The Independent Socialist Party

[LeonJWilliams]

Has anyone heard of the UK's The Independent Socialist Party (ISP)?

Tomorrow there are local elections in the UK as well as a by-election in South Shields (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-22216270).

The Independent Socialist Party's Phil Brown will be contesting the seat.

Anyone know anything?

[The Idler]

Can't find anything on a Google so I'll take a guess, disgruntled Old Labour one-man and his dog "party".

[LeonJWilliams]

Ah, independent as in, it's just me! lol

[Brutus]

Ah, independent as in, it's just me! lol

That was a guess by the idler, but it's probably an accurate guess. I can't find anything on google, so it's most likely one man and his dog

[The Idler]

Not to be confused with the proportionally larger Independent Socialist Network (http://www.independentsocialistnetwork.org/) (currently affiliated to TUSC but gravitating towards Left Unity).

[LeonJWilliams]

I found this (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Independent_Socialist_Party_(UK)).


Looks like it died out in the 50's though (if there is any connection). Could be a revival?

[The Idler]

Great find, but I'd bet this has no relation to the paper party in South Shields.

[Jolly Red Giant]

(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7jYi1W0kAt4) 7jYi1W0kAt4

http://www.shieldsgazette.com/news/local-news/video-candidate-profile-phil-brown-independent-socialist-party-1-5631538

http://www.jarrowandhebburngazette.com/news/local-news/party-challenged-to-drop-loony-tag-1-5627346

[GeordiErnesto]

Its a former Labour party member who's pissed off and has formed a new party, think its just him and a few people. Only registered the name a few weeks before the election so he could stand under the name "socialist" rather than merely "independent". Good luck to him

[Yet_Another_Boring_Marxist]

Twenty views? Poor guy, I hope he wins

[Blake's Baby]

Well, now (23 hours later) it's 28 views. I wonder if that's 8 views by RevLefters not from South Shields?

[Blake's Baby]

Guardian's reporting Labour first, UKIP second:

http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Guardian/Pix/Gallery_Images/2013/5/3/1367538293204/South-Shields-by-election-011.jpg Labour won the South Shields byelection by Ukip came second with 24% of the vote. Photograph: Christopher Thomond for The Guardian

(This appears to show Phil Brown (Ind Soc) and Howling Laud Hope (Loony))

12.24am BST (http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/blog/2013/may/02/local-elections-2013-live-coverage#block-5182f59fe4b01061b21ea21e)
South Shields byelection

The South Shields byelection result is just in. Labour's Emma Lewell-Buck has won, with Ukip's Richard Elvin coming second.

“It's humbling to follow in the footsteps of some great men, but I can assure you that this woman will walk in her own way,” Lewell-Buck said in her victory speech.

Labour won with 12,493 with Ukip second with 5,988, the Tories were third with 2,857. The Lib Dems trailed in seventh place with just 352 votes.

Here's the full result from PA:
Emma Lewell-Buck (Lab) 12,493 (50.51%, -1.51%)
Richard Elvin (UKIP) 5,988 (24.21%)
Karen Allen (C) 2,857 (11.55%, -10.04%)
Ahmed Khan (Ind) 1,331 (5.38%)
Phil Brown (Ind Soc) 750 (3.03%)
Lady Dorothy MacBeth Brookes (BNP) 711 (2.87%, -3.65%)
Hugh Annand (LD) 352 (1.42%, -12.79%)
Howling Laud Hope (Loony) 197 (0.80%)
Thomas Darwood (Ind) 57 (0.23%)

Lab maj 6,505 (26.30%)

Electorate 62,979; Turnout 24,736 (39.28%, -18.42%)

[Rugged Collectivist]

750 votes? Much better than I expected.

[LeonJWilliams]

Pretty high vote for a lefty, beat the BNP and Lib Dems.

Good going.

[Luís Henrique]

Indeed, quite a good vote, more than 3%.

Liberal Democrats and Tories suffered quite a massacre. Perhaps they were just not interested in this particular district? Or perhaps it is the low turnout of by-elections?

Anyway, UKIP's results are worrysome.

And I see Lady MacBeth is now BNP? What do you have to say about that, William?!

Luís Henrique

[Blake's Baby]

South Shields is allegedly (as there have been boundary changes there) never to have returned a Conservative since 1832 when the franchise was extended and parliamentary representation modernised in the 'Great Reform Act'.

Turnout is down 18%. I suspect LibDems stayed at home. I suspect some former Tory voters and BNP voters switched to UKIP.