EXCLUSIVE: VICTORY! Controversial Labour Councillor Subject To Multiple Complaints and Investigations Stands Down

 

Labour Councillor Mike Denness
Photo: Southampton City Council

A fortnight ago, we reported exclusively on Lee Whitbread, a Labour Redbridge ward councillor, being sacked as Labour's candidate in Redbridge Ward. It took the Daily Echo another fortnight to report it. We also reported on another Redbridge Labour Councillor Sally Goodfellow being sacked as a school governor by her own Labour-run Council. 

We can exclusively reveal that another Labour Councillor, this time Mike Denness for Bevois ward, is standing down at the local elections on 7th May 2026. No other local media has covered this.

Mike Denness has been the subject of multiple complaints and investigations, and has been a controversial figure, having been Conservative and then Labour.

The official list of candidates for the 2026 Southampton City Council elections was recently published. And Denness is not on it.

His seat was up for election, but Denness is not standing in Bevois or anywhere else in Southampton. 

Somebody called Paul Kenny is Labour's candidate in Bevois ward. Kenny stood unsuccessfully in Harefield ward in 2024.

As reported by Southampton Independents, the latest complaint to the Council was instigated by our Co-Founder and former Councillor Andrew Pope, who complained about Denness' register of interests not being accurate, which it wasn't, and still isn't at the time of writing. 

The only action that was taken by Southampton City Council was that Denness was advised by a legal officer to make it accurate. Denness' register has not been updated. It is still as it was before the complaint, inaccurate and misleading. The register itself states that it is an offence for misleading information to be on a register, yet the Council has not acted to discipline him.

Denness was also subject to multiple complaints in relation to his business activities as a planning consultant being a perceived conflict of interest with his sitting as Chair of Southampton's planning committee. This came to a head in 2018 during a Planning committee that he chaired and in which Councillor Andrew Pope objected to his chairmanship due to evidence of a conflict of interest (as shown in the photo above). 

There were also internal Labour group complaints to the Labour Group Whips about the same topic. 

Denness lost his Millbrook seat in 2018, when Southampton Independents deliberately stood a candidate against him to try to unseat him. It was a successful move. Our candidate Ed Edworthy received more votes than the difference between Denness' tally and the winning Conservative candidate. We weren't happy that a Conservative won, but at least Denness had been ejected.

Labour accused Conservative councillor Jeremy Moulton of a "vendetta" against Denness. Moulton also lost his seat at the same 2018 elections, as did Labour Leader Simon Letts after we investigated the Arts Complex funding.

Denness was previously Conservative Basingstoke MP Maria Miller's election agent, before defecting to Labour in Southampton. He had also stood for the Conservatives in Southampton. Southampton Labour decided not to allow Millbrook ward members to choose the candidate for the by-election caused by the mid-term resignation of student Labour councillor Georgie Laming. Local party officials of Southampton Labour IMPOSED Mike Denness as the candidate, without a vote of Millbrook ward Labour Party members. 

Conservative Councillors for Millbrook ward Steve Galton and Jeremy Moulton have again been contacted for contact. They made no comment on Mike Denness, despite having previously lodged complaints about him. 

 

 

INVESTIGATION: Chaos at Shirley Warren Primary School and in Southampton Labour

Investigation

UPDATE (Friday 13/3/26): LABOUR IN REDBRIDGE IN CHAOS, SHIRLEY WARREN PRIMARY IN CHAOS, LABOUR-RUN COUNCIL IN CHAOS

1. We have offered Councillor Sally Goodfellow the right of reply to our article.

2. The claims made by the Labour-run Council do not seem to add up. The Daily Echo is standing by its headline that the Council sacked the governors.

3. The Bridge Education Trust have taken over a week to provide any minutes of the governor meetings, despite promising to get them to us by the end of this week. The Acting Headteacher has promised them to us by the end of Monday 16th March.

4. We have offered the three Shirley Ward councillors the right of reply to our article, and pointed out to the Leader of the Council Alex Winning who is a Shirley ward councillor that his own Cabinet Member and senior officers seem to contradict the Echo headline that the Labour-run Council sacked all governors including Labour Redbridge Councillor Sally Goodfellow.

 

Investigation

 

 

 

 

Why You Cannot Trust Southampton Labour Party Members To Challenge Councillor Simon Letts

Councillor Simon Letts
Photo: Southampton City Council

 

Our Co-Founder and Member of the Independent Network Andrew Pope says:

 

 

"Southampton Labour Party's own documented meeting minutes from 2017, that I somehow obtained despite quitting Labour in 2015 and kept for years for the right moment, show that Southampton Labour Party members didn't stop Letts. They gave in with barely a whimper. 

