ICG Will Not Contest Next General Election

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Party steps aside citing "ethical imperative" to remove borough's current MPs

The Independent Community Group (ICG) has announced that it will not be contesting the forthcoming General Election, because it believes there is an "ethical imperative" to remove the borough's two current MPs from office.

ICG Organiser Councillor Phil Andrews contested Brentford & Isleworth in 2005, winning 1118 votes or 2.4% of the poll. Commenting on the ICG's previous performance, Councillor Andrews said, "Our feelings about our share of the poll were mixed. As independents go our result was excellent, the second highest for any independent in Greater London. However it would be foolish of us not to acknowledge that we were a very long way indeed from mounting a serious challenge for the seat.

"Unlike some of our critics we are not in the business of fooling ourselves, and although we believe we would increase our share of the vote if we were to stand again I think it is clear from our previous experience that there is not a great deal of enthusiasm for our style of community politics at a parliamentary level. We simply cannot compete on that stage with the large, sophisticated political machines whose message is reinforced daily during election campaigns by the national media, and our decision demonstrates that we are happy to accept this and move on."

Councillor Andrews stressed that not putting up a candidate did not mean being politically inactive at a constituency level in the build-up to the next election.

"We are increasingly of the view that there is an ethical imperative to remove our current MPs which entirely transcends ideology or party politics. This is why we have ruled ourselves out from the contest, in order not to split the vote. It is important that the people of this borough elect Members of Parliament who are prepared to respect the wishes of the electorate and to work constructively with the local authority whatever its political composition."

May 9, 2007