New political group formed by pair of independent councillors
Two of Portsmouth City Council’s three independent councillors have formed a new political group, in a move they said would allow them to increase collaboration.
Councillors Cal Corkery and Kirsty Mellor, both former Labour members who represent the Charles Dickens ward, have named the group Portsmouth Community Independents and have said they begun the process of registering it as a party.
Cllr Corkery, who was reelected on May 4 as an independent with a 130-vote majority over his former party, has been made its leader.
‘The recent election result in Charles Dickens shows local residents want to put people and community before national party politics,’ he said.
‘Setting up Portsmouth
Community Independents will allow us to continue supporting local people and working with them to improve our area.
‘This will be a new type of political organisation focused primarily on dealing with local issues and empowering residents to take back control over their communities.’
As leader of a group on the city council with between two and four members, he will also now be entitled to an extra allowance of £2,474 a year.
Cllr Corkery had been leader of Portsmouth City Council’s Labour group until he was expelled from the party in January for his ties to the Momentum campaign group, for ‘liking’ a Facebook post in 2016 from a group that was later proscribed and for his arrest at a protest against the prorogation of parliament.
Speaking following his reelection, he described the decision as ‘unfair and unjust’.
Cllr Mellor left Labour in February, criticising the party’s ‘mistreatment of my comrades Cal Corkery and Judith Smyth’.
The latter was suspended at the end of last year and has been an independent councillor since, with an investigation into her conduct ongoing.
The group’s deputy leader, Cllr Mellor, described its formation as ‘a really exciting time’.
She said: ‘Portsmouth Community Independents will emphasise collaboration at a community level.
‘We want to bring about change directed by the people living in the ward and will focus on grassroots organisation rather than a top-down approach.’