There is no evidence in the minutes of challenge, just an explanation of what Letts intended to do. So everybody in the Southampton Labour Party at that meeting, including now Green Party Agent Lisa Fricker who would simply  'communicate' Letts' cruel decision, is complicit in Labour's cruel cuts. 

Labour or Tory, same old story, yet again! Like I said when I quit Labour in 2015, Simon Letts and Southampton Labour cannot be trusted." 

 

Who and What Is Simon Letts? 

Councillor Simon Letts is currently the Cabinet Member for Finance on Southampton City Council. He was brought in because in her short reign, the previous Leader of the Council Satvir Kaur, brought the Council to its financial knees and on the brink of bankruptcy. Kaur is now the MP for Southampton Test and incredibly, a Junior Minister in Keir Starmer's Government. Kaur admitted that she did not understand Council finances, yet somehow occupied these roles.

You would think that Southampton Labour Party and its members would control its councillors and hold them to account. We present here a case study in why you cannot trust them to do so, and why they allow Letts to be out of control and why he cannot be trusted with public money. When it took control of the Council from the Tories in 2012, Labour continued to make cruel cuts. Labour or Tory, same old story? You bet.

We present here the facts and the evidence. You can decide for yourself what type of person Simon Letts is. You can decide whether you think he is fit to be Leader of the Council, or responsible for the public finances in Southampton.

 

Splits and Factions in the Labour Group of Councillors 

As it is nationally with Keir Starmer's Government, Labour is not fit to run the Council, nor the country. And Labour politicians in Westminster or Southampton cannot decide who they want to be Leader. 

We understand from sources inside and outside the Labour Group of councillors that Letts wants to be Leader again, despite his previous failures as Leader and then being voted off the Council completely in 2018. 

Who is his opponent? The current Leader Alex Winning is up for election in May in Shirley, where Labour has lost successive by-elections. 

Southampton Independents was founded because of Labour councillors like Simon Letts and in spite of people like him. When our Co-Founder Andrew Pope quit Labour in 2015, he criticised Letts publicly. It made front page news in the Echo, authored by the respected former political reporter at the Echo, James Franklin.

Andrew Pope when Councillor
Photo: Southampton Independents

Arts Complex Wastes Tens of Millions of Public Money

Simon Letts was voted off the Council in 2018 by his constituents in Bitterne ward, after our campaign to expose his misuse of public funds, with the help of Cabinet Member Satvir Kaur, on the Arts Complex. 

Andrew Pope obtained an internal audit report about the Arts Complex, a report which he had pressured the Chief Financial Officer Mel Creighton into writing. 

Pope provided the report to the Echo, in the public interest. The Echo's reporter Rachel Adams, who Pope had contacted, then rang Letts and Letts went nuts. 

So the Echo put it on the front page, pointing out yet another over-spend by the Arts Complex and that Letts said he did not care why it had over-spent. 

Letts lost his Bitterne seat shortly after at the local elections in 2018, and therefore leadership of the Council. 

Southampton Independents had planned it, and had timed it, forensically. The people of Southampton were rid of Letts for a time on the Council. He went off and tried to be Southampton Itchen MP, but lost to Tory Royston Smith, twice.

Southampton Labour's Bilious Recycled and Re-treaded Councillors

But the Southampton Labour Party recycles failed councillors like Simon Letts. There are other examples of defeated councillors being regurgitated like an unwanted. bile-inducing meal. Their councillors lose elections but somehow end up back on the council. As former Tory Leader of the Council Royston Smith once referred to some of his own recycled councillors as "retreads". And like retreads, are they safe, whether Labour or Tory? No.

Letts Cruelly Closes Kentish Road Respite Centre Despite Massive Opposition

Another factor in Letts' demise was the campaign to try to save Kentish Road respite centre from Letts' cuts as Leader of the Council. Southampton Independents joined the campaign and provided advice to Lisa Stead and Amanda Guest, the latter of whom, much to our disgust and disappointment, later became a Tory councillor. We supported their campaign to save the respite centre.

But Simon Letts closed it in 2017. We can exclusively reveal the Southampton Labour Party machinations that enabled Letts to do this, despite massive public opposition and the punishment of vulnerable adults and their families.

