EXCLUSIVE: "God Decides When We Die" Says Green At Church Election Event - Who Decides To Exclude General Election Candidates? The Vicar?

 

The Vicar? Yes. Sadly in this case, this has actually happened. But the explanations for it, and the circumstances, are not too clear. So for the benefit of Sotonians, for fairness and for democracy, we've tried to find out, directly from those involved.

We are impartial and do not support any particular candidate.

The Vicar, Dan Clark, was the organiser at the Churches Together 2024 General Election hustings event where candidates were asked questions by the public. It was held by Churches Together at St. James' Church by the Park in Shirley. 

The Vicar excluded two candidates. So the public could not ask them questions. You may ask why and for what reasons? Please read on...

Green Candidate Speaks on Assisted Dying

At that hustings, the Green candidate for Southampton Test, who we understand is a Christian, when asked about assisted dying, said:

"God decides when we die.".

Readers will be pleased to know that "God" doesn't decide how Southampton Independents conducts our investigations, or how we treat candidates fairly and impartially. But we do these things anyway.

Did "God"'s representative for Churches Together decide who could be asked questions at the hustings? Read on...

Candidate Complains

Ms Barbour's rival, Maggie Fricker, is the Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition Candidate for Southampton Test at the 2024 General Election. Unlike Ms Barbour, she answered our questions about the election. Ms Barbour refused to answer any questions. Despite this snub of Southampton residents, we have given her the right of reply to this article.

Maggie Fricker
TUSC Candidate for Southampton Test
at the 2024 General Election
Photo: Used with permission M Fricker

Ms Fricker has complained, as reported by Jason Lewis of the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS), about her treatment at the hustings event in Shirley.

Shirley, the location is a coincidence (geddit?). [As Airplane's Frank Drebin said, "don't call me Shirley".].

Yet surely enough, Shirley happens to be the exact same Council ward that the Labour Candidate Satvir Kaur has represented since 2011.  Maybe "God" meant it? Or it was just a coincidence?

Amongst other questions answered by Councillor Kaur at the event was assisted dying, a highly emotive and controversial topic. You've seen some of what the Green had to say on this highly emotive, complex and controversial topic. Other candidates answered two, as in the LDRS report.

Other topics were also covered by the four other candidates that were allowed to answer questions by the Reverend Clark.

Vicar Excludes Two Candidates From Hustings

But not the TUSC candidate Ms Fricker, and not the Workers Party of Great Britain candidate, Wajahat Shaukat. 

Instead, she was asked to read a short statement, but not participate like the others were allowed to, on the Panel.

She protested, saying:

“As a shop steward and a working class woman, I do have some experience of middle class men not respecting my right to speak.”

Have other candidates experienced similar treatment by Churches Together and Dan Clark? Yes. Our own candidate Andrew Pope did before the 2017 General Election.

What Happened at the 2017 General Election?

When Southampton Independents stood Mr Pope as its candidate in 2017, he sat on the panel at the hustings organised by Churches Together. But not without a great deal of anxiety of exclusion by the same organiser.

Andrew Pope speaking to BBC in 2017
when a councilor on Southampton City Council
Image: Southampton Independents

Leading up to the event, Mr Pope's Election Agent had to ask and ask again, and chase, for Mr Clark to confirm that the Southampton Independents candidate would be on the Panel. The Reverend had seemed evasive over an extended period of time. Standing for Parliament is a busy and stressful time, and candidates are volunteers after all.

Doubt was cast on this by Mr Clark over a continued period of time, who claimed that it was depending on the number of candidates and the delay in response had been because he was away. Yet Mr Pope's involvement was in doubt.

No mention was made in 2017 on the polls, like it has been recently given as the reason by Mr Clark for exclusing the two candidates the 2024 event. 

Different reasons were given between 2024 and 2017. In 2017, it turned out that 5 candidates were nominated, so Mr Pope was "allowed" to take part, having been in doubt about being excluded. 

 

The Law and Regulator

Both of the reasons given by the Reverend Clark for potential exclusion in 2017 and actual exclusion in 2024, may or may not be deemed "impartial" by the Regulator of hustings, the Electoral Commission. Since the 2017 election, the Elections Act 2022 has been passed by Parliament.

Churches Together provides guidance to those organising hustings. 

Has Mr Clark followed it? Was the guidance clear or accurate? We have asked him.

