THANK YOU! ANDREW POPE INDEPENDENT BEATS THE BIG POLITICAL PARTIES AGAIN - JUST LIKE WE DID IN 2016 AND 2018

Andrew Pope Beats Political Parties YET AGAIN
Photo: Southampton Independents (AP)

 

Redbridge ward 2026 Result, Southampton City Council
Graph: Southampton Independents (AP)

 

Andrew Pope Independent candidate for Redbridge says:

 

"Dear Residents of Redbridge, Maybush and Millbrook,

ONCE AGAIN, IN REDBRIDGE WARD WE BEAT THE BIG POLITICAL PARTIES LIKE WE DID IN 2016 AND 2018! THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT!

I was 3rd out of 7 candidates. By working together with you helping me to help you, we beat the Tories, Lib Dems and Greens. And in some areas, Labour too. 

Thank you for your support – whether you put up an election board or an election poster, or if you voted for me, or if you encouraged others to vote for me. THANKS!

Together, we’ve shown in 2026, like we did in 2016 and 2018, that an Independent can beat the big political parties. It took a lot of hard work, but we did it.

This is what the Independent Network is about – not party politics, not imposed policies from Westminster – the Indie Network is about principles, the Martin Bell principles – listening to local people and acting with local people to win together.

This was a Council election. The Council has no power over national issues. But I lost to national party Reform in a local Council election. I don’t know why. 

In Redbridge ward, you now have a Reform councillor. And two Labour councillors.

If you voted for the big political parties at Westminster, including Reform, I would like to understand why you did. Please get in touch and I will listen carefully to you.

I will be holding Reform and Labour to account. For example, the Reform Councillor John Edwards has already linked arming all Police with immigration. Southampton Labour councillors are incompetent and corrupt. They and Labour MP Satvir Kaur took £10k from a convicted criminal, with no evidence of paying it back. I’ve asked.

Get in touch if you want to help your area, your family and your friends."

Andrew Pope, Independent Network, Co-Founder Southampton Independents 

Residents of Redbridge Ward Say Vote Andrew Pope Independent Network THIS THURSDAY 7am to 10pm on 7th May!

 

 

Andrew Pope - Independent Network at Millbrook Towers
Photo: Southampton Independents (CT)

Jan, a new supporter says:

"I’d like to say a few words to everyone about both Andrew and the Independent Network. Andrew does his best to get everyone’s problems sorted as best he can. He is a great support for us the working people."

Ken, who has been a supporter of Andrew for 10 years, says:

"I will vote for Andrew and support him because of what he has done to protect our parks at Five Acres, Mansel Park and Green Park. He stands up against those who want to take it away from the public."

Jean, a new supporter, says: 

"I had problems with vermin and dog faeces in a neighbour's council garden.
I had complained before to the Council but nothing got done.
Worse than that, the man was angry with me. I am an old lady who is not mobile.
A week after I contacted Andrew, it was cleared up. 
Andrew got it done. It took 3 people six or seven hours.
Good luck to Andrew. I will be voting for him."

Stuart, a new supporter, says:

"I recently met Andrew Pope and found him to be a likeable, trustworthy and dedicated public servant who genuinely wants to support his constituents. 
He previously helped our street by standing with the local community against proposed warehouse development, and although the project ultimately went ahead, his effort and advocacy were clearly appreciated.

 

More endorsers of Andrew Pope are below. 

Andrew Pope is standing to be re-elected to the Redbridge ward that he represented for eight years between 2011 and 2019 - first with Labour, then as an Independent when he quit Labour  in disgust at what they were doing to the people of the area. 

Andrew was the first Southampton Independents councillor. He co-founded Southampton Independents with Denise Wyatt and other local residents and supporters.

Those supporters are still supporting Andrew. They endorse and recommend Andrew to be re-elected. Andrew has worked very hard for the area and is known for getting things done over many years.

And because of his recent hard work, Andrew has new supporters.

As quoted on Andrew's election address, residents of Millbrook, Maybush and Redbridge say: 

"Andrew Pope stands up for our area. Vote Andrew Pope Independent Network on the 7th May because he isn't told what to do by political parties. Andrew is Putting You First. Only Andrew Pope can beat Labour here. Enough is enough. Help him to help you and yours."

These are the words of local residents, which they have agreed to be used on our website, on our letters and leaflets, and on all social media. 

More endorsements are below.