Southampton Labour Party's Feeble Questioning of Letts

We have obtained the minutes of Southampton and Romsey Labour Party Executive Committee from Wednesday 22nd Novermber 2017 during the time that Letts closed the Respite Centre. Here is a very relevant section:

"Kentish Road – Concerns have been raised about the closure of Kentish Road from members and service users and Simon spoke openly on many of the issues that we asked him, including the new buildings at 32b Kentish Road and Weston Court. The CQC report states that the provision requires improvement. It currently costs £212 per person per night to use Kentish Road. There was 72 service users and 62 have currently found new care packages, 8 are looking at their options and 2 want only Kentish Road. The decision to change the use of Kentish Road will save 1⁄4 million pounds and will be used for patients with complex needs who require nurse led care but have delayed discharge from hospital because they are not well enough to yet go home but aren't ill enough to stay in hospital. Mencap and SCA have also expressed an interest in using the building for new headquarters but Simon said they would prefer to keep it linked with social care. It will also cost £30,000 to get 32b Kentish Road ready for use but Weston Court and the other options are ready to use now. Simon has offered the service users to co-design 32b. The final decision will be made next week and Simon will send Lisa (Fricker) a statement to email out to all members."

Andrew Pope says: 

 

Andrew Pope
Photo: Southampton Independents

 

"Their own documented meeting minutes show that Southampton Labour Party didn't stop Letts. They gave in with barely a whimper. There is no evidence in the minutes of challenge, just an explanation of what Letts intended to do. So everybody in the Southampton Labour Party at that meeting, including now Green Party Agent Lisa Fricker who would simply "communicate" the decision, is complicit in the cruel cuts.

It's ironic that Lisa Fricker was recently an election agent with the Green Party in the Shirley ward by-election. The victorious Green Party candidate in Gorton and Denton has been making promises that they cannot keep. All the big parties are the same. They lie to get power and then let everyone down.

When Fricker was on it, her Executive Committee could have decided to admonish Letts. Clearly from the minutes, it didn't. It just gave in to Letts.

Their minutes weakly express "concerns". The public opposition was much, much more than "concerns". It was vital. 

And eventually, after Letts was defeated in the 2018 local elections, the new Labour Leader Christopher Hammond said it was not their "finest hour". That is an understatement, because later in 2019 the Local Government Ombudsman ordered compensation for the victims of Letts' cruel cuts to the respite of vulnerable adults. 

Is Letts repentant? I doubt it. He paid with his seat, but he ensured the suffering of vulnerable adults and families with his heartless decision.

Now, he is responsible for the finances of the Council. How can anybody trust Simon Letts and Southampton Labour to make the right decisions for Southampton and its people?"

Southampton Independents has offered the right of reply to Lisa Fricker, Alex Winning and Simon Letts. Christopher Hammond lost the leadership of the Council to the Tories for one year and then did not stand for re-election. 

If we can find who to contact at Southampton Labour Party, because their website is completely lacking in transparency over who are the officers on the Executive Committee now, we will offer them a right of reply too.

 

Our Emblem

 

IT'S OFFICIAL! Andrew Pope is Our Southampton Test Candidate

Councillor Andrew Pope

It is now official! Southampton Independents Councillor Andrew Pope has been accepted by the Returning Officer as the official Southampton Independent candidate for the Southampton Test Constituency. 

Here is a brief biography:

Andrew Pope YOUR Southampton Independents Candidate for the 2017 General Election works for YOU. 

Andrew has helped thousands of people all over Southampton as a campaigner. He has been a Southampton City Councillor for 6 years. Andrew has worked in industry, government, defence technology, retail and insurance in the UK and in Australia, so knows how to get things done. He co-owns a small business. Andrew has two degrees in Computer Science and International Politics and a college diploma in IT so has learnt practical skills and how to solve many different problems in a wide range of scenarios.

How can Andrew help you, your family and your area?

On the day Theresa May hinted that the Tories will repeat the same promise on immigration that they have broken every year since 2010, Andrew said:

" I am delighted to have received confirmation that I am the official Southampton Independents candidate. 

Thank you to the residents of Shirley, Coxford, Maybush, Millbrook, Freemantle and Redbridge that nominated me.

Southampton Independents is a new local party registered this year that is about Southampton for the people of Southampton.

Local residents deserve better than Alan Whitehead, who has been the Labour MP for Southampton Test for 20 years.

Residents need to know that he did NOT vote to trigger Article 50, despite Southampton voting by majority to leave the EU.