At the 2017 hustings, there were five candidates. At the 2024 hustings, there were five candidates on the Panel, but two were excluded according to one poll, claimed Mr Clark. 

In reality, according to the LDRS report, one could not attend, Wajahat Shaukat for the Workers Party of Great Britain, although as you will see, the reasons seem to not be clear or consistent. We have asked Mr Shaukat for comment.

The other candidate could attend (Ms Fricker) but was not allowed to sit on the Panel. So it would have only been six candidates instead of five.

 

Other Hustings Events in Southampton in 2024

The hustings at Oasis Academy Mayfield for Southampton Itchen candidates included all six candidates.

Yet Ms Fricker was still excluded from the 2024 Churches Together hustings. And the circumstances surrounding Mr Shaukat remain less than clear.

We have asked the Rev Clark to respond and hoped that his response would not echo the Green candidate that "God" decides who can be asked questions.

The Vicar Responds

Rev Clark told us:

"Wajahat (the Workers party candidate in this election) would have come if he had been on the panel. It was only because he wasn’t on the panel that he thought it best to arrange for someone to speak on his behalf rather than organising childcare."

So the Rev Clark has confirmed that he had excluded Mr Shaukat.

Yet the Daily Echo article, taken from a syndicated piece written by Jason Lewis of the  LDRS, states that:

"The hustings at St James’ by the Park on Monday, June 24, featured a question time panel with the candidates from the five parties polling the highest – Conservative, Green, Labour, Liberal Democrat and Reform UK."

and

"Workers Party candidate Mr Shaukat was unable to attend the meeting due to childcare commitments, the vicar said."

Mr Shaukat has indicated that it was not that simple and he is composing a written response. We have also notified Mr Lewis, in case the Daily Echo piece has been modified from his original.

So which was it? Either? Or both? What was the sequence of decisions or rationale given to candidates? Was it impartial? Was the event to be non-selective, or selective? Were the reasons impartial?

 

The Rev Clark has tried to clarify:

 “Having organised successful Southampton Test hustings events in 2017 with all 5 candidates (including 2 independents) and one in 2019 with all 6 candidates (including 1 independent), the feedback from the audience in 2019 was that having as many as 6 candidates on the panel felt too much - it led to a lot of repetition, and meant that the audience weren’t able to hear as much from those they perceived to be the ‘main candidates’. It also meant we covered fewer topic questions. 

"Based on that feedback, I decided to limit the number of panellists this time to 5. I waited until after the nominations deadline had passed (so I knew for sure who was standing), then checked the polls. Because there were 7 candidates standing overall, I contacted the candidates of the 2 parties polling lowest and explained that they were welcome to bring literature for people to take, and were welcome to make a short speech in the final part of the evening to put their pitch, but would not be on the panel fielding the questions.”

 

We await a response from Mr Shaukat, the other candidate that was excluded from the hustings Panel, and a second response to further questions sent to the Rev Clark.

Meanwhile, our approach to covering the 2024 General Election is to be impartial and fair to all candidates, and to challenge them all as a free public service. Southampton residents value our service and we can see it in our website figures.

We offered Katherine Barbour the right of reply on her comments. Southampton Green Party's Media Officer declined to comment.

Why Southampton Independents Is Covering the 2024 General Election

Southampton Independents recommends no particular candidate in the 2024 General Election. We publish this information and the information about the other candidates to help inform Southampton residents for their vote, or for them to choose not to vote or to positively spoil their ballot by writing "none of the above". It's your choice. 

The other candidates standing in Southampton Test are listed here. 

Tell us what you think by getting in touch. 

EXCLUSIVE: TUSC Candidate Declan Clune Answers Our Questions - 2024 General Election in Southampton Itchen

Declan Clune TUSC Candidate
for Southampton Itchen
at the 2024 General Election
Photo: used with permission Declan Clune

 

Declan Clune is the TUSC (Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition) Candidate at the  2024 General Election in Southampton Itchen.

Here are his answers to our six basic questions asked of all Southampton Itchen and Southampton Test candidates.

