Drowning Not Waving - part III

Following the publication of my letter in the Echo on Tuesday, the response from the Independents was not from Councillor Woodley, but from Councillor Martin Terry who accuses me of attacking him when I am "a Labour Party activist and frequent candidate" when I didn't mention him at all.

The last time I stood as a Labour candidate for Belfairs ward (May 2012), the deselected Tory Councillor Stephen Aylen ran as an independent and had support from other independents. I do believe that Councillor Woodley even acted as his election agent. In May 2011, when I stood in Southchurch ward, the independents ran a candidate who lived in Thorpe Bay. So I do feel, that I have a right to air my views on the independents and comment on exactly how "independent" they are.

Other correspondents have weighed in against Martin Terry's statement that he would resign and stand against Councillor Kaye in by-election. One notes that independents lost a seat in Westborough  at the elections held at the same time as the General Election, and as they only held on in 2012 by 38 votes, Martin Terry must be worried about holding on to his seat.

I strongly suspect that the wheels will come off the independent bandwagon come the council elections in 2014, and particularly if Southend move to 'all up' elections on a 4 yearly cycle. Only the most prominent and personally popular independent councillors are likely to retain their seats.

I believe that in a democracy anyone should be able to stand as a candidate, perhaps with the exception of fascist parties. That said an independent, should just be a stand-alone candidate who funds and runs their own campaigns. What we have in Southend is in effect an "independent party", that runs candidates across the Borough, and have attracted individuals that have dropped out of the main political parties. Whilst they may not be "party political" they are nevertheless involved in the political process and are therefore accountable for the actions that they take, especially when some of them have an agreement with the ruling Tory Group on Southend Borough Council.