We in Southampton Independents hear so much criticism of Mr Whitehead on the doorsteps in conversations with local residents. Residents have said that Mr Whitehead should retire.

The Tory candidate that has been chosen, Paul Holmes is a political careerist who last stood in Surrey. Mr Holmes has been parachuted in by the Tories like Labour parachuted London councillor Rowenna Davis into Southampton Itchen in 2015.

Southampton people were smart enough to realise that Davis was not local, and Ms Davis lost to the Tory candidate Royston Smith, who had lived and worked in Southampton for a lot longer than her.

Mr Holmes is a yes man to Theresa May.

And Theresa May knows that she faces opposition to her version of Brexit from Labour, which is split from top from bottom. Mrs May also knows that she faces opposition from MPs and councillors in her own party who want to block Brexit.

The Liberal Democrats also resist Brexit to try to save their party. And let's not forget, they betrayed the country in the Coalition with the Tories.

And UKIP are competing with Labour for the most incompetent national party.

Southampton Independents campaigned for Brexit because the people of Southampton asked us to.

Andrew standing up for Southampton residents in the Daily Echo

Councillor Andrew Pope speaking up for Southampton residents
on local BBC South Today

Southampton Independents listen to local people and fight for them on the issues that matter to them - not jumping to party political instruction from Jeremy Corbyn, Theresa May, Tim Farron or Paul Nuttall.

I ask that Southampton people vote for the candidate who already listens to you, works for you and stands up for you.

I put it to you that the coverage on TV and regularly in the Echo shows me already standing up for Southampton on the issues that matter.

So I ask that you kindly lend me your vote at the 8th June General Election so that I can go to Westminster and do the same as your MP."

Labour, Corbyn and Whitehead Are A Threat to Our Safety

With today's news that Labour's Shadow Home Secretary Diane Abbott doesn't seem able to add up, Jeremy Corbyn visited Southampton and the Redbridge ward in the Southampton Test constituency.

Our Southampton Independents candidate Councillor Andrew Pope represents the same ward.

Andrew Pope is standing in the General Election against Alan Whitehead, Labour's candidate.

Andrew said:

"What use is a Labour policy if it is never going to be implemented, because Diane Abbott, Jeremy Corbyn, Alan Whitehead and the Labour-run Council lack any credibility because they are not leaders and they cannot add up?

Unlike Jeremy Corbyn and Alan Whitehead, Southampton Independents are here all year round, not for a flying visit every few years at election time.

They were on Kendal Avenue.

Did they show Corbyn and Whitehead the library on Kendal Avenue that the Labour Council closed, despite it costing little money and it being popular with local adults and children?

Did they take Corbyn and Whitehead to the Brownhill House care centre on Lower Brownhill Road, that the Labour Council closed last year, despite the NHS and social care crisis that Labour is always going on about?

Did they take Corbyn and Whitehead to speak to headteachers and parents of children at Southampton schools that the Labour Council last year said would get extra funds for extra pupils, funds which were then taken away later last year?

Did they take Corbyn and Whitehead to speak with Redbridge Towers residents who were left literally in the cold, with no information, after the recent fire?

Residents told me this morning that they resent Corbyn and Whitehead using our area for a publicity stunt.

And it appears that their visit is as poorly thought-through as Labour's policies and their sums on their policies.

Residents have suggested that Corbyn "jog on" back to Westminster and out of our area.

And that Alan Whitehead needs to be voted out at the General Election on 8th June 2017."

UPDATED: Corbyn, Whitehead and Labour Are A Threat To Our Defence

Councillor Andrew Pope on BBC South Today
Southampton Independents Candidate for Southampton Test

Andrew Pope is standing for Southampton Independents in the General Election, for the Southampton Test constituency in the west of Southampton.

Andrew has already pointed out the failure of the Southampton Test MP for 20 years, Alan Whitehead, to uphold the views of the majority of Southampton residents and our country in the EU Referendum. Whitehead voted against triggering Article 50 and then mounted a pathetic attempt to defend his actions.

But there are even larger threats to our democracy and the defence of the realm if you vote Labour in this General Election...

UPDATED (13th May 2017): Following Jeremy Corbyn's Chatham House speech, Andrew says:

"Jeremy Corbyn's Chatham House speech provided further proof that he and Labour are a danger to our country.

Why did he feel the need to deny that he is a pacifist?

"I am not a pacifist.

I accept that military action, under international law and as a genuine last resort, is in some circumstances necessary."

And why do Corbyn's allies feel the need to defend him from accusations that he is a pacifist?