You will see their support in the form of election boards which supporters agree to be put up, because they support Andrew Pope Independent to be the Independent councillor for Redbridge again. 

Andrew is self-funded. He pays for his leaflets, letters and election boards. He does it because he cares about the people of Redbridge. His priorities are determined by many conversations with residents.

 

Andrew Pope with Election Board in Redbridge
Photo: Southampton Independents (AP)

 

More Endorsers 

John has supported Andrew since 2016, but had previously stopped voting because he says political parties are all useless and the same, says:

 "Unlike most councillors, who owe their allegiance to one political party or another Andrew Pope, as an independent, can and does work for the people who elect him. 

We need him to be our councillor again. If he stands, I will be voting for him. You should too. 

When Andrew Pope was our local councillor, of the three councillors we had, he was the one who got things done. 

When the residents had a problem with the roadside trees not being maintained, Andrew got that sorted. 

When I had a problem with the council tax band my home was in, Andrew came to my house and helped me to get the council tax band lowered. I can't see many other councillors doing that.”

Wayne, who has been a supporter of Andrew for a decade, says:

"Andrew stands up for the area, and is not told what to do by political parties.
He is here as a representative of the people and the area.
That's what a councillor should be.
Andrew is that."

 

Andrew at Five Acres
Photo: Southampton Independents (CT)

Vote Andrew Pope Independent Network on 7th May
Image: Independent Network

 

 

EXCLUSIVE INVESTIGATION: Andrew Pope Uncovers Evidence of Misleading Southampton Election Information by an AI Chatbot

 

Andrew Pope Independent Network Candidate for Redbridge Ward

 

 

BREAKING: From intelligence given to him by voters when he was canvassing for votes and delivering leaflets to voters in the Redbridge ward election, Candidate Andrew Pope has confirmed that an AI Chatbot has been giving out misleading information about the Southampton City Council elections...

 

Andrew has reported it to the Returning Officer and to the Electoral Commission, for info and urgent action. He has provided the evidence that he confirmed by checking. And he has informed the Police's Operation Ford.

 

We urge you to cross-check the information you have received about the election. 

Please read our leaflets and letters delivered to your address. 

And the information on this website and on our social media. They all contain the truth and an imprint that shows that we are accountable for what we say and print.

 

The Dola AI chatbot in question is not accountable. 

The AI chatbot has made serious errors.

The AI chatbot has no imprint. 

There is nobody to complain to at Dola, it seems. 

AI chatbots seem to be able to intervene in these elections without any regulation whatsoever. 

 

Andrew says: 

 

 

 

"It's very, very concerning. I am furious about this - not just about my election, but also because I am a Computer Scientist and my business PopeyMon is a tech business. 

I am a Member of tbe British Computer Society and we have a Code of Conduct. Obviously those responsible don't have standards.

The regulators and authorities are not stopping the AI chatbots from spreading lies about the election. I've asked them to intervene firmly and urgently.

I am working very hard to get elected, and I know from my hard work that many voters are backing me and putting up election posters and boards, but voters are being misled by this so-called "AI".

It has to stop NOW, but postal voters have already cast their ballots with this misleading information out there. It's very worrying."

 

Contact us if you are not sure, or want to ask questions. 

 

Here is some of the fake news that Andrew found.

For Redbridge ward: 

 

AI ChatBot Fails to Give Accurate Information on Redbridge 2026 Candidates
for Southampton City Council

Image: Southampton Independents (AP) 

 

AI ChatBot FAIL 1. Andrew Pope's candidacy for the Independent Network is completely missing from the list.  

AI ChatBot FAIL 2. In the Redbridge ward that Andrew is standing in, it states that sacked Labour councillor Lee Whitbread is standing. 

As reported exclusively by Southampton Independents - weeks before other local media caught up - from information that Andrew obtained from various sources, Lee Whitbread was sacked by Labour. 

Another candidate was chosen by Labour, someone with no experience and no name recognition on the doorstep or in the area - again, as confirmed by us. They are not shown on the list.

AI ChatBot FAIL 3. When asked who the candidates are, it displays completely incorrect information and shows photos of some random people from the Internet.

 

For Bevois ward:  

AI Chatbot Giving Out Almost Totally Wrong Information on Election Candidates
in Southampton City Council elections 2026
Image: Southampton Independents (AP)

AI Chatbot FAIL 4. Only ONE of the candidates in the Bevois ward is correct. The rest have wrong names, wrong candidates or wrong parties, or candidates are missing. 

