News | Elections


downsmail.co.uk IndependentMaidstone is born


ALL four electedmembers ofUkip on the borough council have resigned and gone independent. Cllrs Eddie Powell, John Barned,


Simon Ells and Gordon Newton will reconvene as individuals under the IndependentMaidstone umbrella for the remainder of their terms in office. Cllr Powell, who represents


Shepway South, claims themove is not connected with Ukip’s disas- trous standing in the national polls and recent leadership troubles. He said: “We’ve been consider-


ing this for a fewmonths and it has nothing to dowith themainstream national party. I am sure they will be back to their former strength within the year. “On a local level, some of us have


found that the political nature of town hall politics means it can get in the way of getting things done, as the Conservatives and the Lib- eral Democrats have amply illus-


trated over the years.” Independent Maidstone will not


form part of the minority alliance of independentmembers currently runningMaidstone BoroughCoun- cil with the Lib Dems in the hung authority. Cllr Powell added: “Put it like


this, we don’t intend to sit along- side the independent wing of the Liberal Democrats.” Cllr Newton, member


for


Downswood andOtham, officially leaves the Eurosceptic party on March 31.He said the treatment of recently-deposed leader Henry Bolton,whowas forced out over al- legations relating to hisMaidstone girlfriend Jo Marney, was his rea- son for leaving. Miss Marney was forced to apologise formaterial she posted on socialmedia. He toldDownsMail: “To be hon-


Green candidate ‘has real chance’


THE Green Party inMaidstonewill be standing in 11 of the 18 seats in this year’s borough elections. Members claim candidate Donna


Greenan(pictured) has a real chance ofwinning in Bridgeward. The charity worker, a single par-


ent who lives in the area, said: “We’ve been campaigning against the ridiculous housing plans for thousands of large, unaffordable houses on greenfield sites around the town, while ignoring the need for affordable homes close to jobs and public transport. “Wewere the only party to try to


stop the so-called improvements to the gyratory thathavewastednearly £6m. This money could have been spent farmorewiselymakingwalk- ing and cycling to town safer, and improving local bus services.” The Greens have sensed that the


Lib Dems – the largest party in the leadership coalition – are being blamed for housing concentrations on Hermitage Lane and the row over access toOakwood Park. GreenParty spokesman Stuart Jef- fery said his team had been cam-


paigning in Bridge ward for six months and leafleting it for a year. Based on canvass returns, be-


tween 30% and 40% of those ap- proached pledged support. With the Liberal Democrat win-


ning share of 31% in 2014 (491 votes), thismakes the seatwinnable. However, theGreens polled just 8% of the vote last time. Mr Jeffery added: “We know


pledgesdon’t always come through, but I amencouraged. “I take a ‘definite’ as one vote and


‘probably’ as half a vote and it’s coming back as 30-40% which makes itwinnable for us.”


 The other Green candidates are: Coxheath and Hunton - Mike Summersgill; East - James Shalice; Fant - Ian McDonald; Harrietsham and Lenham- Susan Parr; Heath - GeoffWilkinson; High Street - Kimmy Falconer;Marden and Yalding - Caroline Lewis; North - Stuart Jeffery; Shepway North - Stephen Muggeridge and South - Steven Cheeseman.


18 Maidstone May 2018


Labour hoping to gain...and retain


LABOUR is hoping to retain one of its two seats on the coun- cil – and add a couplemore. Paul Harper is up for re-elec-


tion in Fant ward, and he says that the reaction in his canvass- ing has been positive. “We are getting a good re-


sponse in ParkWood and Shep- way South,” he said. “I think we have a very good chance in Park Wood, and Malcolm McKay has a good chance of getting his seat back in Shep- way, too. “I’m getting a good response


in Fant. The work I’ve done on Fant Farm and Jubilee School has impressed people, and they’re saying they wouldn’t vote for Labour nationally, but recognise the work Keith Ad-


kinson and I have done. Forme, there’s a big difference between local and national politics, and it’s all about putting people above politics and being the best we can for our residents.” Cllr Harper claims the furore


over perceived anti-Semitism withing Labour . He added: “I’ve spoken to


1,500 people and only five or six havementioned Jeremy Corbyn – and there’s no evidence of any of thembeing Labour voters. “I’ve been involved in the


party for 40 years and I’ve never seen any evidence of anti-Semi- tism. It’s a complicated issue and I think that there can be a misunderstanding


between


being pro-Palestine and anti-Se- mitic.”


est, what Henry Bolton does in his private life is his own business, but I watched the baying hounds on the National Executive Committee and thought ‘this is ridiculous’ and I have got to get out if it.” Cllr Barned said: “We have just


been out canvassing and the reac- tion to the news about Independ- ent Maidstone has been very positive. Itwon’t be easy,we know that.” Cllr Ells, who represents Shep-


way north,will not be standing for re-election inMay, but Cllr Barned will fight his seat as an independ- ent in Shepway South. Cllr Barned will be the leader of Independent Maidstone. Carol Newton, wife of Cllr Gor-


don Newton for 47 years, will be standing in the Shepway North ward.


Candidate Carol Newton


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