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Southend goes to the polls, but do you know what you are you voting for? Presenting the Southend manifestos that will directly affect the future of our city. Be careful what you wish for!
- James Miller
- May 7
- 3 min read
My favourite part of politics is debating and dissecting policy. I don’t know what fascinates me about this, but I love getting stuck in amongst other passionate people ready to work out some kind of truth together. This is the backbone of the Confelicity Party.
We have spent the last four years holding monthly meetings to build on our manifesto - after all, this is the basis on which votes are cast.
Somehow, we managed near 100 pledges. On the face of it most would agree that is far too many, especially because the more you include the more potential for disagreement and turn voters off.
I don’t disagree - politically speaking.
Southend Labour’s manifesto, for instance, reaches the grand total of five pledges for the second local election in a row. Less is more and they are not wrong. Less to pick holes in, and what they’ve chosen are so broad and basic that few could really disagree.
I find this tactic lying by omission in Southend Labour’s case, as they have already set the budget for the year and there is much in there that many could well pick holes in.
Demolishing Southchurch Library is one of them, all for £350K.
What is glaringly absent is their intent to destroy the Bournes Green green belt to build over 10,000 unaffordable houses not prioritised for local people. Where in their recent manifestos did they say they would submit this proposal to the New Towns Taskforce?
This move is a betrayal to Southend residents and what’s worse is they hide behind the excuse that it would be infrastructure-led. They say they would build a new hospital on that land, but where exactly is the money coming from? They want to demolish Southend Hospital on the basis of a lie, but that is also missing.
Where is it in their manifesto that they would invite the Chief Operations Officer of the University of Essex to the Labour arranged Southend Investment Summit to showcase and sell the Southend Campus? And this despite plastering all over the socials how they are trying to save it.
Where in their manifesto does it acknowledge that as the council they have absolutely nothing to do with two businesses making a deal in regard to the Kursaal. Instead they used their publicly funded City Day to make the announcement that they have saved it!
I shall move on, but I wonder if voters are aware of all this.
The Greens have again put effort into their manifesto and have shown respect to Southend residents by doing so. I have more questions than answers for some of their polices, but on the local level there is food for thought. Certainly nothing as controversial as their national colleagues.
I could not find the Southend Reform, Southend Conservative or Southend Liberal Democrats’ manifestos. My hope is that I am a poor researcher rather than they don’t exist. I do know that Reform and Tories back saving the green belt.
Personally, I truly believe parties should not enter elections without them. And there ought to be to be some kind of minimum standard to meet. I realise much discussion would be needed to get anywhere near an acceptable and workable law in practice, but the principle I believe in.
The Liberal Democrats are so tied in with Labour it is safe to assume they would continue their coalition and abide by their wishes.
Cllr Martin Terry’s so-called Independent Group really ought to have some kind of agreed manifesto despite not being a party in the official sense. As part of the Labour and Liberal Democrat coalition voters should be entitled to learn that they will vote with them on all matters also. Otherwise voters will think they really are independent.
I feel sorry for the genuine Independents such as Keith Evans and Brian Ayling as they have tarnished the name. I would say it would be worth them putting forward more of what they would like to see from the council as those who don’t know them won’t know what good councillors they were and will be if voted in.
Overall, while Southend Confelicity has sweated away in the heat of monthly battles for years, it seems most others going into the election banking on the headline of a leaflet.
Politically probably the right thing to do, but I think what’s the point of getting into politics if you’re not going to debate policies and put them forward to the electorate?
Below are the manifesto:
Southend Confelicity
Southend Greens
Southend Labour
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