The AI Chatbot ALMOST COMPLETELY GETS IT WRONG. It is wrong in so many ways as to be totally untrustworthy.

 

We say again, there are strict laws and regulations around election communications, and so there should be.

Yet somehow an AI chatbot can turn up and put out fake and misleading information just days before the Southampton City Council elections. And the authorities have not stopped it.

We have told the Southampton Returning Officer and the Electoral Commission. And the Police's Operation Ford. 

How much will this affect the elections?

We ask people to check the sources of information and to check your sources. 

Our website contains quality information and an imprint, as does all of our election material and social media. 

We stick to the Independent Network's Martin Bell principles to keep local people informed and look after local people. The big parties look after themselves and Westminster. 

 

The OFFICIAL list of candidates for all wards is published by the Southampton Returning Officer Jillian Kay at Southampton City Council. It is at the link here. 

 

 

RESIDENT ACTION: Help Us To Hold Labour Councillors To Account for Extending the Tories' Failed Roads and Pavements Contract

 

Labour's Highway Robbery - Councillors Bung Balfour Beatty ANOTHER £60 MILLION

Labour or Tory, same old story. We've been saying this for a decade now. Southampton people say it back to us on their doorsteps, on social media and in their emails. People agree and are deserting Labour and the Tories in their droves. 

The state of our City's roads is another glaring example of Labour's failures since 2012, when they took control of the Council. They've had thirteen years in power, with the Tories having just one year.

Andrew Pope invented "Guess the Pothole" in 2017 to bring attention to the terrible state of our roads. He brought it back this year, because NINE YEARS LATER, they haven't improved. The rubber ducks are fun, but they bring a serious point that the contract has failed Southampton, despite the huge amount of public money spent on it.

Residents want the Balfour Beatty contract CANCELLED - a decision which our independent colleagues in Herefordshire Council have told us, has already been done. 

But Labour has allocated £60 MILLION to a company that has repeatedly admitted blacklisting - despite Councillor Andrew Pope changing the procurement rules of the Council when last a councillor, to prohibit blacklisting.

 

Extension, not Cancellation - IN SECRET

As exclusively investigated and reported by our Co-Founder Andrew Pope, the Labour-run Council has EXTENDED the failing roads and pavements contract with Balfour Beatty. The Council call it the Highways Service Partnership. 

But there was no fanfare. As exclusively confirmed by Andrew Pope's questions to Council officers, there was no media release of the extension. 

The decision was done in the Council Chamber in secret, with the public not allowed to see the details or hear any debate or ask questions about the detail. This is YOUR MONEY. The Head of Legal allowed this to be done. Do you agree that this is wrong?

The Council's so-called "Transparency Report" was hard to find. It was published in the tiniest writing that had to be zoomed into by 300% to be able to read. Buried in there, Andrew found the £60 million figure and asked Council officers why it was so hidden, and why it wasn't made clearer. 

 

Council's Refusal of Cancellation - They Say It's All in the Past

As exclusively revealed, Council officers have REFUSED Andrew Pope's request on behalf of Southampton residents to CANCEL the contract. 

Andrew asked for this because residents say that the contract has failed for sixteen years since 2010, and because Balfour Beatty blacklisted workers. 

The Council claims that blacklisting is all in the past, so it's OK. Various unions including Unite have said that blacklisting is continuing. Is there another secret list, the same as the Economic League and Consulting Association.

So we have exclusively revealed which Labour councillors voted FOR this extension. They would have had to stand up in the Council chamber and said "For!" when each of them was asked by the Lord Mayor for their vote.

As in our previous article, they were:

"From the Minutes of the meeting, you can see it was Labour councillors only. This INCLUDES the two now Labour MPs, Satvir Kaur and Darren Paffey:

"NOTE: NOTE: FOR THE RECOMMENDATIONS: Councillors Allen, Barnes-Andrews, Blatchford, Bogle, M Bunday, Cox, Denness, Evemy, Fielker, Finn, A Frampton, Y Frampton, Goodfellow, Greenhalgh, Kataria, Kaur, Kenny, Keogh, Lambert, Leggett, Letts, McCreanor, McEwing, Mintoff, Noon Paffey, Payne, Quadir, Renyard, Savage, Shields, Ugwoeme, Whitbread, Winning and T Bunday." 