Because even in making this defence, Corbyn didn't seem clear about what those circumstances were.

"Mr Gardiner rejected “throwaway” remarks made by Mr Corbyn, where he could not think of examples when he would intervene with military action."

The evidence is clear, Corbyn doesn't support military action at all.

Corbyn's speech contained worrying fogginess on his attitude to using Britain's nuclear deterrent, thereby again undermining this highly expensive but highly necessary military capability.

Corbyn prioritises his own views over those of the British people, who support having the nuclear deterrent.

Corbyn prioritises his own views over those in his own Labour Party, and the official policy of the Labour Party.

Corbyn said "let me make this absolutely clear."

He did everything but make his views clear on whether he would use our nuclear weapons to defend our country's people! And this isn't the first time!

Such confusion is unwelcome during a military or international crisis, and particularly during the "fog of war".

Corbyn shows alarming naivety, bordering on stupidity, saying things like:

"as a permanent member of the Security Council we will provide a lead by respecting the authority of International Law."

The United Nations is weak and always has been. International Law is also weak.

Britain needs to be self-reliant on defence, because of the security dilemma that has always existed - who do we really trust? 

We can co-operate, but ultimately we have to rely on ourselves to defend ourselves.

Corbyn's reliance on diplomacy and all but removing military action from our nation's defence shows his weakness. He is not a realist. He is a fantasist.

Corbyn has rejected Blair's "liberal interventionism", a contradiction itself in international relations, but at least Blair had attempted to set out a coherent view to support his approach.

In contrast, Corbyn is a dangerous fantasist with no coherent view and a huge gap between himself and his MPs. If he cannot inspire confidence in his own MPs, or form a talented Shadow Cabinet, how could he inspire confidence in our military?

How can our Armed Forces and British citizens have any faith in him or the Labour Party?

And let's not forget that the Southampton Test MP for 20 years, Alan Whitehead, as shown in Hansard, missed five votes in a row on renewing Britain's nuclear deterrent, being absent EVERY time! Like Corbyn, he has also undermined our deterrent through his lack of support.

When I spoke with him recently, the Chair of the Defence Select Committee, Julian Lewis, was surprised to learn of Mr Whitehead's abstentions in these votes. From his reaction, I would say that he was also disappointed.

A vote for Alan Whitehead is a vote for the weakness of Jeremy Corbyn's Labour and to endanger the people of our country.

Voting Labour isn't worth the risk to our nation's defence.

If elected to Parliament, my education in global politics and international relations at Southampton University plus my experience working with defence technology and military command, control, communications and intelligence (C3I) will mean that I will ensure that you, your family and our City of Southampton are properly defended."

---

(27th April 2017) Andrew says:

"Current Labour MP Alan Whitehead, Jeremy Corbyn and the Labour Council have failed to protect us.

Because Labour is a mess.

Alan Whitehead voted against triggering Article 50 to start Brexit.

So did Labour councillors. Not a single Southampton Labour councillor supported Brexit.

The MP missed votes to continue Britain's nuclear deterrent.

Like Corbyn, he puts his views ahead of YOUR views.

Corbyn is even against defending us from terrorists with a shoot-to-kill policy."

Vote for Andrew Pope at the General Election on 8th June 2017 to put our national defence and security first.

Labour or Tory, Same Old Story

Labour's Wilted and Dying Rose

Overnight, Labour has had a disastrous result in the Copeland by-election, losing to the Government in the middle of the Tory Government's term of office. This is extremely rare.

Labour should have held on to this seat, caused by their MP resigning to take a job in the nuclear industry.

The Blairites and other factions of Labour are seeking to blame Jeremy Corbyn. The Corbynistas are seeking to blame the Blairites.

It is true that people don't like Jeremy Corbyn. It is true that people don't like his messages either.

We Independents know this from our conversations with people.

But Labour's problems are not just at the national level.

In Southampton, they are also at the local level. They are failing to run Southampton City Council properly. And the Labour Group of councillors are also split between pro- and anti-Corbyn factions, as we have shown on this website before.

Incredibly, when presenting his latest Council Budget, Labour's Finance Chief Mark Chaloner said last week that: "The last Labour Government were running the economy properly!"

This caused everybody in the Council Chamber to laugh uncontrollably. If he believes this, he is more deluded than even Jeremy Corbyn.

Were the Tories any better at running Southampton City Council? No. 

Were the Liberal Democrats? No, neither of them were up to the job either.

But Labour is doomed. Why?

