The candidates are confirmed for the Southampton Test Constituency at the 2017 General Election.
Unlike all four other candidates for Southampton Test, Andrew listened to the views of Southampton residents. The majority of people wanted to leave the EU.
So Andrew campaigned for Britain the leave the EU. And voted to leave the EU.
There is no UKIP candidate.
There is no Green candidate.
There is only ONE choice if you voted to leave the EU.
Andrew Pope, Southampton Independents.
Andrew Pope, the Southampton Independents Candidate, is the ONLY Candidate who campaigned in Southampton and for Southampton residents for a Brexit.
The Labour Candidate, Alan Whitehead, did not campaign for Brexit. Against the wishes of the majority of people in his constituency, he disgracefully voted AGAINST triggering Article 50.
The Conservative Candidate, Paul Holmes, wasn't even in Southampton because he was in London working for the Conservative Party instead of Southampton residents. He claims that he would "campaign tirelessly". But he didn't campaign during the EU referendum. Like millions of others, it appears that he only voted. How is that a campaign? It isn't.
And you know what the student Lib Dem Candidate thinks - the Lib Dems want us to Remain in the EU, despite the outcome of the vote.
The other so-called Independent who usually votes with Labour, old-style socialist Keith Morrell, did not campaign for Brexit. Let us be very clear, he is NOT with Southampton Independents.
Unlike all four other candidates for Southampton Test, Andrew listened to the views of Southampton residents. The majority of people wanted to leave the EU.
Unskilled workers, skilled workers, professional workers, young people, older people - they all told Andrew that they wanted to leave the EU.
One young Redbridge man in particular left a lasting effect on Andrew's view of the EU.
In 2015, he told Andrew:"What has Labour done for young people like me? They allowed mass immigration and I can't get a job. I'm voting UKIP."
Andrew was convinced by the views of the people he represents.
So as Andrew said in his speech in the Southampton City Council Chamber before the EU Referendum, Andrew felt duty-bound to represent their views as their elected representative for Redbridge ward on the City Council.
So Andrew campaigned for Southampton people to vote to leave the EU.
And Andrew represented their views on the doorsteps, on the streets, on Facebook and Twitter and in the Council Chamber.
He sent the letter below to the local paper, the Daily Echo.
Andrew worked with the Vote Leave campaign on the ground, speaking with people who wanted to vote to leave in the Redbridge ward that he represents.
Now, Andrew says:
"I was delighted with the EU Referendum result, although I was slightly surprised by it and might have woken up some of my neighbours by going outside and shouting "FREEDOM!" when the result was confirmed. I have apologised to them since!
The British people have spoken, but Labour, the Lib Dems and the Tories don't seem to want to listen properly. In fact, many of them like Alan Whitehead want to ignore the British people.
I pledge if elected to Parliament to campaign for the Brexit that Southampton voted for - not the softest Brexit favoured by Theresa May and her local lackey Paul Holmes, or the chaos caused by Corbyn and his motley crew of MPs including Alan Whitehead.
Whitehead deserves to lose his seat in Parliament for deserting the views of the majority of his constituents.
Southampton needs an MP that respects their views and represents their views.
Southampton wants a Brexit that means we work together for a positive future.
I have already worked for that Brexit and if elected, I will continue to work for that Brexit."
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Here’s the original version of Andrew Pope's letter that was printed in the Daily Echo on Friday 20th May 2016, mentioning why he urged everyone in Southampton to vote to leave the EU.
The people of the South East of England are smart. They’ve looked into it and worked out that the EU doesn’t benefit our Region. They’ve told me that it’s all take and no give by the EU.
Only two or three people out of hundreds we Independents recently spoke with in Millbrook, Maybush and Redbridge wanted to remain. The rest want to leave. It’s quite understandable.
Who can forget that without consulting with the public, the EU and corporation FORD conspired to kill thousands of jobs in and around the Southampton Ford plant where my uncle and thousands of local people worked? The EU actually gave over £80 million to TURKEY – a country not even in the European Union, to kill these thousands of jobs*.
In a time of Labour, Lib Dem and Tory cuts, the EU has conspired with Government and pro-EU parties to bring us disaster after disaster with further attacks on our port economy by EU rules and public money to Liverpool, the privatisation of Royal Mail, TTIP attacking our NHS and public services and putting even more pressure on schools, housing and health service.
I’ve got the proof from Council officers.
People have had enough.
These are just some of the reasons I will be voting, and campaigning, to leave the EU, and I urge the people of Southampton, Hampshire and the South East to do the same.
This EU referendum is about a positive future where Britain – not other countries – decides its own future.
A positive Britain that protects our jobs, grows our economy, controls immigration and sets its own destiny for a positive future – trading and co-operating with Europe but not in a political union that wants a European superstate that doesn’t let Britain work to its strengths.
Councillor Andrew Pope
* The European Investment Bank’s own website shows the Ford Transit project.
