'I am not afraid to stand up against things that are wrong'
Earlier this month I exposed the problems I have been facing behind-the-scenes in The Labour Party.
The final straw for me was when Liverpool Wavertree MP Luciana Berger lodged a formal complaint with the Labour Group Leader in Liverpool - on Friday 31st May.
In this email, Luciana complained about me knocking on members' doors, not visiting her office to collect the script, and that out of the 14 Labour Councillors in her constituency, I am the only one who doesn't engage with her.
The complaint also states that Luciana has had a number of complaints raised with her about my "behaviour and action with regard to the Heygreen school going into special measures and the MANWEB field" .
Suspended
Two local issues that have been raised with me at my advice surgeries. I decided to post this complaint on Facebook for people to see, along with my complaint to Labour Leader Ed Miliband MP.
I was suspended from The Labour Party under the instruction of the General Secretary on Wednesday 5th June.
I was born in Liverpool, currently living in Kirkdale where we have lived for over 10 years. I got average GCSE results at Liverpool's biggest comprehensive school, Alsop High. I left Sixth Form a month in to the term, then working at the Royal Liverpool Hospital as a Healthcare Assistant on the wards for nearly two years.
None of my family are politically engaged. None of my family have ever been Councillors or MPs, or even members of political parties. I can count on only one hand how many extended family members have actually ever voted.
I joined the Labour Party because I have socialist and community values, and I was a trade union rep for UNISON when I worked in the NHS. I care about making a positive difference for people. I want to be that helping hand for people when needed. I work to support communities to develop a better society to live in.
For the past two years I have worked really hard to prove that I can be a capable Councillor, and I hope in my work it has reflected that I am a passionate person who really wants to make a difference.
Whether that be setting up neighbourhood residents groups, going around giving solar-powered security lights to elderly residents to increase community safety, or working with campaigners in Liverpool to equip all 122 primary schools with lifesaving defibrillators, and reaching 110,000 signatures on our e-petition to change the law.
Positive
And clearly this work has been recognised. Whether that be by the Labour Leader himself, Ed Miliband in February 2012 - commending me in a speech to Labour Youth Conference. Or being Highly Commended for 'Young Councillor of the Year' in February this year.
Since the problems I have been facing from the local MP have been exposed, residents in Wavertree and beyond have overwhelmingly offered their full support. So taking this in to account I have decided to announce the following:
As a working class lad from Liverpool, who is determined to make a positive difference, I have decided to announce today that I will be standing for election in 2015. I will be standing as an Independent Candidate for Liverpool Wavertree in the upcoming General Election.
I am not afraid to stand up against things that are wrong. I have a record of campaigning against items such as the Health and Social Care Act, which is seeing the destruction of our NHS.
I will be a real voice for the people of Liverpool Wavertree, displaying strong opposition to immoral policies that are put forward.
I whole heartedly believed that I belonged in the Labour Party, and that I would feel at home as a member and as a Labour Councillor. Sadly this has not turned out to be the case.
I am a community campaigner, I don't need a script to engage with members or the public. And if people come to me with issues, my responses do not need to be appropriately agreed by the MP.
Vomit
I am not anti-Labour, I am principled, and believe I can do a better job as the local MP than the incumbent. The Labour Party has shown some leg recently on policies and they don't sit comfortably with me. Also the talk of a possible coalition with the Liberal Democrats makes me want to vomit.
While this Government attacks those less well off, they leave alone their friends in big businesses and the banks. Instead of investing they are destructing. Instead of supporting the most vulnerable in society, they crush them even further.
I would eventually like to return to a Labour Party that welcomes freedom of expression and fights for working people. This should immediately include repealing the bedroom tax, investing in a massive scheme of building social houses. Restoring the NHS, baring (sic) in mind its founding principles and reverse all cuts. Create decent jobs for all, guaranteed job or training for all young people and establishment of the Living wage for all ages.
Opposing Michael Gove's destructive education reforms. Restore decent standards of welfare provision based on peoples needs, not bowing down to Tory ideology - The Labour Party should be there to stick up for people who need a helping hand.
Fighting
People need a real alternative. Not just more of the same.
Thus I am with immediate effect resigning as a member of the Labour Party. I will serve out the rest of my term as a Councillor for Wavertree as an Independent. And I look forward to fighting the campaign to be a real alternative as a hard working, dedicated, passionate and committed MP for Liverpool Wavertree.
I will make further announcements over the coming weeks and months about the practicalities and supporters of my campaign.
