On Mass Immigration and Our Economy, It's More Labour And Tory - And The Same Old Story

 

We Left The EU Didn't We?

 

According to the Government and Members of Parliament, the UK has "left" the EU. Have we noticed? What impact has it had on mass immigration? The Conservatives' version of "Brexit" does not seem to match what people voted for in 2016.

Before the 2016 EU Referendum, people were promised that the UK would "take back control" of our borders.

Yet statistics published by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show the:

 "highest net migration since the Second World War and is far higher than pre-Brexit levels."

And it is the same old story with our economy as well as mass immigration, with Labour or Conservative governments "in control" (except they haven't been in control as it's been repeated failure and chaos):

• the cost of living has spiralled out of control, with people worried about heating their homes and paying for basics including food
  
• our economy has tanked after 12 years of mismanagement and chaos in Government by the Tories, who - let's not forget - took over from Labour's Gordon Brown who also tanked the economy
• massive strikes across the board, crippling our economy and with continued below-inflation pay increases
• mismanagement of our NHS and economy during the Pandemic
  
• threats of unemployment and a two-year long recession by the Bank of England

It doesn't seem to matter who is in Government, it is the people of Southampton who suffer.

Here is what the Southampton Independents candidate for Southampton Test at the 2017 General Election, Andrew Pope said at the time. 

 

Former Councillor Andrew Pope

 

Andrew was not elected, but he listened to what the people of Southampton said, and represented their views.

So what about the current MPs for Southampton? There are three.

1. Southampton Test has a Labour MP, Alan Whitehead. He voted against leaving the European Union. Has he acted to limit mass immigration?
   
2. Southampton Itchen has a Conservative MP, Royston Smith. What has he done to bring mass immigration under control?
3. Romsey and Southampton North has a Conservative MP, Caroline Noakes. What has she done to bring mass immigration under control, as a Government Minister?

Have these Labour and Tory MPs represented you?

They have not respected the vote at the 2016 EU Referendum.

These MPs and their Westminster parties have done very little to bring mass immigration under control. If they have done anything, it has not worked.

It's more Labour or Tory and the same old story.

Who do they represent? Because it does not seem to be the people of Southampton, or the views of the people of Southampton at Westminster.

These MPs put themselves and their parties first.

 

Who Thinks Your EU Leave Vote Makes You Racist?

They do.

Who thinks you are "racist"? They do.

This is the Labour Group of councillors on Southampton City Council.

They called Councillor Andrew Pope a "racist" for delivering this speech on the EU Referendum in the Council Chamber last year. (The link is hosted by our sister party, the English Futures Party, a party for all people who live and work in England and who want a positive future for our country).

Andrew Pope

As you can hear, there is nothing racist in the speech.

But the Labour councillors think that voting to leave the EU makes Andrew a racist for representing your views. It doesn't and they are wrong to be so offensive to Andrew and you.

The Labour councillors are no different to Labour's Shadow Home Secretary Diane Abbott, who called ALL 17.4 million people that voted to Leave "racist". She was also the one who got her maths wrong on Police pay.

Soton Indies Party Emblem

Vote for Andrew Pope Southampton Independents to be your next MP. 

Andrew has already listened to you and stood up for you on Brexit.

Alan Whitehead, who "has-been" your Labour MP for 20 years, voted AGAINST triggering Article 50 to start Brexit, despite our country of England voting for Brexit and the majority of Southampton voting for Brexit. Alan Whitehead puts his own views ahead of your views. Did he ignore you because he thinks you are "racist", like the Labour councillors and Diane Abbott?

Labour councillors and MPs like Alan Whitehead and Diane Abbott think they know better than the 17.4 million people who voted for Brexit.

Andrew is the ONLY Candidate for Southampton Test MP who has campaigned in Southampton for Brexit.

Andrew will stand up for you to get the Brexit that you voted for, a Brexit where Southampton people will work together for a positive future.

VICTORY? The EU's TTIP is dead?

News sources such as Breitbart are reporting that the EU-USA trade deal TTIP is dead. The Guardian are also reporting it. But is it really dead? President Obama didn't seem to know at the G20, as he referred to talks continuing.

Independent Councillor Andrew Pope says:

"I've been a vocal critic of TTIP for years, campaigning locally, nationally and internationally via MEPs.
So I'm delighted if it is indeed dead, but it is important to remember that in any post-Brexit trade deals, that the many negative aspects of the TTIP are not repeated in those trade deals."

What do you think should be in our new trade deals?

What do you think should not be in those deals?

And when do you think is the right time to trigger Article 50?

Split Labour and Tory Parties Must Go

We Independents have posted on the problems of the Labour Party and the Conservative Party.

Both parties are outdated relics of the past Capitalist-Labour view of the world favoured by Jeremy Corbyn and other Marxists.

Both parties can't handle the modern world of politics, where the English people have delivered the verdict that the majority of MPs are out-of-touch with their constituents' views. The Brexit vote proved it.

Our outdated electoral system also needs to be overhauled.

Both Labour and Tories need to be replaced by Independents - which is pretty much what Southampton's neighbours on the Isle of Wight did, much to the surprise of Labour and Tories.

Why should they be replaced?

Because here in Southampton, no matter who has been "in control" of the Council, it is the people of Southampton that have suffered.

For example, just look at the latest project that is over time, over budget, and a hideous white elephant, the Arts Complex.

You don't have to look much further to find its predecessor, another white elephant, the Sea City Museum - both massive sinks for taxpayers money - YOUR money, whilst hundreds if not thousands of Council jobs and your public services are cut.

Maybe you wouldn't mind so much if you got a reduction in Council Tax, but despite all this waste and all these cuts, YOU PAY MORE COUNCIL TAX!

