Political Viewpoint - Leigh-on-Sea

Share this story!

Leigh On Sea News: Political Viewpoint – BY James Miller Leader of Southend’s Confelicity Party.

Political Viewpoint - BY James Miller Leader of Southend’s Confelicity Party.

Leigh On Sea News: Political Viewpoint – BY James Miller Leader of Southend’s Confelicity Party.

Political Viewpoint - BY James Miller Leader of Southend’s Confelicity Party.

BY James Miller Leader of Southend’s Confelicity Party.

The next protest against building on Southend’s green belt land is being held on August 9th from 11am to 1pm at the top of Southend High Street by the Odeon.

I have been writing about Labour’s attack on the green belt ever since I read their policies from the last General Election. There is not a day goes by that the local papers do not report green belt land being threatened in Southend and the local area – from Hadleigh Farm all the way through to Bournes Green and Wakering. In fact, I had previously written an article published in this paper observing that it could well be the issue that brings an end to their honeymoon period.

I was wrong of course. Very shortly after the GE they brought in all kinds of policies that made them a fairly instant bomb overnight. They have been on a downward spiral ever since and their plight will only sink further as Corbyn’s party becomes the true left.

With Reform still surging on the right, a party such as Confelicity, whose primary appeal/niche is to provide local representation with a true democratic structure, could easily be forgotten or discarded. Yet our mission is not to win votes, it is be a local voice with potential political power at the ballot box if ever there was a need for Southend voices to really be heard.

Our main focus of late has been the green belt and local democracy. We organised the protest a few months ago and was buoyed to have the other opposing parties – the Greens, Tories, Reform, and non-aligned independents – join and speak out. We have also set up the one coming up bringing together voices across Southend. The reason we have done so is not for any other reason than we live here and destroying our green spaces, environment, air quality, and our access to public services and infrastructure will be hugely detrimental to our way of life.

Skin in the game they call it and every single one of our members has skin in Southend’s game because we are all locals. No ties to the national parties makes us true independents and we can call it as we see it.

The 10,000 homes Labour Leader of Southend City Council wants to build on green belt land by Bournes Green Chase cannot be a decision in the interests of Southend. The houses won’t be affordable or prioritised for local people. Developers will not contribute the necessary investment into infrastructure. All we will be left with is a city of concrete jam packed full of residents who should never have been squashed together in the way the phoney housing calculations determined we should.

The Confelicity Party has also campaigned to save the 2026 local elections starting an e-petition that will be considered by Cabjnet. As it happens, these elections are so much more important than before as voting this rainbow coalition of Labour, Lib Dem and Independent Group out is the only way we can stop the green belt being destroyed. Personally, I do not believe they will go ahead as demonstrated in the recent council meeting, whereby the Green’s motion was amended to accommodate the government stepping in to cancel them. In other words, Cowan’s local Labour Party can be exonerated from any blame because it would be the national party making that decision.

The cancellation (or as they like to say it “postponement”) would be all under the guise of devolution and local government reorganisation – policies no one knew they wanted but will get anyway. Fundamental political change is upon us and that also includes the election of a Mayor of Essex.

I have already announced my candidacy despite opposing the changes. The Mayor will have far more powers than they ought to and national government will find it far easier to influence their wants. My major fear is the power they will have over the green belt, and if we get a Labour Mayor residents across Essex will be left extremely vulnerable to the great green belt dig-up. I am only standing because I believe I would at least hold up the end of localism.

If Southend allows the destruction of green belt land it will be directly because it Cllr Cowan and Labour. If Southend cancels its elections it will be directly because of Cllr Cowan and Labour. Two vital issues have collided and we need as much support as possible on the August 9th protest to send the strongest possible message that we are against the vandalism of green belt land and democracy in our town.

Pictures: James Miller & a previous protest.

about author

Editor