Pope Launches Petition on How Southampton, the New Forest and South Hampshire Is Governed

Andrew Pope at Mansel Park, Southampton
Photo: Southampton Independents

Andrew Pope has launched a petition on how Southampton, the New Forest and South Hampshire is governed, amid forced reorganisations to councils and a forced Elected Mayor by Whitehall mandarins and the Labour Minister Steve Reed MP.

Both have been encouraged by successive Labour and Conservative governments to affect Hampshire, Somerset and other parts of England. Andrew says: 

"Join me to demand a referendum and encourage other residents to do the same to save themselves from democracy being watered down. 
The people, not political parties and not a bankrupt political system, should decide if we:
(a) want to change our councils and 
(b) if we want to have an Elected Mayor.

When I was in the Labour and Co-operative parties, I met Steve Reed MP before he was a Minister, and we spoke about whether he was on the light side or the dark side. I might be mentioning this to him."

The petition is on Change.org at the link here. 

Is our democracy safe from the political parties and Whitehall civil servants? 

No, so we have to stand up against it.

Please sign the petition. 

Democracy at risk, We need a democracy smoke detector
Photo: Southampton Independents

REFERENDUM DEMAND on "Devolution" and Council Reorganisations: Andrew Pope's Letter To Daily Echo

Southampton Independents Councillor Andrew Pope
on BBC South Today About "Devolution" in 2017
Photo: Southampton Independents

Member of the Independent Network Andrew Pope has had a letter published in the Daily Echo. The wording is below.

Do you agree with him? 

Then get in touch and help the campaign for a Referendum. Andrew forced one in Somerset and helped to defeat previous proposals here in Southampton by working cross-party before. He was the ONLY councillor of forty-eight on Southampton City Council to fight the previous proposals and defeat them.

Andrew says in the letter:

 

Andrew Pope

 

"Dear Editor, as I have said since 2016, there should be a referendum before any changes are made to how we are governed.

Neither Labour nor Tory governments have stood up to Whitehall mandarins who want to take local democracy away.

I have, both here with Southampton Independents and when I was there for three years, in Somerset Independents. I forced a referendum in Somerset.

We defeated the "Solent Devolution Deal" here in Southampton and in the region before, by my working together across the region with political parties and independents, but it came back from the dead like the vampire that it is.

I disagreed with the former Hampshire County Council leader Roy Perry on almost everything, but he was right when he said that a stake needed to be driven through its heart.

I demand a referendum and ask that residents do the same to save themselves from democracy being watered down.

Regards, Andrew Pope, Independent Network, Southampton Independents"

UPDATE (29/10/24): Devolution Back From The Dead? Southampton and Portsmouth To Join? We need a Referendum!

 

Andrew Pope speaking for a Referendum
on BBC South Today

UPDATE (29/10/24): Is a Solent Devolution Deal back from the dead?

Below is an article from eight years ago. Former Leader of Hampshire County Council Roy Perry said that a stake needs to be driven into the heart of the Solent Devolution Deal.

It appeared to be dead. Yet we hear that like a vampire, it it rising out of the coffin. 

The Council leaders of Portsmouth, Southampton and the Isle of Wight councils are having conversations behind closed doors about a new devolution deal in the Solent area.

Our position has not changed. Andrew Pope says:

"We demand a Referendum for Southampton residents, before any change to how we are governed.

I've written to the leaders of all three councils, asking for their positions, including on a Referendum and on an Elected Mayor.

So far, I've heard back from only one of them."

Stay tuned!

---

Do you want Southampton to join with Portsmouth? Yesterday's Daily Echo reported an amusing mistake on a French airport's view of Southampton and Portsmouth.

This is what Labour and Tory politicians want to happen. And they're doing it without involving the people who live in the two cities that are separated by twenty-odd miles and some would say, other things.

But so-called “English Devolution” has largely been conducted without the say of English citizens.

Locally here on the South Coast, the vast majority of people haven't even heard of the "Solent Devolution Deal".

Yet self-appointed "leaders" of Southampton City Council and Portsmouth City Council have carried it on, behind the scenes.

And a sham consultation is being conducted.

Thankfully, people on the Isle of Wight have fought back - forcing the Council to agree to a referendum on any deal.

But in Southampton and Portsmouth, the "leaders" haven't agreed to a referendum - yet.

Independents in Southampton, including Councillor Andrew Pope, have been pushing for one ever since devolution was mentioned.

And now Portsmouth campaigner Blair Breton has created two petitions to enable citizens to have their say, and not allow devolution to be about politicians stitching it up for other politicians. Already, over 200 people have signed up.

One petition is aimed at local councils and the other petition is aimed at Government.

This is a cross-party campaign, and a campaign for Independents too, because it is so important.

PLEASE SIGN BOTH PETITIONS!

The Government petition is located at: https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/165665

The Council petition is located at: https://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/solent-devolution-the-people-not-politicians-must-decide

You can also respond to the “consultations” here. Sadly their deadline is 18th September 2016, as it was decided to hold most of the "consultation" over the summer holidays - how odd? Some would suggest they don't really want to listen to you!