Southampton Labour is totally irresponsible as it is in chaos. As we've pointed out, the splits go down to City ward level, with councillor against councillor and member against member in their leadership battle.

BUT ALSO

the Southampton Tories are in chaos. Their local "opposition" to Labour has been found wanting. It's almost as if they didn't want to win control of the Council in the 2016 local elections!

Although the Tories bragged about how they were going to win control, they couldn't get rid of this failing Labour Council, hanging on by a majority of just two councillors.

Look at what happened when the Tories were last "in control" - strikes on the Itchen Bridge, bin bags rotting on the streets, social workers leaving the Council in their droves, vulnerable children and adults put at risk... and so on...

And despite being "in control" for four years, Labour hasn't fixed the vast majority of the problems facing Southampton City Council.

Would you agree that whether it's Labour or Tory - it's the same old story?

If you do, they should be replaced.

Meanwhile, the Labour in-fighting gets worse, even worse than we've already documented here...

Over the last day, we have learned that the Southampton Test Labour Party (for the west of Southampton), have backed Jeremy Corbyn to remain as Leader.

Last year, they were split on whether to back Jeremy Corbyn or Andy Burnham, who has subsequently given up wanting to become Leader and wants to become an elected Mayor instead of an MP.

The vote was 64 votes to 54 votes in favour of Corbyn. If this is repeated across the country, then Corbyn will remain Leader of the Labour Party - much to the dismay of Owen Smith supporters and the vast majority of Labour MPs.

Does this mean that Alan Whitehead, Southampton Test Labour MP, is at odds with his own Southampton Labour Party? He resigned from Jeremy Corbyn's Shadow Cabinet as part of what is called the "Labour Coup", undermining Dear Leader Corbyn. Labour Council Leader Councillor Simon Letts also called for Corbyn to go.

Southampton residents must wonder whether Labour Party members in Southampton Test Labour Party will be holding a vote of no confidence in Alan Whitehead, as could happened with other Labour MPs like short-lived leadership challenger Angela Eagle in Wallasey?

Will Dr Whitehead be deselected as suggested by Comrade Corbyn?

Or will he just quit?

Next week, the Southampton Itchen Labour Party (for the East of Southampton), will vote on whether to back Jeremy Corbyn or Owen Smith to be the Labour Leader. Obviously they have no Labour MP as Rowenna Davis was defeated by Tory Royston Smith.

Davis was selected to follow long-time MP John Denham under Labour's "All Women Shortlist". The latter's Tory Party has no such rules, but despite this the Tories have now had two woman Prime Ministers, with the Labour Party having none. Since her defeat, Davis has all but disappeared from the Southampton political scene.

Now the rebel Labour MPs supporting Owen Smith are reported by the national papers including the Mirror and Telegraph to be so pessimistic about his chances of beating Jeremy Corbyn, that they are plotting to try to take the Labour name with them...

What a mess.

What a rabble.

As local residents have asked us many times...

Why is Labour in-fighting, when our City isn't being looked after by the Labour Council?

It's almost as bad with the Conservatives.

At least the Tories are pretending in public that they are united behind Theresa May. Let's see if the remain "united" if May doesn't deliver the Brexit that the English people voted for, and which the Eurosceptics in the Tory Party (who wanted Leadsom, Gove or Boris as Leader) will want.

If not, May will be toast and there will be another Tory leadership contest.

Both Labour and the Tories must go. Whether it's Labour or Tory, it's the same old story.

And our outdated electoral system, both at a local level and national level, needs an urgent overhaul to make it more democratic and more representative of the English people.

Meanwhile, we Independents will keep fighting on the issues that matter to you.

I'm STILL opposing TTIP - are your MEPs?

I have pushed back on TTIP in several ways, campaigning locally, nationally and in Europe.

Today I was emailed by Going to Work from the TUC.

They've produced an email campaining tool for TTIP, making it easy for people to hold their MEPs to account.

Here is the email I sent to the 10 MEPs in the South East. Feel free to re-use it - I believe it's an enhancement on their suggested email text. The first two paragraphs are my additions.

I remain very concerned about TTIP, and the weasel words and obfuscation used by MEPs to try to hide their actions and inactions. I've been in touch with several, and their officers, this week. The complexity of the EU enables them to hide - but if European citizens hold them to account, they cannot hide.

To their credit, some MEPs are trying to engage with citizens over TTIP - long may that continue. But they need to make the EU clearer to voters, otherwise with the complexity of the EU, this enables the enemies of the EU to misrepresent what is happening - and the voters to make up their minds based on inaccurate or incomplete information.

And that might lead to Britain leaving the EU (Brexit)...

Best wishes,
Andrew

----

Suggested email text:

TTIP is a microcosm of all that is

wrong with the EU - secret,

unaccountable, remote and over-

complicated. These things mean that

UK voters don't trust the EU, and

don't understand it, even more than

they do already.

Please - MAKE A CLEAR STAND AGAINST

ISDS and privatisation. Don't hide

behind bureaucracy and complexity

of the EU, like some MEPs have

tried to this week - and then blame

others for misrepresenting their

actions and inaction.

When you vote in June on the

European Parliament resolution on

the Transatlantic Trade and

Investment Partnership (TTIP),

please make sure it protects the

people you represent.

This is a crucial opportunity for

the European Parliament to hold the

European Commission to account and

make clear that they must negotiate

trade deals in the public interest,

not for private profit. TTIP poses

significant threats to democratic

decision-making, public services,

and the rights of working people,

consumers and the environment.

Please support a resolution on TTIP

that requires the Commission to:

defend workers’ rights; protect

public services; remove ISDS and

special courts for foreign

investors; and maintain all

regulatory protections for workers,

consumers and the environment.

I look forward to your confirmation

that you will support these

objectives in the forthcoming vote.