Swale Independents

Swale Independents
Leader	Mike Baldock
Founded	21 May 2018;6 years ago (2018-05-21)
Headquarters	24 Station Road, Newington, Sittingbourne, Kent, ME9 7JS
Ideology	Localism
Colours	Orange   Green
Slogan	"Putting Local People First"
Kent County Council	0 / 81
Swale Borough Council	8 / 47
Website
www.swaleindependentsalliance.org
Politics of the United Kingdom Political parties Elections

The Swale Independents are a local political party based in the borough of Swale. It was founded in 2018 by the former leader of UKIP on Swale Borough Council, Mike Baldock. ^{[1] [2] [3]}

They sit together with one independent on Swale Borough Council as "The Swale Independents Alliance". ^[4]

History

At the 2019 Swale Borough Council election, the party elected 10 councillors. After the election, a "rainbow coalition" of the Swale Independents, Labour, Liberal Democrats, independents, and the Greens, was formed. This ended 17 years of Conservative control of the council. ^{[5] [6] [7]}

In 2020, the party's leader, Mike Baldock, faced criticism for opposing new houses being built, despite being a landlord who owns three houses, and an acre of land, worth £1 million in total. ^[8]

At the 2021 Kent County Council election, Baldock won a seat, becoming the party's sole representative on the council. ^{[9] [10]}

From April 2022 to May 2023, Baldock served as Swale Borough Council's leader. ^{[11] [12]}

At the 2023 Swale Borough Council election, the party won 11 council seats. ^[13] Afterwards, they formed another coalition with Labour and the Greens. ^[14]

In December 2023, Baldock resigned as deputy leader of Swale Borough Council, after a disagreement with the Labour group. He returned to the role just two weeks later. ^{[15] [16]}

In March 2024, Baldock was selected as the party's candidate for Sittingbourne and Sheppey in the 2024 general election. ^[17] He came fourth with 7.9% of the vote. ^[18]

In February 2025, four borough councillors left the party to join Reform UK, citing their fear that the UK is "heading for a Labour-run dictatorship". Mike Baldock called the move "a huge betrayal of the people who voted for them" and suggested that the defectors should resign and contest by-elections as Reform candidates. ^{[19] [20]}

Principles

The party supports Swale Borough Council changing from a cabinet system to a committee structure. It opposes whipping and the prioritisation of partisan interests over local people. ^[21]

References

1. "View registration - The Electoral Commission". search.electoralcommission.org.uk. Retrieved 23 May 2024.
2. Nurden, John (4 August 2017). "Councillor banned for three months". Kent Online. Retrieved 23 May 2024.
3. Hudson, Andy. "Council leader accuses UKIP leader of disregarding confidentially". www.sittingbourne.me. Retrieved 23 May 2024.
4. "Your Councillors". services.swale.gov.uk. 23 May 2024. Retrieved 23 May 2024.
5. Hudson, Andy. "Swale's biggest electoral shake up in decades promises to deliver significant changes". www.sittingbourne.me. Retrieved 23 May 2024.
6. Harbert, Joe (5 May 2023). "Another rainbow coalition on the cards for Swale". Kent Online. Retrieved 23 May 2024.
7. Wright, Charlotte (2 May 2023). "England local elections 2023: The rise of the independents". BBC News. Retrieved 23 May 2024.
8. Nurden, John (20 August 2020). "Councillor with £1m of property accused of being a 'hypocrite'". Kent Online. Retrieved 23 May 2024.
9. "Tories maintain majority in Kent County Council elections". BBC News. 7 May 2021. Retrieved 23 May 2024.
10. "Election results by party, 6 May 2021". democracy.kent.gov.uk. 6 May 2021. Retrieved 23 May 2024.
11. Hudson, Andy. "Cllr Mike Baldock takes the helm at Swale Borough Council". www.sittingbourne.me. Retrieved 23 May 2024.
12. "Monthly meetings calendar - April 2022". ws.swale.gov.uk. 23 May 2024. Retrieved 23 May 2024.
13. "Election results by party, 4 May 2023". services.swale.gov.uk. 4 May 2023. Retrieved 23 May 2024.
14. "As a Green councillor walked out one midsummer morning | LocalCouncils.co.uk". www.localcouncils.co.uk. Retrieved 23 May 2024.
15. Crossley, Joe (7 December 2023). "Deputy leader of council resigns". Kent Online. Retrieved 23 May 2024.
16. Harbert, Joe (20 December 2023). "Deputy council leader returns after resignation U-turn". Kent Online. Retrieved 23 May 2024.
17. Harbert, Joe (1 March 2024). "Long-standing councillor to stand to be Kent MP". Kent Online. Retrieved 23 May 2024.
18. "Sittingbourne and Sheppey - General election results 2024". BBC News. Retrieved 5 July 2024.
19. Esson, Daniel (7 February 2025). "Four councillors defect to Reform". Kent Online. Retrieved 6 April 2025.
20. "Four Swale Independents Councillors Join Reform". SFM Radio | 106.9 SFM – 100% Local Radio For Sittingbourne. 7 February 2025. Retrieved 6 April 2025.
21. "Our Principles". Swale Independents Alliance. Retrieved 23 May 2024.

External links

• Official website