Liverpool Community Independents
Liverpool Community Independents | |
|---|---|
| Leader | Alan Gibbons |
| Registered | 9 February 2023 |
| Split from | Labour Party |
| Ideology | Anti-austerity |
| Political position | Left-wing |
| Liverpool City Council | 3 / 85
|
The Liverpool Community Independents are a British political party based in Liverpool, formed in 2022 by former Labour councillors.
History
[edit]In April 2022 five former Labour councillors who had been suspended for voting against Labour's budget plans and three already suspended members of the Labour Party formed the Liverpool Community Independents.[1][2]
In May 2022, the former Lord Mayor of Liverpool, Anna Rothery, was chosen as the group's leader, councillor Alan Gibbons was chosen as its deputy leader and Sam Gorst was chosen as its treasurer.[3] By this time the party was formed of 8 former members of Liverpool City Council, who were among the group that had objected to what they called the Labour-led administration's "brutal" cuts to services.[4][5]
In 2023, Liverpool Community Independents' executive suspended Anna Rothery as leader due to her involvement in the city council parking scandal. Councillor Alan Gibbons was voted party leader and Sam Gorst his deputy.[6]
At the 2023 Liverpool City council election, the party won three seats, leaving them three down from the eight they had before the election. However, one candidate in Orrell Park won with 77% of the vote in a ward that had been held by Labour for the past 20 years.[7][8]
Sam Gorst stood as the party's candidate in Liverpool Garston in the 2024 general election. He came third with 7.8% of the vote.[9]
Manifesto
[edit]The party released a manifesto based around 5 core principles:
- Fight against corruption and for governance based on the Nolan Principles
- Mount a national campaign against austerity
- Avoid wasting public money
- Build communities with good quality social housing, a green economy and clean air
- Empower citizens through open governance
The five core principles outlined in the party's manifesto reflect key characteristics of autonomous movements, focusing on decentralisation, transparency, and community empowerment.[10]
Elected councillors
[edit]Initial representation
[edit]Between its formation in May 2022, and the 2023 City Council elections, 8 out of 90 council seats were occupied by Community Independent councillors.
| Name | Ward |
|---|---|
| Joanne Calvert | Old Swan |
| Alison Clarke | Knotty Ash |
| Alan Gibbons | Warbreck |
| Sam Gorst | Cressington |
| Rona Heron | Old Swan |
| Alfie Hincks | Everton |
| Sarah Morton | Clubmoor |
| Anna Rothery | Prince's Park |
Alan Gibbons was the Secretary of the Liverpool Walton Constituency Labour Party between 2016 and 2020.[11]
Liverpool City Council
[edit]| Name | Ward |
|---|---|
| Alan Gibbons | Orrell Park |
| Sam Gorst | Garston |
| Lucy Williams | Garston |
Electoral performance
[edit]| Election | Votes | Seats | Position | Government | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | ± | No. | ± | |||
| Formation | 8 / 90
|
Labour | |||||
| 2023 | 5,520 | 4.6 | 3 / 85
|
Labour | |||
References
[edit]- ^ "Liverpool City Council: Labour rebels form independent group". BBC News. 19 April 2022. Retrieved 29 April 2024.
- ^ "View registration - The Electoral Commission". search.electoralcommission.org.uk. Retrieved 29 April 2024.
- ^ Humphreys, David (5 May 2022). "Former Lord Mayor to lead new independents on Liverpool Council". Liverpool Echo. Retrieved 29 April 2024.
- ^ Raynor, Dominic (19 April 2022). "Labour rebels quit party to form independent opposition group at Liverpool City Council". Liverpool World. Retrieved 29 April 2024.
- ^ "Liverpool City Council: Former mayor to lead independent group". BBC News. 5 May 2022. Retrieved 1 May 2024.
- ^ Thorp, Liam (9 February 2023). "Councillor named in parking scandal suspended as another quits". Liverpool Echo. Retrieved 10 May 2024.
- ^ "Local elections 2023: Labour retains control in Liverpool, Knowsley, Halton and Sefton". BBC News. 5 May 2023. Retrieved 29 April 2024.
- ^ Thorp, Liam; Edrich, Patrick; Humphreys, David (5 May 2023). "Labour rebel storms to landslide victory as independent". Liverpool Echo. Retrieved 29 April 2024.
- ^ "Liverpool Garston - General election results 2024". BBC News. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
- ^ "Liverpool Community Independents". 21 December 2023. Archived from the original on 21 December 2023. Retrieved 29 April 2024.
- ^ Traynor, Luke (16 December 2020). "Secretary of Liverpool Walton CLP suspended by Labour Party". Liverpool Echo. Retrieved 14 May 2024.