At the last election Independents seized control in the north west, they even returned an Independent MP to Westminster. Since seizing power they have lost the plot and behaved no differently to any other councillors, as a consequence their support has melted away. In the north east, the few Independents also appear to have lost the plot.

What we need is less a new political party, George Monbiot's idea, and more a completely new radical approach to politics.

 http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2003/10/278889.html
 http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2003/10/278849.html

We need to look to the reforms that are being attempted in Canada to reform the Labour Party. In the UK we need to kick out Brown and Blair, kick out both Old and Neo-Labour. We need root and branch reform of Labour, to turn it into a party of social and environmental justice, where human rights prevail, not the stale dichotomy between State Control and PFI.

We need to see a loose alliance of activists across the country standing for election - who bring in the anti-war and anti-globalisation agenda. If they seize control, it will not be power for power's sake, but to work with other activist, to hand power back to the community, to act as an enabling force for the local community. Genuine local democracy.

We want to see power wrenched away from big business and corrupt politicians.

George's idea of World Government is the antithesis of what we want. We need self-governing autonomous zones, who cooperate at national and international level.

The Rotten Borough of Rushmoor is typical of councils up and down the country. A Borough for sale to the highest bidder. A borough that forces through a business airport, that trashes its own town centre, a borough where big business rules okay.

 http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2003/10/279026.html

Two years ago I stood in the Tory-controlled Rotten Borough of Rushmoor. With a very radical agenda, with no backing other than grassroots members of the public, I almost took a rock-solid safe Tory seat. The seat probably could have been taken with a little more effort.

 http://www.heureka.clara.net/surrey-hants/knell.pdf

I have expanded these thoughts in a lot more detail. By no means the last word, but people are more than free to run off and pass around so people have a basis for discussion.

 http://www.heureka.clara.net/gaia/democracy.htm

Keith Parkins, Big Business Jets In, Red Pepper, December 2002

Keith Parkins, Farnborough Airport officially opened, Indymedia UK, 8 February 2003

Keith Parkins, The Party's Over, Indymedia UK, 16 October 2003

Keith Parkins, Farnborough town centre – compulsory purchase orders, Indymedia UK, 16 October 2003

Monbiot's anti war party, Indymedia UK, 14 October 2003

anti-war campaigners to stand for election, Indymedia UK, 14 October 2003