Sandy Martin
@sandyofipswich.bsky.social
Chair, Labour Campaign for Electoral Reform, SERA Executive (Labour’s Environment Campaign), pro-EU, LGBT+, Democratic Socialist - for 1to1 dialogue feel free to email sandyofipswich@gmail.com
Pinned
With Greens at 72% also that means we will have five party competition in most wards (as we did last year in nearly all constituencies). Don’t think that’s ever come close to happening before.
🚨 | Total Number of Candidates (/1,641) #LE2025:
➡️ RFM: 1,630 (99.3%)
🌳 CON: 1,594 (97.1%)
🌹 LAB: 1,540 (93.8%)
🔶 LDM: 1,396 (85.1%)
🌍 GRN: 1,182 (72.0%)
🧑🔧 TUSC: 97 (5.9%)
🏰 HER: 24 (1.5%)
🟡 MK: 18 (1.1%)
💷 UKIP: 13 (.8%)
🔴 SDP: 11 (.7%)
🙋 Inds: 461
🏘️ Local: 103
docs.google.com/spreadsheets...
➡️ RFM: 1,630 (99.3%)
🌳 CON: 1,594 (97.1%)
🌹 LAB: 1,540 (93.8%)
🔶 LDM: 1,396 (85.1%)
🌍 GRN: 1,182 (72.0%)
🧑🔧 TUSC: 97 (5.9%)
🏰 HER: 24 (1.5%)
🟡 MK: 18 (1.1%)
💷 UKIP: 13 (.8%)
🔴 SDP: 11 (.7%)
🙋 Inds: 461
🏘️ Local: 103
docs.google.com/spreadsheets...
If results this spring are so random, @uklabour.bsky.social has got to take notice. Mayoral elections in May 2026 currently due to be FPTP - the government MUST return to Supplementary Vote for these, or preferably ranked voting. Join us to campaign for rational democracy @labour4pr.bsky.social
Reposted by Sandy Martin
Tory hard Brexit didn’t even include our national security, let alone do anything to promote it - in an uncertain world internationalism is vital to our shared safety. Proud to stand with European colleagues at the parliamentary partnership assembly in pledging to tackle this.
November 18, 2025 at 11:01 PM
Tory hard Brexit didn’t even include our national security, let alone do anything to promote it - in an uncertain world internationalism is vital to our shared safety. Proud to stand with European colleagues at the parliamentary partnership assembly in pledging to tackle this.
Reposted by Sandy Martin
The government is not even trying to hide its far-right turn. Yesterday’s asylum changes show it clearly.
We will keep resisting the scapegoating of migrants, and we will always stand by one another.
We will keep resisting the scapegoating of migrants, and we will always stand by one another.
November 18, 2025 at 10:36 AM
The government is not even trying to hide its far-right turn. Yesterday’s asylum changes show it clearly.
We will keep resisting the scapegoating of migrants, and we will always stand by one another.
We will keep resisting the scapegoating of migrants, and we will always stand by one another.
Reposted by Sandy Martin
Nigel Farage has been accused of risking a trade war with Europe over plans to strip European Union citizens for claiming benefits in the UK
www.mirror.co.uk/news/politic...
www.mirror.co.uk/news/politic...
Reform UK 'risking trade war' with plan to strip EU citizens of benefits
Labour claimed Reform UK's move to strip Universal Credit payments would lead to a trade war between the UK and Brussels - pushing up prices on the shelves for British shoppers
www.mirror.co.uk
November 18, 2025 at 8:12 AM
Nigel Farage has been accused of risking a trade war with Europe over plans to strip European Union citizens for claiming benefits in the UK
www.mirror.co.uk/news/politic...
www.mirror.co.uk/news/politic...
Reposted by Sandy Martin
We need to move away from First Past the Post. 🗳️
#PR #ProportionalRepresentation #FairElections
Full article: https://loom.ly/ojnMd-A
#PR #ProportionalRepresentation #FairElections
Full article: https://loom.ly/ojnMd-A
November 18, 2025 at 8:14 AM
We need to move away from First Past the Post. 🗳️
#PR #ProportionalRepresentation #FairElections
Full article: https://loom.ly/ojnMd-A
#PR #ProportionalRepresentation #FairElections
Full article: https://loom.ly/ojnMd-A
Reposted by Sandy Martin
Labour's Stella Creasy asks Shabana Mahmood if she will "incarcerate children with their families as part of enforced return, or whether she intends to separate children from their mums and dads"?
Mahmood says she won't separate children, but doesn't say if they will be incarcerated
Mahmood says she won't separate children, but doesn't say if they will be incarcerated
November 17, 2025 at 7:08 PM
Labour's Stella Creasy asks Shabana Mahmood if she will "incarcerate children with their families as part of enforced return, or whether she intends to separate children from their mums and dads"?
Mahmood says she won't separate children, but doesn't say if they will be incarcerated
Mahmood says she won't separate children, but doesn't say if they will be incarcerated
Reposted by Sandy Martin
Labour MP Olivia Blake tells Shabana Mahmood that her rhetoric about asylum seekers being handed a "golden ticket" is "deeply offensive" and "feeds division" "and will only strengthen Reform not beat them".
November 17, 2025 at 7:20 PM
Labour MP Olivia Blake tells Shabana Mahmood that her rhetoric about asylum seekers being handed a "golden ticket" is "deeply offensive" and "feeds division" "and will only strengthen Reform not beat them".
Reposted by Sandy Martin
Labour MP Abtisam Mohamed: "What is dividing communities is constant anti refugee rhetoric pumped into our politics... There are some people who will never be appeased, who will constantly stir hatred..."