 

1. Why are you standing in this General Election?

Through 14 years of austerity, that all of the 3 main parties have had a role in implementing, public services, pay, working conditions, have all been massively reduced. These were brought about through political choices, choices that did not have to be made. Throughout the same period we have seen wealth and profits grow to historic highs, we have seen public money made available to achieve this, and with no end in sight. Labour as the official opposition are offering 'change' while committing to the same fiscal rules as the Tories, and have watered down or completely abandoned policies that was in the Labour Manifesto from 2019.
We are in a 'perfect storm' of crises that none of the other parties are committed to challenging. All of these crises, cost of living, health, housing, environment, sewerage, etc., etc.,, all have a more detrimental impact and effect on the working class and poor in our city. I am standing for real change, not just a 'change' of name of the MP representing the Itchen Constituency.
I also want a stand against the war in Gaza, I recognise the genocide taking place there and demand an immediate cease fire, and to work towards the continued support for a two-state solution in Israel/Palestine. All of the main parties have equivocated on this and same have even supported the genocide. 

2. Why are you standing for the Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition?

I am standing because I do not see any political representation for the working class of my city, I am standing for TUSC, as I have done on previous occasions, because it was set up to address this lack of political representation. As was stated at the founding meeting of TUSC, by the late great trade union leader Bob Crow, 'Business and capital already has 3 political parties representing them in the Tories, Labour and Lib Dems. We need a mass workers party, for and of the working class'. I believe that TUSC is the start of the process to being about the alternative needed to achieve that aim.
The working class should not be made to pay for any crises that were not of their making, yet it is us who are continually made to do so. 

3. What will you do in the first 100 days if elected?

I would call for an immediate cease fire in Gaza and seek support within Parliament to achieve this. I would work towards the abolition of the Trade Union Act as previously done by Keir Starmer, alongside the call to raise the minimum wage to £15 per hour for all ages. I would also start talks and plans to bring about the renationalisation of energy, water, Royal Mail and public transport as the beginning of a Socialist transformation of the economy so that it serves the many and not the few. 

4. What do you think are the best top 5 policies of your party?

As you have asked for 5 policies, I will provide 5. But I want to make it clear that I support all of the policies equally because I believe that all of the crises that I have mentioned are equally as urgent and in need of addressing.
TUSC will oppose all cuts to council jobs, services, pay and conditions. We will stand to renationalise our NHS and improve the pay, terms and conditions of all health workers. Reject increases in council tax, rent and service charges to compensate for government cuts. Vote against the privatisation of council jobs and services. Stand against war on Palestine and demand an immediate cease fore to bring about the two-state solution supported by the majority in Israel/Palestine. 

5. What do you think are the top 5 issues that Southampton people want addressed, and what do you intend to do about them?

The crisis in health in a massive issue for the people in Southampton, and across the country. Access to health services has declined, not just in hospitals, but also GP practices and for our most vulnerable. This must include the care service for the young and elderly that is largely privately run for huge profit with little pay and conditions for workers in those sectors.
The crisis in housing has grown immensely, the waiting list for affordable council homes stands at around 8,000 people. Some are living in overcrowded conditions and in properties unfit for human habitation. Mould and unsanitary conditions exist not only in private rented accommodation, but also in housing association and council properties. I believe we need to build genuinely affordable council homes again and end the right to buy that has handed over huge numbers of council homes built with public money, over to the private landlords.
The cost of living crisis is also massively important, people are now having to choose between heating and eating. Although heating is not such a massive issue at this time of year, it has been over the last 9 months and will be again. It is not workers wages that drive inflation but the massive profits made in this country and hived off to the wealthy here and across the world.
Education is another public service that is struggling due to cuts in funding and privatisation, this is a massive issue for our city. Teachers today were on strike at the Oasis Academy in Lordshill over the conditions they are working in driven by lack of leadership and a high turnover of staff. I spoke at a hustings arranged by the National Association of Head Teachers that was also attended by a representative of the National Education Union. They told me how much in real terms each school has had cut in terms of 'per pupil' it amounts to. The figures are criminal. See here for more.
The environmental crisis continues, and our city is no different. We have one of the worst air qualities in the country due to air traffic, shipping and cruise vessels, large, medium and small vehicle movements around a post and industrial city, as well of course the Fawley Oil Refinery, to name a few. This crisis is still at the forefront of most peoples minds, but with the crises that they see above as more immediate, are not focused on at the moment. 

