Oxford’s Road ‘Havoc’ Prompts New Grassroots Political Party
A new political player, the Independent Oxford Alliance, has emerged in response to growing discontent with traditional parties in Oxford and concerns about the impact of low-traffic neighbourhoods on local traffic flow. The Telegraph has the story.
A new independent political party has been launched in Oxford amid a growing sense that local democracy is failing because of concerns that councillors from traditional parties are not listening to constituents.
The Independent Oxford Alliance (IOA) was launched in the county last week in response to the numerous low-traffic neighbourhoods (LTNs) blamed for causing gridlock on the city’s roads.
Dr. Anne Gwinnett, the Chairwoman of the newly registered party, said independent candidates, including those who have stood in the past, as well as people entirely new to local politics, will stand on local issues and not national party agendas or the wishes of lobby groups.
“We’ve come to the conclusion that the only way we can change things given that the councils are not listening to residents is to actually change things from within.”
In a statement, the party added: “The last straw for many residents has been the disastrous local transport policies imposed on Oxford and the rigged consultations to justify them.
“IOA believes it is wrong for councils to deliberately cause congestion with LTNs and effectively tax all but the wealthy out of their cars with emission zones and parking charges.
“IOA councillors will challenge and undo these policies. They will listen to what local residents and businesses believe needs to be done to improve the city’s transport system for all.” …
Oxfordshire has seen the issues surrounding LTNs divide many of its communities. LTNs were introduced in East Oxford in May 2022, prompting protests with bollards run over, burned and stolen.
They have also been blamed for increasing ambulance response times. …
Worth reading in full.
To join in with the discussion please make a donation to The Daily Sceptic.
Profanity and abuse will be removed and may lead to a permanent ban.
Voting for someone is a contract, you giving them a proxy to your rights and power, and in return they do the things that you the voter and citizen want them to do. When did it become a thing that it just opened the door and became carte blanche for them to do whatever they want, even if it is the polar opposite of what your agreed..?
It’s mainly because some things they do are covert and pre planned but, not it their manifesto when you vote for them!
I dont trust either side at all!
No, that is incorrect. They are representatives NOT delegates. It is a common misconception of representative democracy. You vote for a political party. The individual elected does the Party leader’s bidding not yours.
I remember a disgruntled exchange of correspondence post referendum with the odious Dominic Grieve, who was the MP for my constituency at the time, remonstrating with him for blocking the will of the people to leave the EU. He snootily reminded me that he was not in Parliament to do his constituents bidding, rather to do what HE thought best as their elected representative.
Well done all! In particular, thanks to Dr. Anne Gwinnett, whom I know from contributions to World Council for Health. Very uplifting!
I wish these people well but for those new to local politics they are in for a shock. The local Labour parties are particularly vicious and will lie and cheat and pull any underhanded stunt to destroy the creditability of the new party. Lib Dims come next on the nasty list. There will certainly be a fight in Oxford.
Best wishes.
We have to put our faith in truth. It is easier to be consistent with the truth. Those who peddle falsehood need to support their duplicity with even more falsehoods. Consistency gives way to squirming that eventually becomes obvious to all.
“By their fruits ye shall know them.“
Laudable comments but I have been very involved for the last four years with a local independent party. We are scrupulously honest in all our campaigning but the Labour Party are vicious and they have massive national Party support, more so when they feel under pressure. Simply putting “faith in truth” won’t cut it. And, never underestimate the lethargy and stupidity of the electorate.
Oh, and be ready for the far right labelling. Lots of it.
Lest I forget – don’t expect any honesty from El Com (Electoral Commission), some are still “working” from home, they are as a whole incompetent and at their worst thoroughly disingenuous.
Their website is garbage too as a couple of staff have admitted to me in the past.
Good luck.
So true! I worked out a loophole in the electoral system which meant that anyone working here at the time of the referendum, including EU citizens would be able to vote illegally (obviously for Remain). I got Lord Owen to take up the issue with the Electoral Commission and it was absolutely clearly a problem. They fobbed him off and ignored the whole thing! So corrupt.
Thanks for the info.
If we put our faith in truth and act accordingly, we will eventually come out better in ourselves. There will also be something better to show others.
The alternative is to join the melee at their level – which would be a cast iron guarantee never to “cut it”. It would waste so much energy in mutually destructive confrontation that there would be little energy left to build a better way.
We are already wasting energy and resources feeding the beast. Here, for example, the impositions on our freedoms by local councils are funded by us – unlawfully and illegally through the fraud of taxation. It would be honest to challenge this – not out of personal greed but out of a wish for equity for all. If we were all to decline to comply, that would “cut it” immediately!
Wait for BBC to somehow insert a swastika next to these decent folk.
Let them. It will be a further nail in the BBC’s own coffin.
Mike, you are in for some big shocks.
I certainly wouldn’t bet against it.
In Swindon in June
Brilliant
In Oxford in February
This has to be the way forward. Tribal politics should be consigned to the dustbin of history and the divisive politicians along with it. A grassroots, non partisan, awakening is the only way to break the vice like grip of the two party system. Good luck to the Independent Oxford Alliance.
I don’t doubt that the consultations were rigged and if people have evidence of that, go for the people taking such actions. There shouldn’t be much protection anywhere for clear fraud
Good luck to them.