Pope Calls For Captain Chaos Councillor Keogh To Be Sacked - Yet Labour's Leader of the Council Defends Him

 

Captain of Chaos Councillor Eamonn Keogh
Photo: Southampton City Council

In mid-February, founder of Southampton Independents and former Independent Councillor Andrew Pope called in a letter published by the Daily Echo for Councillor Eamonn Keogh to be sacked by the Leader of the Council, Councillor Lorna Fielker.

This call from outside the Council sparked calls from so-called "opposition" councillors to actually provide some opposition, and have called for Keogh to resign.

Incredibly, as a result of the pressure from outside the Council and inside it, Lorna Fielker has defended Eamonn Keogh and the disastrous Portswood Broadway changes, saying:

Councillor Lorna Fielker
Leader of Southampton City Council
Photo: Southampton City Council

"We understand that change can be challenging, which is why the bus gate project is a trial. 

The council is closely monitoring its impact by collecting data, actively listening to the community, and making adjustments to ease congestion and improve road safety where concerns arise.

"Throughout the trial, Councillor Keogh has been regularly visiting the area, holding formal meetings with residents and the local school to hear concerns firsthand, and he will continue to do this.

"These insights will help inform decisions as the trial progresses."

Andrew Pope responds:

"I am pleased that Conservative councillors have finally provided some opposition. When I too was in opposition on the Council as an Independent, their opposition was regularly supine. And even now, they regularly agree with Labour.

Labour or Tory, same old story, Southampton people say.

Whether sacked or resigned, it doesn't really matter how he goes, Councillor Keogh must go, for the good of our City, its residents and businesses.

Remember that Councillor Lorna Fielker as Leader of the Council decides who is in her Cabinet, and it is Labour Councillors who decided that she should be Leader, when Satvir Kaur resigned having brought the Council to its knees with her Labour councillors supporting her.

The public did not elect Keogh to his disastrous tenure, and what is in fact a dangerous tenure. 

It's the Labour Party and Cllr Fielker that has put him as Cabinet Member for Transport, and which is keeping him there. 

That is how undemocratic the Cabinet and Leader system is. It prioritises party over people. Other cities like Bristol and Sheffield have brought in a Modern Committee System, that priorities people over parties. Ward councillors have more of a say, instead of political parties. That is how democracy is supposed to work, but Labour don't want that. They didn't want it in Bristol or Sheffield, either.

Labour's Eamonn Keogh has caused chaos across the City, especially in Portswood. He has failed to listen to residents of Shirley and Freemantle over the 20mph signs, and to remove them.

Cllr Keogh has created chaos in the City Centre, and shown his incompetence at the basics, as reported by the Echo, Keogh couldn't even ensure spare parts were in stock to fix our roads, leading to even more delays.

So it is very worrying that Lorna Fielker lacks the authority as Leader to make a decision for the benefit of our City, to sack Eamonn Keogh from the Cabinet.

Surely she realises that she might salvage some credibility for the Council, which Labour has led to bankruptcy and a shameful reputation amongst local government officers in Hampshire.

Or perhaps it is too late for Labour and they are hanging on by their finger nails, losing by-election after by-election until their inevitable demise under a Labour Government.

There will be elections in May 2026, and the residents of Southampton might decide that it's time for Lorna Fielker, and her Labour failures, to go from the Council." 

 

Southampton FC Fans On Away Days - We Have Safe Standing, But Not All Clubs Have It Though...

 

Southampton Independents Andrew Pope
In the New Safe Standing Northam Stand Pre-Season 2024/25

Leader of the Southampton safe standing campaign Andrew Pope says:

Andrew Pope at St Marys in 2018

"As I said in the Daily Echo, the safe standing at St Marys Stadium has been a resounding success, despite the abject performances on the pitch this season. It benefits 7,000 fans in the Northam stand. And it benefits 3,000 away fans. When Saints fans travel to away matches, they do not always have safe standing. Because even now, not all grounds have it.

Throughout the seven-year campaign, I regularly said to people that things only change if you stand up and fight. If you just whinge, roll your eyes and say it's terrible, and do nothing, and it won't change, surely things won't change. Fans of other clubs are having their own battles with their own clubs over safe standing.

Campaigns are hard and take a lot of work. The safe standing campaign took seven years and involved me working with Saints fans locally and nationally, and fans of other clubs, manufacturers, officials, directors, councillors, members of Parliament and members of Government.

This campaign was very difficult but I believed it was badly needed, and nobody else was providing the leadership in Southampton. Not the directors and chairmen, and no fans that I was aware of. So I did.