 

Andrew Pope says: 

 

Andrew Pope on BBC South Today when councillor
Image: Southampton Independents (CT)

  

We have provided the councillors' names, and now we also provide web links to their councillor pages on the Council website, so that you can email them and ask them why. 

That is how our democracy is supposed to work, isn't it? 

Elected representatives must be held accountable for their decisions on behalf of the people of Southampton. Otherwise this looks like a highway robbery by Labour.

Tell us what they say. 

Tell us if they don't respond.

Southampton Independents is a voluntary organisation. It was founded by residents for residents.

We listen to residents. We act with residents.

If elected to the Council again on 7th May, I will have more powers to get answers for residents on the roads and pavements. And I will continue my campaign to get the Balfour Beatty contract CANCELLED!"

 

The Councillor web page is here. Just click the councillor's photo and you can then see their email address.

The format for Southampton councillor email addresses is "councillor" then a dot/full stop then their initial for their first name, then a dot/full stop, then their surname, then "@southampton.gov.uk".

So for the Leader of the Council and Shirley ward councillor Alex Winning (at least until Friday 8th May), it is:

councillor.a.winning@southampton.gov.uk

For Councillor Simon Letts, who was responsible for that year's budget, which the spending is part of, it is

councillor.s.letts@southampton.gov.uk 

And so on...

Let us know how you get on, by contacting us here. 

 

 

EXCLUSIVE: Mansel Park Bomb/Explosive Device - Council Chief Executive Defends Council

 

Andrew Pope at Mansel Park
Photo: Southampton Independents (CT)

 

On 12th April, an explosive device was found by a metal detectorist in Mansel Park. It was later destroyed in a controlled explosion by the Army Bomb Squad.

Since then, local residents told Redbridge ward candidate Andrew Pope that they were very worried, as they had been in the area shortly before. And including with their families.

Andrew was worried for them, and because he was also at the exact site of the find with a colleague, just days before (see photo above).

Added to that is the fact that this was the site near where the play area used to be. Now there is just a climbing frame.

Immediately after the incident, Andrew asked the Chief Executive of the Council the following questions:

 

"Why did it take a metal detectorist to find something which should have been checked and found by the authorities (namely, Southampton City Council, as it is your land)?

Wasn't there a play area near where the device was found?

Was this turned up when the play area was removed?"

 

No reply was received. Not even an acknowledgement of receipt.

Andrew had to chase the Chief Executive, twice, to get a response.

Eventually a response was received from the Chief Executive today, almost three weeks after the bomb was found:

"As you may suspect I wanted to gather the facts before responding to you and it has taken some time to do so. From my emergency planning colleagues, I understand that while this matter was not reported to us, the appropriate agencies were contacted by the individual and the ordnance made safe which is good news.

 

Whilst the Council carries out routine visual inspections of its open spaces it does not search for buried ordnance by way of invasive or other means, it would be impractical to do so. If ordnance is found either by Council staff or reported to us by residents there are strict escalation procedures via Emergency Planning and as you will appreciate these involve partners such as the police and army if appropriate. 

 

In the circumstances I am comfortable that the Council takes a responsible and appropriate approach to dealing with such matters and acts in line with both professional advice and as other local authorities do."

 

What do you think of the Chief Executive's response? 

 

Do you think residents will be reassured by it? Are you?

 

Do you think the Council could do more to protect residents and workers on their land from explosives?

 

Or do you think we are asking too much?

 

 

Andrew says: 

 

"I am disappointed in the Chief Executive's response, and how long and how much effort it took to get it. I respect the emergency planning function at the Council from previous very positive dealings with them.

But I do not know why other local media have not asked these questions about something which is worrying a lot of park users and Council staff too. It's all a bit of a mystery.

I do not think it is too much for Council workers and contractors to look out for bombs or other dangers on Council land, when conducting work. They surely do, but somehow this was missed. Why and how?

I am worried for the public and for Council workers. I understand these things - if a war explosive is what it was - by nature are hidden but was it inadvertently churned up by works and missed. If so, why? And could anything more have been done? If it could then it should.

At Southampton Independents and the Independent Network, we listen to residents and act on their concerns. We do the investigations that other local media do not, and inform the Southampton public about important and urgent issues. We are volunteers. They are paid."

