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Independent Union (political party)

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This article is about the political party. For the type of trade union, see Independent union.

Independent Union is a minor political party in the United Kingdom. It was founded in February 2019 by six independent councillors on Hartlepool Borough Council to contest in the 2019 United Kingdom local elections,[1] the party gaining a councillor and retaining another[5] out of a total of five fielded candidates.[6]

Independent Union
LeaderShane Moore
FoundersJohn Tennant
Shane Moore
Tim Fleming
James Brewer
Bob Buchan
Thomas Cassidy[1]
Founded18 February 2019[2]
Headquarters2 Tristam Avenue
Hartlepool
County Durham
TS25 5PE[2]
IdeologyEuroscepticism[3]
Colours  Navy
Hartlepool Borough Council
2 / 36
[4]
Website
independentunion.co.uk

Hartlepool Borough Council

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In May 2019, following multiple defections from Labour to Socialist Labour at Hartlepool Borough Council, Independent Union forged a coalition with the Conservatives and the Veterans and People's Party, forming the largest grouping with 11 councillors, 6 shy of control.[7][8] At the Annual General Meeting of the council, leader of the coalition, Cllr Shane Moore, was elected the Leader of the Council, with his Deputy, Cllr Mike Young being voted deputy leader.[9]

In September 2019, all IU councillors, as well as the one Veterans and People's Party councillor, who made up the coalition at Hartlepool Borough Council defected to the Brexit Party, renaming their already existing coalition with the three Conservative councillors to the "Brexit and Conservative Coalition".[10][11] Despite this, the IU was still registered with the Electoral Commission with Shane Moore listed as its current leader.[12] The party leader has been Shane Moore since 2019.[13]

In early 2020, several of the councillors concerned returned to their parties, including the Independent Union and Veterans and People's Party.[14]

European Election 2019

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In May 2019, it was announced that IU leader, Cllr John Tennant, was standing as a Brexit Party candidate in the 2019 European Parliament election for North East England.[3][15] Upon the announcement, Tennant was criticised for comments he made on social media, praising the UKIP MEP Godfrey Bloom on the day he was ejected from the European parliament for addressing German colleague, Martin Schulz, the then leader of the German Social Democratic Party,[16] with a Nazi slogan in 2010, and then another involving a joke he made regarding sex acts with a young woman in 2011.[17] Tennant, the former UKIP group leader for the council,[18][19] is said to have had a close relationship with Nigel Farage whilst he was a UKIP councillor, organising his public events in the North East, according to a former UKIP advisor.[17][20] According to Hartleborough Borough Council's Register of Members' Disclosable Pecuniary Interests, in May 2018 Tennant declared his profession as "office manager" to UKIP MEP Jonathan Arnott.[21]