6. What track record do you have of winning campaigns?

TUSC in the city has played a part in defending public services, some of which we have won and are still open today. We recently started a campaign that kept open the St. Mary's Leisure Centre that was under threat of closure by the Labour run council. We started and won a campaign to keep open a popular local resource that was also under threat of closure by the Labour run council known as 'The Venny' in Bevois Ward.
In the past, we were a part of the campaign to Save Oaklands Pool alongside the two Labour councillors for the Coxford Ward.
We have also played a part in many other campaigns in the city that were not successful, but remain committed to fighting for, and alongside, working class people in defence of every public service under threat. We also stand proudly alongside every trade union member and worker in dispute for better pay, terms and conditions, and in defence of public services.

Why Southampton Independents Is Covering the 2024 General Election

Southampton Independents recommends no particular candidate in the 2024 General Election. We publish this information and the information about the other candidates to help inform Southampton residents for their vote, or for them to choose not to vote or to positively spoil their ballot by writing "none of the above". It's your choice. 

The other candidates standing in Southampton Itchen are listed here. 

Tell us what you think by getting in touch. 

 

 

EXCLUSIVE: Southampton Test TUSC 2024 General Election Candidate Answers Our Questions

Maggie Fricker TUSC Candidate
for Southampton Test
in 2024 General Election
Photo: Maggie Fricker

Maggie Fricker is the TUSC 2024 General Election Candidate for the Southampton Test Constituency. TUSC is the Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition.

Here are Ms Fricker's responses to the six questions that we have asked of all candidates. They are provided in full. We are very grateful to her for providing them at this busy time for candidates and for TUSC.

1. Why are you standing in this General Election?

"We are standing in the General Election to give a voice for a workers fight back against Austerity, cuts to services and against the war."

2. Why are you standing as the Conservative Party Candidate?

"I’m standing for TUSC because it is a coalition of trade unionists and socialists, we come together as activists with a track record of fighting for something better for working people. We fight for better pay and conditions as trade unionists and against cuts to local services."

3. What will you do in the first 100 days if elected?

"If elected I don’t think I will be forming a government, but in parliament I would work with others who are ant-austerity and anti-war and use it as a platform to call for a new mass workers party. We expect Starmer and Labour to form the next government, but they have made it very clear they will act in the interest of the super-rich and the establishment and not ordinary people suffering the worst cut in living standards for 70 years."

4. What do you think are the best top 5 policies of your party?

"We are anti-war and anti-austerity. We demand the £500 Million stolen from Southampton in funding cuts to be returned to the city so we can reverse cuts to local services.  We believe the NHS needs a massive increase in the resources it needs and pay restoration to all workers who have suffered cuts to our living standards. We also say kick out the profiteers from the NHS and bring all services back into the public sector. We also believe we should cancel tuition fees and reintroduce bursaries so we can train the 100,000 staff we are short of in the NHS. End the war on Gaza and stop funding and supporting the genocidal regime in Israel. We also believe in voting rights at 16 and for young people to have full pay and £15 an hour minimum wage across the board."

5. What do you think are the top 5 issues that Southampton people want addressed, and what do you intend to do about them?

"We are different to the other parties standing in this election because we call for a mass campaign of ordinary people in the city to fight for the funding we need. We call for a people’s budget which would include an eco-friendly mass house building programme – building low rent council housing, and low cost transport system. We need to have a public works department that can plan properly the road maintenance we need on decent rates of pay. Restore funding for our schools and provide free school meals for all children in full time education. Comprehensive youth and sports services funded and available for all."

6. What track record do you have of winning campaigns?

"I’ve been an activist since I organized school strikes as a kid!  I was a local organizer for the Anti-Poll tax union, supporting those threatened with bailiffs and imprisonment, and finally getting ride of it all together. I’ve supported defending youth services and was part of the campaign to save Oaklands swimming pool, we also gave active support in saving the Kentish Rd respite Centre and more recently I was an active member of the successful campaign to save St Mary’s Leisure Centre and supported Nadia Ditta to save the Venny green space in Newtown. As a trade unionist I recently organized strike action at Southampton General Hospital for the Society of Radiographers and we successful saw an increase in our pay."

Why Southampton Independents Is Covering the 2024 General Election

Southampton Independents recommends no particular candidate in the 2024 General Election. We publish this information and the information about the other candidates to help inform Southampton residents for their vote, or for them to choose not to vote or to positively spoil their ballot by writing "none of the above". It's your choice.

The other candidates for Southampton Test, with their answers to our questions, are here.