 

 

EXCLUSIVE: Residents at Labour-run Council Pensioner Block Allege Health and Safety Breaches By Council's Contractors

 

Labour-run Council Fails To Protect Pensioners

Labour-run Southampton City Council has faced allegations of health and safety breaches from residents of Rozel Court. The allegations relate to a lack of management of contractors working at the site. 

Independent Network Redbridge Ward candidate for the 7th May elections, Andrew Pope, has acted to help residents.

Rozel Court is two large blocks of pensioners and vulnerable people in the Channel Islands Estate in the north-west of our City.

Andrew says:

 

Andrew Pope with Election Board for Redbridge Ward
Image: Southampton Independents (SC)

 

"I was contacted after residents read my letters and leaflets that I had delivered to both blocks.

I started to investigate the allegations and spoke with several residents at Rozel Court. With a local resident, I delivered a letter to all flats to listen to residents' concerns.

The Police were involved in some of the allegations. I was quite concerned. These are elderly residents feeling at risk. It's not right.

I also spoke with Council officers from different departments, and the contractors on site.

I expressed my disappointment at some attempts to pass the buck. As a campaigner over 20 years, I take a very dim view of buck-passing and have ways of dealing with it. Officers of the Council know this and the contractors found this out very quickly.

As I was trained to do many years ago, I cross-checked the allegations made and tried to get all sides to the situation. That is fair to all sides and natural justice in our country.

I now have a clearer picture of the situation and am now pressuring the Council officers to improve the situation for residents. 

I am getting some co-operation from officers and the contractors now.

I will continue to do so, until I feel that residents' concerns are addressed.

Many Council residents complain that the Council does everything online and does not respond.

So to show how it can be done better than the Council, I printed my updates and with Southampton Independents colleagues, delivered an update by hand to residents.  

If elected on 7th May, I will have more powers to do so. Please vote for me and encourage everyone else who has a vote in Redbridge Ward to vote for me too."

 

 

 

EXCLUSIVE: Which Councillors Voted For The £60 MILLION Extension To the Council's Roads and Pavements Contract?

 

You Guessed It - Labour Councillors Voted It Through!

 

You guessed it! Labour councillors voted through the extension to the Balfour Beatty roads and pavement contract, also known as the Highways Service Partnership. It was the Conservatives who brought the contract in, fourteen years earlier, during 2010.

There was no media release, confirmed by Southampton Independents' enquiries. We only found out about it via legal procurement channels. An officer confirmed that no media release was put out.

When lead investigator Andrew Pope asked Council officers in procurement about how the extension was approved, they said:

"The approval route for the award of the Southampton Highways Partnership was via a delegated decision made by the Executive Director, Growth and Prosperity and Executive Director Enabling Services and S151 Officer in accordance with delegated authority approved by Cabinet and Council in March 2024.

For ease I have included the links to the relevant March 2024 Cabinet and Council meetings:

Agenda for Cabinet on Tuesday, 5th March, 2024, 4.30 pm | Southampton City Council

Agenda for Council on Wednesday, 6th March, 2024, 2.00 pm | Southampton City Council"

 

From the Minutes of the meeting, you can see it was Labour councillors only. This INCLUDES the two now Labour MPs, Satvir Kaur and Darren Paffey:

"NOTE: NOTE: FOR THE RECOMMENDATIONS: Councillors Allen, Barnes-Andrews, Blatchford, Bogle, M Bunday, Cox, Denness, Evemy, Fielker, Finn, A Frampton, Y Frampton, Goodfellow, Greenhalgh, Kataria, Kaur, Kenny, Keogh, Lambert, Leggett, Letts, McCreanor, McEwing, Mintoff, Noon Paffey, Payne, Quadir, Renyard, Savage, Shields, Ugwoeme, Whitbread, Winning and T Bunday." 

 

Note that some of the Labour councillors are:

• no longer councillors, or 
• have lost elections (e.g. Ugwoeme who lost Woolston then Shirley), 
• have been sacked as a Labour councillor (e.g. Whitbread, as exclusively revealed by us), 
• have stood down, or 
• have quit Labour to another party (e.g. Renyard who is now Green, M Bunday who is now Lib Dem). 

 

They were Labour councillors when they voted this through.

  

The only councillors who voted against it were Conservatives. Yet in a move of utter hypocrisy, they had originally let the contract in 2010. This includes Peter Baillie who told us that the contract is great, telling us when we asked about Councillor Rob Harwood's perceived conflict of interest in letting the contract as an officer, then turning up as a Tory councillor the next year:

"The Balfour- Beatty contract works far better than any in house solution." 

