This in from the Isle of Wight Independent Group. In their own words, Ed
Independent Councillors and prospective Independent Candidates, attending a meeting to discuss the forthcoming County Council election on the Isle of Wight, heard that their campaign is to be launched by UNICEF Ambassador, former war correspondent and Independent MP Martin Bell OBE, on the 18th of February.
The group is now confident that it can make history at the elections in May by creating the Island’s first truly Independent Council.
Coordinator for the group, Ian Stephens told those attending, “a significant majority of seats now have a genuinely Independent candidate committed to standing and this number will grow as the prospect of a majority Independent Group at County Hall is seen to be a real possibility”.
No room for party politics
Cllr Rodney Downer told the meeting, “local politics should be about the people we represent, not party politics”.
Explaining how Independents would work together to form a ruling group, Cllr Stephens said: “Nine Independent Councillors have for the last four years shown that they can work together to bring forward realistic and workable alternatives to the disastrous policies forced through by the current Conservative administration.
“We now have sufficient candidates to remove the Conservatives and put in place an Independent Council whose policies will truly reflect the views and needs of our residents and businesses, represented by Independent Councillors who have no Party Political axe to grind.”
Martin Bell has told Independents that he is delighted to be able to come to the Isle of Wight to launch their election campaign.
Image: Liveral Democrats under CC BY 2.0