The law had to be changed. Southampton FC chairmen, owners and directors in the past tried to ignore the fans and the campaign. And they are doing it again now with my new campaign for better hand rails at SMS.

But in the end, they had to listen to my campaign, and they called me in and asked me what I thought of their plans. And they did listen to my answers and act on them.

It was a fight, which I won. Still, even now, fans of other clubs are still having their own fights with their own clubs.

Fans of other clubs have got in touch with me, to ask for some tips on how to make it happen. One of them has been Stand United, the campaign for safe standing at Bramall Lane, home of Sheffield United. They are still waiting for safe standing, and fighting to make it happen.

They've produced an excellent "Safe Standing Tracker" website, which they maintain. It shows which clubs have it, and which clubs do not. Things are changing because fans are making it happen. It's only when football fans work together that change happens.

The Plymouth Argyle Fans Forum on Thursday gave a firm commitment to safe standing, but no timeline. A Plymouth fan who is a close friend, told me about it. It's there on their video.

Safe standing talk, but not enough action or firm dates, was what I was faced with many times. Things only happen when the pressure is increased, which I did, using experience.

Why keep track of what is happening elsewhere?

Because Saints fans will benefit when they cross our great country to follow Southampton, whether in the Premier League or Championship. Away sections are changing to safe standing, so it is in our interests that I am in touch with their local campaigners and help them to bring it in. So if asked, I will continue to do that.

Meanwhile I continue the campaign for better hand rails and better safety at St Marys Stadium. If you want to help, get in touch. I already have some quotes from fans, but welcome more."

 

Former Councillor Andrew Pope
speaking to BBC South Today

The Southampton Independents Logo

We Listened to Portswood Residents Who Saw The Portswood Broadway Disaster Coming and Acted to Oppose It

 

Southampton Independents Letter in Daily Echo 13th February 2025

Labour pretended to listen, ... then Labour's Councillor Eamonn Keogh went ahead with it anyway!

Councillor Eamonn Keogh
Photo: Southampton City Council

Captain of chaos Councillor Keogh needs to go, Southampton people say. The Leader of the Council should sack him, we say.

The full text of Andrew Pope's letter that was printed in yesterday's Daily Echo is below.

We asked for people to stand up in 2022 and in 2023. as reported by the Echo then and in the letters we printed and volunteered to deliver. We contacted the residents associations, and businesses, too.

Portswood people need to stand for Council as Independent candidates, because the political parties let you down - Labour, Green, Tory, Lib Dem - they all put themselves first,  instead of the people of Southampton.

Once again, we will be looking for those people to stand in next year's Southampton City Council elections. And we need people to help contact residents in Portswood.

Get in touch if you want to do it. We will give you advice and support.

 

Former Independent Councillor Andrew Pope

"Disturbed but not surprised

I am disturbed, but not surprised to hear of the unfolding disaster at the Council's Portswood Broadway changes.

It was foreseen by residents and businesses that I spoke to back in 2022 and 2023, and reported by the Echo.

The Council has already tried to paper over the cracks and the out-of-control Cabinet Member for Transport, Labour Councillor Eamonn Keogh, is deaf to the dangers.

Keogh has already caused chaos across Shirley and in the City Centre, making promises to remove 20mph signs, but they are still there.

Keogh needs to be removed from his position by the Leader of the Council Councillor Lorna Fielker, but the talent pool within the Labour Group is very limited, if not non-existent.

The bankruptcy of the Council and crackpot policies in the City prove Labour's inadequacy.

Labour already lost one Portswood seat on the Council after our campaign with Portswood residents against their crazy proposals.

Labour lost the by-election in Shirley too, with residents unhappy about transport policies. I know because I listened to them on their doorsteps.

Do Labour want to lose more Council seats because of their greenie fanatics and ignorance of the vast majority of residents and businesses in the area?

If they do, they are going the right way about it.

Andrew Pope
Southampton Independents"

Did You Know That Your Council Leaders Are Doing Deals About How You Are Governed?

 

"Devolution" the vampire coming out of the coffin
Image: Giphy.com

And cancelling elections, claiming all of it as "democracy"?

We do. And we've been acting to challenge them. Like a vampire, it's come out of the coffin...

And it threatens to bleed you dry, of your money and your voice. 

Since last year, Southampton Independents campaigner Andrew Pope has been contacting the leaders of Southampton, Portsmouth, Hampshire and Isle of Wight councils, plus others, to ask them their positions on so-called "devolution" as being promoted by the Labour Government.

Their answers have been highly disappointing. Instead of standing up to the Labour Government, they are giving in. 

If this all seems familiar, that's because it is. The vampire is rising.

