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Monday,
18 April 2005
News
Release
Five new politically Independent candidates affiliate with the Independent
Network
Independent
Network affiliates now campaigning in 11 constituencies
Five
more Independent candidates standing in the General Election have affiliated
with the Independent Network, bringing the total number of Independent Network
affiliates to eleven. The
Independent Network is a new association
that aims to provide an alternative to traditional party politics by supporting
Independent candidates. The
Independent Network is not a political party and does not impose any political
views on the individuals and parties it supports.
Sedgefield
The
most visible of the Independent Network’s newest affiliates is Reg Keys, founder
member of the campaign group Military Families Against The War, who is standing
in Sedgefield against Prime Minister Tony Blair.
In addition to the Independent Network, Mr. Keys’ campaign is supported
by former Independent MP and BBC War Correspondent, Martin Bell and musician
Brian Eno. Mr. Keys will face
competition from Conservative candidate Al Lockwood and Robert Browne of the
Liberal Democrats.
Harrow
West
Berjis
Daver, past Chairman of Ladbroke Racing Europe and experienced campaigner for
council tax reform will be standing in Harrow West.
Standing against Mr. Daver are Labour incumbent Gareth Thomas MP, Liberal
Democrat candidate Chris Noyce and Conservative Party candidate Mike Freer.
Banbury
Independent
Network affiliate Chris Rowe is standing in the Banbury constituency.
Chris stood as an Independent
candidate in the 2002 local elections, for the Ruscote ward in Banbury. Mr.
Rowe will face competition from Tory incumbent Tony Baldry MP along with Labour
candidate Leslie Sibley and Liberal Democrat Zoe Patrick.
Chris is a member of Your Party, an organisation which believes that
politicians should directly engage with and represent the views of their
constituents.
Hackney
North and Stoke
Newington
David
Vail will be standing in North Hackney and Stoke Newington.
Active in community issues, Mr. Vail has liaised
with Councillors and Council Officers to resolve problems for Stoke Newington
and Clapton residents for many years and is Secretary of a large and active
residents group. David is standing
against Labour MP Diane Abbott, Ertan Hurer of the Conservative Party and James
Blanchard of the Liberal Democrats.
Dulwich
and
West Norwood
Judy
Weleminsky, head of the FIT Campaign which promotes integrity and trust in
public life, will be standing in Dulwich and
West Norwood
. Judy brings a wealth of experience
to her campaign; in the past 30 years she has been a
chief executive of both the National Schizophrenia Fellowship and the National
Council for Voluntary Organisations. Judy has also been a senior management
consultant, a Council member of the General Social Care Council, a board member
of Children and Family Court Advisory and
Support Service and a Witness to Parliamentary Select
Committees. Ms. Weleminsky is
standing against incumbent Labour MP and Minister for Culture, Media and Sport
Tessa Jowell, Liberal Democrat candidate Jonathan Mitchell and Kim Humphreys of
the Conservative Party.
Peter
Lay, executive of the Independent Network said; “These Independent Network
affiliates are offering the electorate an alternative to party political
candidates. If elected they will be
more effective at representing constituents’ interests as they will not be
beholden to a party whip. The
Independent Network now has 11 candidates standing around the country.
The co-operation of all the Independent Network affiliates will help to
establish public confidence in Independent candidates.”
Ends
Notes to editors:
The Independent Network
is a loose association that provides support to candidates who are not members
of traditional political parties. As
a not-for-profit association with a simple constitution, the Independent Network
consists of: independent representatives in national, regional and local
government, and candidates or prospective candidates whom the Independent
Network supports. Members of the
public who support the principle of elected representatives of public office
being free of the established party political system will be encouraged to
become affiliated with the Independent Network.
The Independent Network does not impose any political views on the
individuals and parties it supports or that support the Independent Network.
However, affiliates of the Independent Network must be non-racist and
non-discriminatory and adhere to The Nolan Committee’s recommendations on
Standards in Public Life.
Affiliates of the Independent Network include:
Kate Allsop – Ashefield, Malvin Brown – Hornchurch, Berjis Daver –
Harrow West, Bill Givens – Southport, Reg Keys – Sedgefield, Ron Ower –
Upminster, Stewart Rickersey – Mansfield, Chris Rowe – Banbury, Dr. Richard
Taylor – Wyre Forest, David Vail – North Hackney and Stoke Newington, Judy
Weleminsky – Dulwich and West Norwood.
For more information
please visit: www.independentnetwork.org.uk
or contact Jenny Aaron at 020 7609 1902 or email: indepnet@pwkpr.com
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