 

"NOTE: AGAINST THE RECOMMENDATIONS: Councillors P Baille, Beaurain, Fitzhenry, Galton, Houghton, Laurent, Powell-Vaughan, Blackman, Wood and Barbour. " 

 

Andrew Pope says: 

 

Andrew Pope

  

"The Cabinet of the Council contains ONLY Labour councillors. Nobody else. They voted it through.

Labour has a majority on the Council. So next...

Labour councillors majority-voted the contract through Full Council, which is the second committee mentioned by the officer.

Labour ward councillors would regularly receive complaints about the failures of the contract.  Yet they voted it through anyway, like the party puppets that they are. And this includes the two councillors who are now Southampton MPs - Satvir Kaur and Darren Paffey.

So let nobody be in any doubt, it was Labour councillors that voted through the extension to the failed Balfour Beatty roads and pavement contract.

This is why our City needs independent representation again, by councillors who actually put the priorities of their local residents first, instead of doing what their party tells them to do."

Please Note - Our Story, Our Exclusive

We gave information on our investigation to the Daily Echo's Editor Ben Fishwick about this in mid-February, and to the Local Democracy Reporter Jason Lewis, who is funded by the BBC. We had hoped they would cover it in the public interest.

An article was eventually published by the Daily Echo with the £60 million figure that we gave to them. We were never credited. We were never quoted.

When Andrew Pope complained to the Editor, we were promised a follow-up article. In good faith, more information was given to them.

It is now over two months later.

No follow-up article. No quote. No credit.

So we are publishing our investigation ourselves, in the public interest.

We are volunteers. Once again, we are doing more work than those who are paid to investigate. Because it is in the public interest.

EXCLUSIVE: Council Refuses Campaigner Andrew Pope's Request to Cancel Balfour Beatty Roads and Pavement Contract - Here's Their Excuse

Andrew Pope Demands That the Council's Road and Pavement Contract with Balfour Beatty is Cancelled
Image: Southampton Independents

 

Andrew Pope is the Redbridge ward Independent Network candidate for Southampton City Council. He has been investigating the Council's roads and pavement contract with Balfour Beatty. This is because of constant complaints about the roads and pavements from residents of Southampton.

 

Andrew Pope Independent Network
Photo: Southampton Independents

 

Andrew says:

"I've asked Council officers to cancel the contract. Why? Because it's a clear failure, and because Balfour Beatty are admitted blacklisters." 

 

Andrew Pope with Rubber Ducks in Rownhams Road, Southampton
Image: Southampton Independents (AP)

 

He has also been running the online game "Guess the Pothole", putting rubber ducks in the many potholes and posting the photos online, then asking residents where they think the pothole is, as reported by the Daily Echo. It has been very successful at drawing attention the failings. It also appears in Andrew's election address - see photo above. [The one in the photo is in Rownhams Road, when the gas pipeline was being replaced.]

The contract has been in place since 2010, when the Conservatives ran the Council. And since 2017, it has been extended - and extended again - by Labour running the Council.

Balfour Beatty has repeatedly admitted blacklisting. In 2014, four years after the Council's contract was first let, they apologised to MPs. 

"They confirmed their firms had used the services of The Consulting Association."

In responding to Andrew's demand to cancel the contract, a Council spokesperson said:

"Based on its due diligence, to the Council’s knowledge neither Balfour Beatty Living Places nor any company in the Balfour Beatty group was involved in blacklisting at 2017 nor at the point of the award of the most recent contract in 2025. The Employment Relations Act 1999 (Blacklists) Regulations 2010 enshrines the position in legislation. Indeed it is widely reported that the practice in the construction industry ceased in 2009, which pre-dates the Council’s first highways contract with Balfour Beatty. Based on this position, the Council does not intend to terminate its contracts delivered by Balfour Beatty as a result of the historic blacklisting as its policy has not been breached." 

Andrew says:

"The serious point to the game is to humiliate the Labour-run Council into cancelling the failed £60 million roads contract. 

This contract is clearly a failure. Nobody in Southampton, other than the Labour councillors who voted it through, and Tory councillors Peter Baillie and Rob Harwood, think it has been a success. They've had sixteen years!