Back in 2016, Southampton Independents defeated previous proposals, called "devolution", to change how Hampshire is governed, and we called for a Referendum. We achieved this by working with any and all political parties and those of no political party.

We stood up for residents who were being ignored by the Southampton Labour and Southampton Conservative MPs and councillors. Our councillor Andrew Pope was the only Southampton councillor opposing it, but others across the Region also opposed it.

Former Leader of Hampshire County Council Roy Perry said that a stake needed to be driven into the heart of the Solent Devolution Deal.

It appeared to be dead. Yet we hear that like a vampire, it it rising out of the coffin. 

The Council leaders of Portsmouth, Southampton and the Isle of Wight councils are having conversations behind closed doors about a new devolution deal in the Solent area.

And by rolling over to the Labour diktats, they are complicit in cancelling elections, as decided by the Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner this week.

Our position has not changed. Andrew Pope says:

"We demand a Referendum for Southampton residents, before any change to how we are governed.

Thet is true democracy, not deals done behind closed doors with elections benig cancelled." 

In response to the announcement of cancelling elections in May for a large portion of the country, six County areas will lose the right to vote on the performance of their Councillors at a time when both Conservative and Labour are at a low ebb, Councillor Marianne Overton MBE, Leader of the Independent Network of Councillors across England and Wales, said:

“Cancelling elections is denying residents the democratic opportunity to vote. And the excuse? Local Government Re-organisation for which there is no mandate!

“These actions were not on the general election manifestoes and no resident referendum.

“There is still no clarity on how the cost of reorganisation will be met beyond asset stripping existing councils. This will move democracy further away from residents, putting power into the hands of the few, not the many.

“In making these announcements the Government are disregarding the views of local people – both residents and the district councillors who have been elected to represent their residents.“

If you want to find out more and to get involved and to help fight back, please get in touch.here.

 

 

Labour Goes Ahead with Portswood Broadway Disaster - Despite Massive Resident and Business Opposition

 

Listening to Southampton residents

The Labour-run City Council is ploughing ahead with its disastrous Portswood Broadway plan, despite massive resident and business opposition. 

Back in 2022, former Southampton Independents City councillor Andrew Pope listened to residents and businesses, after speaking to them on their doorsteps and in their shops.

And it is proving to be the disaster that was feared. Bluestar, the bus company, has supported the bus gate.

The Daily Echo is reporting:

"A Southampton mum has told of the terrifying moments her five-month-old baby was nearly crushed by a driver who mounted the pavement on the way to school."

During the "trial" (read: fait accomplit), drivers would not be fined, say the Council, who are in denial about the safety of it all:

"Drivers who ignore a newly implemented bus gate will not be hit with a fine, the council has confirmed."

The knock-on effects that worried residents and businesses, and were foreseen, are happening.

And then the Council has changed its mind already. The Council's warning is in full below*:

"Drivers who ignore a controversial road closure will be fined from next week – two weeks after the scheme was introduced."

Andrew says: 

Former Councillor Andrew Pope at the Civic Centre

"The Council has already u-turned and the out-of-control Cabinet Member for Transport, Labour Councillor Eamonn Keogh, is deaf to the dangers.

Keogh has already caused chaos across Shirley and in the City Centre, making promises to remove 20mph signs, but they are still there.

Keogh needs to be removed from his position by the Leader of the Council Councillor Lorna Fielker, but the talent pool within the Labour Group is very limited, if not non-existent.

The bankruptcy of the Council and crackpot policies in the City prove Labour's inadequacy.

Labour already lost one seat on the Council after our campaign with Portswood residents against their crazy proposals.

Labour lost the by-election in Shirley too, with residents unhappy about transport policies. I know because I listened to them on their doorsteps.

Do Labour want to lose more Council seats because of their greenie fanatics and ignorance of the vast majority of residents and businesses in the area?

If they do, they are going the right way about it."

*Southampton City Council:

" Camera enforcement of the bus/taxi/cycle only section on Portswood Road will begin on Monday 10 February 2025 📢
While the restriction is in operation only authorised vehicles are allowed, including:
Buses 🚌
Taxis 🚕
Cyclists, legal E-scooters and E-bikes 🚴‍♂️
Emergency vehicles 🚑
Any other service vehicle carrying out a statutory duty e.g. gritting, refuse collection 🚛
Other vehicles that drive through the restriction will receive a Warning Notice, and on their second contravention they will receive a Penalty Charge Notice 🚗
Warning Letters and PCN’s will be sent through the post to the Registered Keeper of the vehicle.  To allow enough time between a Warning Notice being processed and received by the driver, there will be period of approximately two weeks after a Warning Notice being sent and a PCN being issued"