Because across Britain, the membership of every Constituency Labour Party (CLP) is split into at least two - pro- and anti-Corbyn. The Executive Committee of officers in each CLP are also split.

The Parliamentary Labour Party (PLP) is split into at least two factions in the same way.

The officers at Labour HQ at Brewers Green are split too.

All of these parts are at loggerheads.

Instead of fighting the Tories, they are fighting themselves.

And instead of standing up for British people, they are fighting themselves.

Independents fight on the issues that matter to you. The Westminster parties think of themselves before thinking of you, your area and your family.

Join us Independents to remove the Labour Party from their seats on Southampton City Council. 

The local elections are not until May 2018, but we are fighting hard for local people right here, right now.

Labour Splits Deepen Even More

The Labour Party is even more split than it was before.

The Labour Rose is even more out-of-date and decrepit than it has been for decades.

Labour is split in Parliament.

Labour is split in local areas and in local Labour parties.

It seems to be operating two parties in the same party - those for Corbyn and in Momentum and those against Corbyn.

All the while it should be running our City. But it isn't. 

For example, the recent Lottery decision to not award children's health funding to Southampton City Council due to fears over poor leadership. We Independents have been criticising the lack of leadership by Labour for some time. Now the Independent Lottery assessors have agreed.

But the problems are much more widespread.

Basic Council services are failing, and Labour is scared to address these failings because they place themselves and their Party above the people of Southampton - the very people they are supposed to represent. Those people that Corbyn claims that Labour protects - but they don't. In Swansea, Labour openly admits its failures but rallies for Corbyn!

Labour in Southampton doesn't do what Corbyn claims. As we pointed out, in Southampton, instead of taking responsibility for their own failures, Labour continues to blame the Tories. What a cop out!

Now the Daily Echo has a photo showing 17 Labour members clearly supporting Owen Smith for Labour Leader. Or rather, 17 people plus people who are either out of shot or hiding behind other people. Why would they hide? Is it because they are ashamed of Labour's failures?

Let's not forget that Owen Smith wants a second Brexit referendum, ignoring the democratic will of the people to Leave the EU. And it was Corbyn that advocated triggering Article 50 immediately after the vote - then changing his mind. How can anybody trust the Labour Party, no matter which "Leader" they choose?

Labour members are choosing between potential disaster and proven failure.

And no matter who they choose, it won't mean they will win the next General Election.

And no matter who they choose, it won't end their splits nationally or locally.

Added to the existing further splits, is yet another list (*below) of Southampton councillors supporting Owen Smith for Labour Leader.

Which other Labour councillors and which other Labour members support the other part of the two parties in one (Corbyn versus Smith)? 

What will the other Labour councillors and members do when Corbyn wins again, as is widely predicted?

Instead of in-fighting, they should be running our City. Do you agree? 

What have you, your family and your area been affected by failings of the Labour Council in Southampton? Please get in touch and tell us!

This is why we say that you are better off with Independents who work on the issues that matter to you, not party politics.

Contact us to work with you to win for you, your area and your family.

Best wishes
Councillor Andrew Pope and Denise Wyatt

*The below list is taken from the LabourList updated list.

Cllr	Christopher Hammond	Southampton
Cllr	Darren Paffey	Southampton
Cllr	David Furnell	Southampton
Cllr	Hannah Coombs	Southampton
Cllr	Jacqui Rayment	Southampton
Cllr	John Jordan	Southampton
Cllr	John Noon	Southampton
Cllr	Lee Whitbread	Southampton
Cllr	Sarah Bogle	Southampton
Cllr	Sharon Mintoff	Southampton
Cllr	Sue Blatchford	Southampton

Latest: Yes, Labour HAS Betrayed Redbridge

The Field at the corner of Test Lane / Gover Road

The Labour Council has betrayed Redbridge

Towards the end of last week, we blogged that the Labour Council was about to finalise the deal for the Test Lane / Gover Road development.

We had asked to be updated by Council officers as soon as the planning permission was finalised. That didn't happen when it should have.

However, we have now confirmed that sadly the planning permission has been issued. It can be viewed here.

Residents we've heard from since this decision are rightly outraged and disgusted.

Local campaigner Denise Wyatt said:

"At last week's public meeting, residents raised so many concerns that have still not been addressed. 

Last week's public meeting at the Ship Inn, Old Redbridge

It is a disgrace that the Labour Council has ignored residents concerns, and has pressed on regardless."

Independent Councillor Andrew Pope said:

"Residents should never forget the answer to these three questions. 