References

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  1. ^ a b Payne, Mark (2 March 2019). "Hartlepool independent councillors launch new 'union' to stand out in elections". Hartlepool Mail. Hartlepool: Northeast Press. Archived from the original on 2 March 2019. Retrieved 22 May 2019.
  2. ^ a b "Independent Union - View registration". Electoral Commission. London. 18 February 2019. p. 1. Archived from the original (PDF) on 21 May 2019. Retrieved 21 May 2019.
  3. ^ a b Russell, Rachel (19 May 2019). "'Democracy comes first!' – The north-eastern battle to get Brexit delivered REVEALED". Daily Express. Thames Street, London: Northern and Shell Media. Archived from the original on 20 May 2019. Retrieved 21 May 2019.
  4. ^ "Councillors by Party: Hartlepool Independent Union". Hartlepool Borough Council. Archived from the original on 24 May 2021. Retrieved 24 May 2021.
  5. ^ Marko, Nic (3 May 2019). "For Britain win first seat as Labour lose Hartlepool council majority". The Northern Echo. Darlington. Archived from the original on 3 May 2019. Retrieved 22 May 2019. The Independent Union held its seat in the Hart ward with Cllr James Brewer, while they made a gain with Barbara Ward in Headland and Harbour.
  6. ^ Turner, Ed (3 May 2019). "Results of the Hartlepool Local Government Elections". Hartlepool Borough Council. Hartlepool. Archived from the original on 10 May 2019. Retrieved 10 May 2019.
  7. ^ Marko, Nic (16 May 2019). "New leaders of Hartlepool council set to be decided at AGM next week". Hartlepool Mail. Hartlepool: Northeast Press. Archived from the original on 16 May 2019. Retrieved 22 May 2019.
  8. ^ Minting, Stuart; Metcalfe, Alex (10 May 2019). "Allegiances turned on their head at Ben Houchen's top table". Teesside Gazette. Middlesbrough: Gazette Media Company Ltd. Archived from the original on 12 May 2019. Retrieved 22 May 2019.
  9. ^ Marko, Nic (21 May 2019). "New leader of Hartlepool Borough Council says he's 'tried to ensure everyone willing is sat around the top table for the better of the town'". Hartlepool Mail. Hartlepool: Northeast Press. Archived from the original on 21 May 2019. Retrieved 21 May 2019.
  10. ^ "Brexit Party forms pact for Hartlepool control". BBC News. Broadcasting House, London. 13 September 2019. Archived from the original on 17 September 2019. Retrieved 22 September 2019.
  11. ^ Bartlett, Nicola (13 September 2019). "Nigel Farage's Brexit Party have just signed their first pact with the Tories". Daily Mirror. One Canada Square, London: Reach plc. Archived from the original on 13 September 2019. Retrieved 22 September 2019.
  12. ^ "Independent Union - View registration". Electoral Commission. London. 22 September 2019. p. 1. Archived from the original (PDF) on 22 September 2019. Retrieved 22 September 2019.
  13. ^ "View registration - The Electoral Commission". search.electoralcommission.org.uk. Retrieved 13 May 2020.
  14. ^ "Hartlepool Council no longer under Brexit Party control". BBC News. 6 February 2020. Archived from the original on 8 May 2021. Retrieved 24 May 2021.
  15. ^ Russell, Rachel (18 May 2019). "How Brexit will help rebuild this DEPRIVED coastal town – '200 miles of sea would be OURS'". Daily Express. Thames Street, London: Northern and Shell Media. Archived from the original on 20 May 2019. Retrieved 22 May 2019.
  16. ^ Stevens, Robert (17 May 2018). "George Galloway tried to become Brexit Party candidate—and failed". World Socialist Web Site. Oak Park, Michigan: International Committee of the Fourth International. Archived from the original on 22 May 2019. Retrieved 22 May 2019.
  17. ^ a b Kirchgaessner, Stephanie; Halliday, Josh (6 May 2019). "Brexit party MEP candidate praised use of Nazi slogan". The Guardian. Kings Place, London. Archived from the original on 19 May 2019. Retrieved 22 May 2019.
  18. ^ Halliday, Josh; Walker, Peter (4 March 2019). "Ukip 2.0: young, angry, digital and extreme". The Guardian. Kings Place, London. Archived from the original on 6 May 2019. Retrieved 22 May 2019.
  19. ^ Payne, Mark (19 December 2017). "Hartlepool UKIP chief hits out at MPs' Brexit vote". Hartlepool Mail. Hartlepool: Northeast Press. Archived from the original on 22 December 2017. Retrieved 22 May 2019.
  20. ^ "Un hombre de confianza de Farage elogió el eslogan nazi de un colega". La Voz de Galicia (in Spanish). A Coruña. 7 May 2019. Archived from the original on 22 May 2019. Retrieved 22 May 2019.
  21. ^ Hartlepool Borough Council (8 May 2018). "Register of Members' Disclosable Pecuniary Interests - John David Edward Tennant" (PDF). Hartlepool Borough Council. Hartlepool. p. 1. Archived from the original (PDF) on 22 May 2019. Retrieved 22 May 2019.
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