I know the ‘Battersea’ Constituency contains some parts of Balham and Wandsworth – but, throughout this Manifesto, when I refer to ‘Battersea’, I mean the whole constituency. The borders of the 'Battersea Constituency' are shown here.
As an Independent candidate for Battersea, I think it is important to set out my political beliefs in a way that reflects my own personal experiences – both professionally and personally.
I do not think it would be appropriate for an an Independent candidate to stand for a constituency other than where they have lived themselves – so, where possible, I will address each topic from a local, as well as a national, point of view.
In the ‘About Hugh’ section of this website, you can see that I have lived in Battersea for nearly 20 years, how well I know Battersea, and how many friends I have made in my ‘home town’.
As an Independent candidate, I also think I should explain the overall benefits of your electing me as your Independent MP in Parliament – rather than, say, a Labour or Conservative candidate.
First, I would like to apologise for the amount of information in this Manifesto. But, as an Independent candidate, it is important that I demonstrate to you that I am a person of intelligence and integrity and that, if you do vote for me, you know where I am coming from and you can trust me.
Before he became President of the USA, Barack Obama wrote a book about his life called ‘Dreams From My Father’. If you haven’t read it, then I do recommend it. And I can promise that, however long this Manifesto, it will be less than a whole book!
Also, as a local Independent candidate, when it comes to national issues, I think it is important for you to know where I stand – particularly because an independent voice is likely to carry more influence on any given issue than a backbench ‘career politician’ in any of the major parties.
Please do not confuse the word Independent or ‘Independents’ with the word ‘Independence’. I am NOT UKIP!!
I will not be tied to any political party at all. That is why I am standing as the ‘Hugh Salmon for Battersea Party’.
The reason for forming a ‘party’ is that, by doing so, candidates are allowed to add a six-word description and an emblem on the ballot paper. So, when you, the voter, goes to the polling station, I hope it will help you recognise me better when you read my name plus the line ‘Supporting the Battersea Neighbourhood Schools Campaign’ and the emblem in the right hand column. There is more about the Battersea Neighbourhood Schools Campaign here.
If I did NOT form a ‘party’ and stood under the name ‘Hugh Salmon’, then my name is all you would see on the ballot paper.
As a prospective candidate for Parliament, these are the rules. I’m not sure why, but I can can tell you that when it comes to ‘rules’, there are lots of them!
So, I am standing as an Independent MP to represent the best interests of you, the people of Battersea, in the House of Commons. I will not be whipped by any political party and I will vote for every issue on its own merits and according to my own conscience. There is more about Independent MPs, and why more of them will be standing in 2010, here.
In short we have been let down by career politicians and I can't stand them.
Most of the potential MPs who are standing for Parliament in 2010 will be members of established political parties (Labour, Conservative, Liberal Democrat etc).
And most of these candidates will have been planning their careers within these parties for a very long time. In fact, this may be the entire focus of their lives since leaving school and/or university. They do not know much about the local area they are standing for, and they may even have been ‘parachuted’ in because their Central Office is aiming to achieve a defined demographic profile.
Here is what John Major said on the Andrew Marr Show (5 July 2009):
"Already we have a problem with people becoming advisors to Ministers, learning the jargon, getting selected for seats and getting into Parliament without touching real life on the way.“
So, even a former Conservative Prime Minister admits it is important that whoever you vote for has experienced a ‘real life’.
In my case, as a relatively successful 53-year-old, white male I would be unlikely to fit the demographic profile required by any of the major parties – even if I wanted to commit myself to one party’s cause.
But, as you will read in the Manifesto, I have been through life’s ups and downs. I have touched 'real life'.
And this is the key issue. If the person you vote for is a ‘career politician’ it is likely that for the next five years, your MP will be ‘whipped’ into voting the way their Party bosses have told them to vote.
They vote, not for what they believe in as individuals or for the merits of the issue under debate, but for the party they work for. Their career is at stake and it is against the best interests of their career to vote against their own party. They are the ultimate ‘jobsworths’.
There is more about this issue on this website: www.independentnetwork.org.uk. I have applied to be ‘endorsed’ by the Independent Network and am committed to abiding by the principles laid down by the former Independent MP, Martin Bell. You can find The Bell Principles here.
So, I am not alone!
I am a serious candidate who would like to bring my experience of ‘real life’ to the benefit of everybody who lives in the Battersea constituency.
Most importantly, if you are disillusioned by politics generally; if you feel detached from the ‘career politicians’ who have looked after their own interests rather than yours; if you are disgusted by the way MPs have behaved in regard to their expenses; if you are a ‘floating voter’ - then please consider me, Hugh Salmon, as a serious candidate for your vote.
And please remember that your vote is very important. Throughout history some very brave and honest people, particularly women and ethnic minorities, have fought for the right to vote.
If nothing else, you owe it to them to vote for who you think is the best possible candidate for you and the community you live in – especially now, after the scandalous, sometimes criminal, behaviour and complete lack of integrity of the career politicians who we have elected in the past.
Please let me state my position on the local issues that I think are important. I will then turn to national issues, and inter-weave how they affect us here in Battersea accordingly.