Question 1. Who owns the Gover Road/Test Lane Field land?  

Question 2. Who gave planning permission to build 24-hour warehousing? 

Question 3. Who is selling the land to an offshore company? 

Answer: The Labour-controlled Southampton City Council!"

Following last week's public meeting and queries from Redbridge residents, Councillor Pope sent the following e-mail to Councillor Jacqui Rayment, Cabinet Member for Environment and Transport and Deputy Leader of the Council.

Cllr Rayment was the only Labour councillor to attend (the two Redbridge Labour councillors McEwing and Whitbread and the Labour Leader Simon Letts were all not there although they were invited by the Redbridge Residents Association):

"Councillor Rayment,

At last night's public meeting, you stated to the public and media present that it was too late for this development to be stopped.

Please forward the advice you relied upon, from which officer or councillor it came, and when this advice was provided."

 to which Councillor Rayment's reply was simply:

"No

Cllr Jacqui Rayment

Deputy Leader

Cabinet Member Environment & Transport"

This suggests that Cllr Rayment misled around 130 members of the public and the media present.

If she did mislead the public, this would not be the first time. In 2013, an Independent Investigation stated:

"In respect of Councillor Jacqui Rayment, the investigator found that she failed to comply with The Nolan Principles of Public Life relating to Openness and Honesty, and the guidance as to mutual respect and courtesy between members and Officers set out in the Council’s Member / Officer Protocol. "

As Deputy Leader, Cllr Rayment did not resign then. But Former Leader Richard Williams did, following similar criticism.

At the public meeting, as reported by the Daily Echo, Councillor Pope stopped short of calling for Cllr Rayment to resign.

But now Cllr Pope has been forced to Cllr Rayment asking her to resign for misleading the public, or for the Leader Councillor Simon Letts to sack her.


Denise and Andrew say:

"We fight for you. 

We are the only effective opposition in Millbrook, Redbridge and Maybush. 

Labour, the Tories, the Lib Dems and UKIP have been absent in campaigning against Test Lane. And residents will never forget that it is a Labour Council that is doing this.

We stand up for you. 

We campaign on the issues that matter to local people. 

We put people before party politics. 

We will continue to fight for you. 

That is why we ask residents to join with us Independents in holding the Council to account."

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.

Update: Labour Splits Deepen

UPDATE (2nd August 2016): The Daily Echo reported on the Labour chaos yesterday here. They confirm much of what we had already said last week, and their report also shows the open fighting between factions of the Labour Party. We say it again - Labour should not be in-fighting. It should be standing up for our country and our City. But it isn't.

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(26th July 2016): Here is an update from Denise to our letter published in the Echo recently.

Labour is in a deep crisis. Meanwhile Labour MPs like Alan Whitehead involved in the "coup" against Jeremy Corbyn are letting the country down and letting Southampton down.

And the Labour Council and Labour Councillors are letting the people of Millbrook, Redbridge and Maybush down.

Remember too that the Tories are no better! Whether it's Labour or Tory, it's the same old story.

That's why we ask you to support Independents like us.

Independents focus on the issues that matter to you.

Party politics has no place in local councils.

Denise and Andrew

P.S. Update 26th July 2016 - The Labour splits and in-fighting get worse and even more funny. There is ANOTHER later letter showing even more splits - a new list of supporters of "Where's Wally?" Labour leader candidate Owen Smith. The councillors with their wards and Parliamentary constituencies (and hence Constituency Labour Parties) are:

Cllr Christopher Hammond (Woolston, Southampton Test)
Cllr Darren Paffey (Bargate, Southampton Itchen)
Cllr David Furnell (Millbrook, Southampton Test)
Cllr Hannah Coombs (Shirley, Southampton Test)
Cllr John Noon (Bargate, Southampton Itchen)
Cllr Sarah Bogle (Bargate, Southampton Itchen)
Cllr Sharon Mintoff (Swaythling, Romsey and Southampton North)

Where does this leave the Corbyn-supporting councillors like the Mayor, Councillor Cathie McEwing (Redbridge, Southampton Test)? And doesn't this put her at odds with anti-Corbyn letter signing, then not anti-Corbyn signing "comrade" Councillor Lee Whitbread (Redbridge, Southampton Test)? (see below for details)

The Labour Party is a joke from top to bottom!

It's the party members that we feel sorry for, and the communities across the country that Labour is letting down, especially in Southampton - see the rest of this website.

You couldn't make it up!

