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| Councillor Andrew Pope on BBC South Today Southampton Independents Candidate for Southampton Test |
Andrew Pope is standing for Southampton Independents in the General Election, for the Southampton Test constituency in the west of Southampton.
Andrew has already pointed out the failure of the Southampton Test MP for 20 years, Alan Whitehead, to uphold the views of the majority of Southampton residents and our country in the EU Referendum. Whitehead voted against triggering Article 50 and then mounted a pathetic attempt to defend his actions.
But there are even larger threats to our democracy and the defence of the realm if you vote Labour in this General Election...
UPDATED (13th May 2017): Following Jeremy Corbyn's Chatham House speech, Andrew says:
"Jeremy Corbyn's Chatham House speech provided further proof that he and Labour are a danger to our country.
Why did he feel the need to deny that he is a pacifist?
"I am not a pacifist.
I accept that military action, under international law and as a genuine last resort, is in some circumstances necessary."
And why do Corbyn's allies feel the need to defend him from accusations that he is a pacifist?Because even in making this defence, Corbyn didn't seem clear about what those circumstances were.
"Mr Gardiner rejected “throwaway” remarks made by Mr Corbyn, where he could not think of examples when he would intervene with military action."
The evidence is clear, Corbyn doesn't support military action at all.
Corbyn's speech contained worrying fogginess on his attitude to using Britain's nuclear deterrent, thereby again undermining this highly expensive but highly necessary military capability.
Corbyn prioritises his own views over those of the British people, who support having the nuclear deterrent.
Corbyn prioritises his own views over those in his own Labour Party, and the official policy of the Labour Party.
Corbyn said "let me make this absolutely clear."
He did everything but make his views clear on whether he would use our nuclear weapons to defend our country's people! And this isn't the first time!
Such confusion is unwelcome during a military or international crisis, and particularly during the "fog of war".
Corbyn shows alarming naivety, bordering on stupidity, saying things like:
"as a permanent member of the Security Council we will provide a lead by respecting the authority of International Law."
The United Nations is weak and always has been. International Law is also weak.
Britain needs to be self-reliant on defence, because of the security dilemma that has always existed - who do we really trust?
We can co-operate, but ultimately we have to rely on ourselves to defend ourselves.
Corbyn's reliance on diplomacy and all but removing military action from our nation's defence shows his weakness. He is not a realist. He is a fantasist.
Corbyn has rejected Blair's "liberal interventionism", a contradiction itself in international relations, but at least Blair had attempted to set out a coherent view to support his approach.
In contrast, Corbyn is a dangerous fantasist with no coherent view and a huge gap between himself and his MPs. If he cannot inspire confidence in his own MPs, or form a talented Shadow Cabinet, how could he inspire confidence in our military?
How can our Armed Forces and British citizens have any faith in him or the Labour Party?
And let's not forget that the Southampton Test MP for 20 years, Alan Whitehead, as shown in Hansard, missed five votes in a row on renewing Britain's nuclear deterrent, being absent EVERY time! Like Corbyn, he has also undermined our deterrent through his lack of support.
When I spoke with him recently, the Chair of the Defence Select Committee, Julian Lewis, was surprised to learn of Mr Whitehead's abstentions in these votes. From his reaction, I would say that he was also disappointed.
A vote for Alan Whitehead is a vote for the weakness of Jeremy Corbyn's Labour and to endanger the people of our country.
Voting Labour isn't worth the risk to our nation's defence.
If elected to Parliament, my education in global politics and international relations at Southampton University plus my experience working with defence technology and military command, control, communications and intelligence (C3I) will mean that I will ensure that you, your family and our City of Southampton are properly defended."
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(27th April 2017) Andrew says:
"Current Labour MP Alan Whitehead, Jeremy Corbyn and the Labour Council have failed to protect us.
Because Labour is a mess.
Alan Whitehead voted against triggering Article 50 to start Brexit.
So did Labour councillors. Not a single Southampton Labour councillor supported Brexit.
The MP missed votes to continue Britain's nuclear deterrent.
Like Corbyn, he puts his views ahead of YOUR views.
Corbyn is even against defending us from terrorists with a shoot-to-kill policy."