and nationally, over the last three decades.
Conservation and Union Activism
Andrew Pope first got involved in campaigning in wildlife conservation when he joined and volunteered for the RSPB. He has also worked with the Wildlife Trusts and the Woodland Trust.
The Labour Years 2004 to 2015
In 2003, he became a union representative within a large multi-national company, and then a union negotiator for IT, HR and Finance workers. He joined the Labour Party in 2004, at a union event in Blackpool.
In 2005, he moved to Hampshire, and then Southampton for his work in IT in a large retail company, and became a health and safety representative and fire warden in his workplace.
Andrew became more involved with the Southampton and Romsey Labour Party, and also joined its sister party, the Co-operative Party. He also joined the Fabian Society.
Over time, Andrew served as the Chair of the local branch of the Co-operative Party and Secretary of the local Fabian Society.
Southampton City Councillor for 8 Years 2011 to 2019
Andrew first stood as a City Council candidate in May 2010, for the Freemantle ward of Southampton. He also worked on the successful 2010 General Election campaign for Alan Whitehead, the Labour MP.
On standing for a second time in May 2011, Andrew was elected to the Council for the Redbridge ward of Southampton.
He served two full four-year terms, being re-elected in 2015 and choosing not to stand again in 2019, moving to Somerset and forming Somerset Independents (see below).
Parliamentary Candidate Twice in 2015 and 2017
Andrew stood for Labour in the New Forest East constituency at the 2015 General Election.
Andrew resigned in disgust from the Labour Party in 2015, shortly after completing his Parliamentary Candidacy at the 2015 General Election. He wrote in local newspaper The Daily Echo and spoke on local BBC Radio Solent and national BBC 4 Radio "The World This Weekend" about the reasons why he had quit Labour and become an Independent councillor.
Southampton Independents Formed in 2017
In 2017, Andrew co-founded Southampton Independents. Since then, Southampton Independents had several successful campaigns, led by Andrew.
He stood against the incumbent MP and his former employer Alan Whitehead, as the Southampton Independents candidate in the Southampton Test constituency at the 2017 General Election.
Andrew was the Agent and organiser for Southampton Independents candidates at the 2018 Southampton City Council elections. The Redbridge ward candidate, Denise Wyatt, almost defeated the sitting Labour candidate, which would have meant that Labour lost its majority on the Council.
The other Southampton Independents candidate in Millbrook, took sufficient votes away from the Labour candidate who lost his seat, Mike Denness. Denness had previously been an Agent for Conservative Basingstoke MP Maria Miller.
Somerset Independents Formed in 2019
Having moved to Somerset, Andrew co-founded Somerset Independents with Denise Wyatt. During and after the global Covid-19 Pandemic, Andrew led several successful campaigns in Somerset, including exposing councillors who had failed to pay their council tax, corruption in Mendip District Council, and the failures of Somerton and Frome Conservative MP David Warburton to represent his constituents.
Independent Campaigner and Council Candidate
In 2022, Andrew moved back to Southampton.
He stood as an Independent candidate at the October 2024 Shirley ward by-election for Southampton City Council.
Andrew won his 7-year campaign for Safe Standing at St. Mary's Stadium, and decade-long campaign for a Park and Ride for Southampton.