It is interesting that before becoming a Tory councillor, Rob Harwood was the Council officer who wrote the report for the Balfour Beatty contract. Not once, but twice - in 2010 and 2017. And then in 2018, he was elected to the same Council as a Tory councillor.

What an amazing coincidence, that he thinks the contract is great and his Group Leader Baillie does too. 

Neither of them wanted to answer queetions when I asked him how he managed any perceived confict of interest. I gave them the right of reply. Worse than that, they said that such questions were 'irrelevant'. Harwood cost the Council over £25,000 for loose words; it seems that he has not learned his lesson.

On the doorsteps of Southampton, residents want to know. Residents want to know why the roads and pavements are so bad and why a failed contract has been allowed to go on for so long. My independent colleagues tell me that in Herefordshire, the Council cancelled Balfour Beatty. So should Southampton.

I've asked Council officers to cancel the contract. Why? Because it's a clear failure, and because Balfour Beatty are admitted blacklisters.

I changed the procurement rules of the Council when I was Councillor before. I was applauded by leading anti-blacklisting campaigners Dave Smith and Phil Chamberlain in their book "Blacklisted". The Council's rules that I put in place are supposed to prevent blacklisters getting council contracts. I took considerable time and effort to ensure officers put such rules in place.

Yet Council officers have refused in writing to cancel the contract, and have made excuses for Balfour Beatty, claiming blacklisting is somehow all in the past. Really? The unions don't think so, including Unite.

So how can a Labour-run Council justify handing another £60 million to Balfour Beatty - a figure which I uncovered and investigated?

They can't, if they are on the side of the working people of Southampton. But residents have worked out that Labour is not for working people and has not been for some time now.

What a shameful situation. Residents deserve to be protected from blacklisters and deserve to have better roads and pavement that are safe. Labour councillors voted this contract through, like the party puppets that they are.

I will carry on campaigning for residents - it is them who I respond to.

If I am elected on 7th May, I will have more powers to get answers and challenge for better roads and pavements." 

 

 

 

Labour's Corruption in Southampton and Westminster - Andrew Pope's Statement

 

Redbridge ward anti-corruption candidate Andrew Pope, who is a member of the Independent Network and is Co-Founder of Southampton Independents, issues a Statement today on yesterday's vote at Parliament on referring Keir Starmer to the Privileges Committee: 

 

Andrew Pope when Independent Councillor 
Photo: Southampton Independents (CT)

"Yesterday, Labour Prime Minister Keir Starmer forced his MPs to defend his corruption when appointing Jeffrey Epstein's friend Peter Mandelson as UK Ambassador to the United States of America.

Labour forced a 'three-line whip' onto its MPs, which means that if you defy the instruction, there will be consequences which could include expulsion. 

And like the party puppets they are, the two Southampton MPs Satvir Kaur and Darren Paffey went along with it. 

Both Kaur and Paffey voted against a Parliamentary inquiry by the Privileges Committee into Starmer. You can see the evidence from the BBC website below. 

 

Satvir Kaur MP Southampton Test MP Voted Against Investigating Her Boss Keir Starmer
Image: BBC

Darren Paffey Southampton Itchen MP Voted Against Investigating His Boss Keir Starmer
Image: BBC

 

EVERYBODY KNOWS THAT STARMER IS GUILTY OF CORRUPTION AND OF POOR JUDGEMENT, AND THAT HE IS VERY UNPOPULAR AND SHOULD RESIGN OR BE FORCED OUT BY LABOUR! 

Yet the Southampton Labour MPs still defend him. Why? Is it because their political careers depend on it? Yes it is. They put themselves and their careers ahead of principles.

While we focus on local action, as independents, we have to call this out as Southampton MPs being corrupt. They are now complicit in corruption at Westminster, as Satvir Kaur and Southampton Labour have been complicit in corruption here in Southampton by taking £10,000 from a convicted criminal who had been expelled from Labour two years before. And not providing any evidence they paid it back, although we asked them.

And we have to call this out because as independents, Southampton Independents as members of the Independent Network subscribe to the Martin Bell principles.

Martin Bell was a BBC journalist who was elected as an Independent MP when he stood for Parliament as an anti-corruption candidate, and beat the corrupt Tory Neil Hamilton who was found guilty of cash-for-questions in Parliament.

 

Independent Network Emblem

 

 

The Independent Network works under the same Bell principles, so we are best placed to call out Labour's corruption.