---

Firstly, the Echo printing of our letter suggested that both Andrew and I are councillors. I am not one - not yet. I would like to thank the people of Millbrook, Redbridge and Maybush that did vote for me. 

Secondly, since we wrote to the Echo, the letter where Southampton Labour councillors call for Corbyn to go has been changed online.* (see first link below)

Names have been added by the compiler of the letter London Labour councillor Ed Davie. Names have been removed too. What a mess. Only Labour could be so inept.

For example, Redbridge Councillor Lee Whitbread now claims he didn't approve for his name to be used in calling for Corbyn to go. * (see second link below)

This is difficult to believe. Computers are deterministic machines that act according to the instructions of the user.

Perhaps Lee Whitbread and Labour councillors didn't know whether they have clicked a link or not? But the email was very clear. * (see the process in the second link below).

Or what changed his mind? Unite member Cllr Whitbread hasn't removed his name from last year's Huffington Post letter backing Liz Kendall for Leader - not Corbyn.

Now the list of proverbial knife-wielding councillors from Southampton is a not-so-magnificent seven not five - Hammond in Woolston, Furnell in Millbrook, Paffey, Bogle and Noon all in Bargate, Rayment in Bevois and Mintoff in Swaythling. 

Working for Corbyn against the treacherous seven is the Mayor, the other Redbridge Labour Councillor McEwing. That letter hasn't changed - but there's time!

Meanwhile there is silence on the leadership leanings of the rest of them - such as the normally very loud Shirley Labour Councillor Satvir Kaur.

Are they for Corbyn or against Corbyn? Or are they sitting on the fence? What a mess.

They should put the people of Southampton first by becoming Independents and protect the City from more Labour cuts to the vulnerable.

Who of them has the strength to stand up and be counted?

All the best,

Denise Wyatt

Millbrook, Redbridge and Maybush Independents


http://labourlist.org/2016/06/over-500-councillors-tell-corbyn-time-to-step-down/

http://www.thecanary.co/2016/07/01/labour-councillors-plot-unseat-corbyn-backfires-spectacularly-video/

Labour Splits Not in Our Interests

Below is the original version of a letter published in the Southern Daily Echo on Friday 1st July 2016, pointing out that the Labour Party is letting down our country and our City.

Let us know what you think of it.

Andrew and Denise.

---

Dear Editor,

In this time of national crisis, it is clear that both the national and the local Southampton Labour parties are split. 

Last year, the Echo reported they were split over supporting Corbyn as Labour Leader.

The Labour splits are worsening. And they are deepening.

Yesterday, Mayor and Redbridge Labour Councillor Cathie McEwing signed a public letter supporting Corbyn for Leader.

This is in stark contrast to the Council Leader, Simon Letts, who has called for Jeremy Corbyn to resign. 

And in a new letter today, Labour Councillors Paffey, Furnell, Noon, Whitbread and Mintoff have also publicly called for Corbyn to go.

Who else in the Labour Group of councillors wants Corbyn to stay? Who wants him to go? 

Why are they in-fighting now? 

Why are Labour MPs and councillors ignoring the votes of members that elect the Leader?

Not only is Labour split nationally and in Southampton, it's also split in the Redbridge ward. 

As well as signing the anti-Corbyn letter published today, the other Redbridge Councillor Lee Whitbread was one of a very small number of people who foolishly supported Liz Kendall for the leadership..

And in the EU Referendum debate in the Council, Mayor McEwing voted to Remain, but Cllr Whitbread didn't support either - his cowardly abstention was a total cop-out in a vote that was either Remain or Leave. He failed to represent Redbridge people. So Labour are split on the Brexit too!

We Independents rightly spoke up for Leave as we had listened to the people of Millbrook, Maybush and Redbridge.

Labour councillors proved they are out-of-touch with the Southampton public on Brexit by voting Remain, so it's no wonder they also can't agree on the way forward for their own party - or for our City.

And it's no wonder the Labour City Council can't do the basics - cutting the grass, mending the roads, fixing potholes, directing the traffic. They are too busy in-fighting.

As the Prime Minister said yesterday, it is not in the national interest. 

Neither is it in the interests of the people of Southampton, especially the people of Millbrook, Maybush and Redbridge.

Labour councillors and MPs should make up their minds - or like Andrew did a year ago, quit the Labour Party to protect the people of Southampton from more Labour cuts and more Labour shambles.

Councillor Andrew Pope and Denise Wyatt

Millbrook, Redbridge and Maybush Independents