I am standing as the anti-corruption candidate in Redbridge ward on Southampton City Council.

I have already uncovered corruption by Labour here in Southampton, and will continue to do so.

If elected, I will have more powers to uncover corruption and hold Labour to account."

 

 

EXCLUSIVE: NO EVIDENCE Corrupt Southampton Labour Paid Criminal Money Back - we checked! Vote Labour Out!

 

 

Labour Is Corrupt As Well As Incompetent
Image: Southampton Independents

 

Southampton Labour MP Corruption 

In 2024, Southampton Test Labour MP Satvir Kaur took criminal money from convicted violent criminal Shere Sattar, as declared in her Parliamentary Register of Interests. Sattar had previously been expelled from the Labour Party after his conviction in 2022, but had stayed on as an Eastleigh Town Councillor for THREE YEARS, despite now being a criminal.

 

Satvir Kaur, Southampton Test Labour MP
Photo: Under Licence from UK Parliament

 

The £10k was also shown by us appearing in the Electoral Commission register of political donations.

 

Electoral Commission Database of Political Funding Showing Shere Sattar Money
Image: Southampton Independents

 

But there is no evidence that Kaur or Southampton Labour has paid it back, which is what they claimed to the Daily Echo. We asked her and them. No response was received. No evidence was provided from her or Southampton Labour. They have claimed to have paid it back though.

Do you believe them, without any evidence? 

This is the same Labour Party whose Prime Minister appointed Peter Mandelson as Ambassador to the United States. Peter Mandelson is now under investigation by the Police, and had previously had to leave government in other scandals.

The same Labour Party. 

 

The Missing Evidence 

Yes - WE CHECKED IN EVERY WAY POSSIBLE. There is no evidence Kaur, or Portsmouth Labour MPs Stephen Morgan or Amanda Martin, paid ANY of the criminal money back.

Neither is there any evidence that Central Labour HQ paid any of the £10,300 back - we checked with the Electoral Commission who said they had no requirement to be told, even if it was paid back!

As reported by The Times and Independent, the Shere Sattar criminal money totals £40,300. 

Seriously, we have looked everywhere and checked with everyone. 

 

WE CHECKED EVERYWHERE 

WE CHECKED with the Electoral Commission that regulates funding of political parties. Incredibly, they confirmed in writing that political parties can receive money from criminals. The law is set by MPs, mostly Labour and Tory MPs.

WE CHECKED with the three Labour MPs in Southampton and Portsmouth that accepted the money. We received no response and no evidence.

WE CHECKED with Shere Sattar, the former Eastleigh Labour councillor and convicted criminal who gave the money. We received no response.

WE CHECKED with Eastleigh Town Council's Town Clerk whether Sattar stayed on as councillor despite being convicted in 2022. He stayed on until May 2025 - THREE YEARS LATER. He served on committees and made decisions, as confirmed by the Clerk, DESPITE being a convicted criminal.

WE CHECKED with the Election Agent for Southampton Labour councillors, Councillor Christian Cox, who is Councillor for Millbrook ward. No evidence and no response.

WE CHECKED With Southampton Labour Council candidates and received no evidence and no response. 

We've also asked about Southampton Labour councillors' donations to the Labour Party, which appear to have stopped in recent years, according to records at the Electoral Commission. But have the councillors' donations actually stopped? We've asked Labour councillors and candidates, including the Leader of the Council and Leader of the Labour Group, who is Shirley councillor Alex Winning. Kaur was also a Shirley councillor.

 

Seriously, we have looked everywhere and checked with everyone.

There is NO EVIDENCE that any of the more than £40,000 that Labour took from Shere Sattar has been given back. 

The Electoral Commission confirmed directly to our enquiry that even if they had paid it back, the Commission is not obliged to be told, so there would be no record. 

 

Corruption Is The Only Word 

To take money from a convicted criminal cannot be called anything other than corruption. If you can think of a better description, get in touch. 

 

Do Not Vote Labour - Vote Independent! 

In the local Council elections, please do not vote Labour. In Redbridge ward, Vote for the anti-corruption candidate Andrew Pope Independent Network. Andrew is the only candidate who can beat Labour in Redbridge.

Everywhere else, either vote Independent or vote tactically against Labour.

It is First Past the Post, so please vote tactically to stop Labour and vote to remove as many Labour councillors as possible, and please do not vote any more in.

Vote Independent Network