Shabana Mahmood: "What I think is dividing our country... is an unfair, out of control system"
Shabana Mahmood: "What I think is dividing our country... is an unfair, out of control system"
November 17, 2025 at 8:06 PM
Labour MP Abtisam Mohamed: "What is dividing communities is constant anti refugee rhetoric pumped into our politics... There are some people who will never be appeased, who will constantly stir hatred..."
Shabana Mahmood: "What I think is dividing our country... is an unfair, out of control system"
Shabana Mahmood: "What I think is dividing our country... is an unfair, out of control system"
Reposted by Sandy Martin
Labour MP Steve Witherden tells Shabana Mahmood that her plans to make refugees wait 20 years to apply for permanent status is "deeply concerning"
"Our government should lead with compassion and fairness, not forcing some of the most vulnerable in our society to live in limbo for two decades"
"Our government should lead with compassion and fairness, not forcing some of the most vulnerable in our society to live in limbo for two decades"
November 17, 2025 at 8:20 PM
Labour MP Steve Witherden tells Shabana Mahmood that her plans to make refugees wait 20 years to apply for permanent status is "deeply concerning"
"Our government should lead with compassion and fairness, not forcing some of the most vulnerable in our society to live in limbo for two decades"
"Our government should lead with compassion and fairness, not forcing some of the most vulnerable in our society to live in limbo for two decades"
Reposted by Sandy Martin
Labour MP Brian Leishman: "The Government has surrendered to... the vile rhetoric of Reform. Does the Home Secretary not see that removing the legal obligation to support asylum seekers who will be otherwise destitute, is as far away from Labour Party principles and values as we can get?"
November 17, 2025 at 8:23 PM
Labour MP Brian Leishman: "The Government has surrendered to... the vile rhetoric of Reform. Does the Home Secretary not see that removing the legal obligation to support asylum seekers who will be otherwise destitute, is as far away from Labour Party principles and values as we can get?"
Reposted by Sandy Martin
🆘 Don't let the Government abolish refugee status. Take action now! 🆘
www.anothereurope.org/petition-don...
www.anothereurope.org/petition-don...
November 17, 2025 at 5:56 PM
🆘 Don't let the Government abolish refugee status. Take action now! 🆘
www.anothereurope.org/petition-don...
www.anothereurope.org/petition-don...
Reposted by Sandy Martin
Vital piece of investigative reporting from Sky. They've uncovered the X algorithm which feeds users extremist right wing material from the moment they join the site. It is a far-right radicalisation engine, by design.
news.sky.com/story/the-x-...
news.sky.com/story/the-x-...
Elon Musk is boosting the British right - and this shows how
Elon Musk is boosting the British right - and this shows how
news.sky.com
November 6, 2025 at 7:23 AM
Vital piece of investigative reporting from Sky. They've uncovered the X algorithm which feeds users extremist right wing material from the moment they join the site. It is a far-right radicalisation engine, by design.
news.sky.com/story/the-x-...
news.sky.com/story/the-x-...
Reposted by Sandy Martin
X is designed to radicalise people.
The algorithm promotes Elon Musk's agenda to promote racists and people who want violence bought - specifically - to the streets of Britain.
Members of Parliament, major institutions and the media should not be there.
news.sky.com/story/the-x-...
The algorithm promotes Elon Musk's agenda to promote racists and people who want violence bought - specifically - to the streets of Britain.
Members of Parliament, major institutions and the media should not be there.
news.sky.com/story/the-x-...
Elon Musk is boosting the British right - and this shows how
Elon Musk is boosting the British right - and this shows how
news.sky.com
November 6, 2025 at 7:53 AM
X is designed to radicalise people.
The algorithm promotes Elon Musk's agenda to promote racists and people who want violence bought - specifically - to the streets of Britain.
Members of Parliament, major institutions and the media should not be there.
news.sky.com/story/the-x-...
The algorithm promotes Elon Musk's agenda to promote racists and people who want violence bought - specifically - to the streets of Britain.
Members of Parliament, major institutions and the media should not be there.
news.sky.com/story/the-x-...
Reposted by Sandy Martin
"The Employment Rights Bill is set to make things fairer."
"The Government must stand firm behind its commitment to make work pay. By getting this Bill passed now, in full."
Great speech from Labour Unions Chair @joannethomas.bsky.social at @coopparty.party.coop conference today! 🐝🌹
"The Government must stand firm behind its commitment to make work pay. By getting this Bill passed now, in full."
Great speech from Labour Unions Chair @joannethomas.bsky.social at @coopparty.party.coop conference today! 🐝🌹
November 15, 2025 at 12:09 PM
"The Employment Rights Bill is set to make things fairer."
"The Government must stand firm behind its commitment to make work pay. By getting this Bill passed now, in full."
Great speech from Labour Unions Chair @joannethomas.bsky.social at @coopparty.party.coop conference today! 🐝🌹
"The Government must stand firm behind its commitment to make work pay. By getting this Bill passed now, in full."
Great speech from Labour Unions Chair @joannethomas.bsky.social at @coopparty.party.coop conference today! 🐝🌹
Reposted by Sandy Martin
"It might take our producers five minutes to find 60 economists who feared Brexit and five hours to find a sole voice who espoused it. But by the time we went on air we simply had one of each; we presented this unequal effort to our audience as balance. It wasn't."
@maitlis.bsky.social
@maitlis.bsky.social
November 15, 2025 at 4:10 PM
"It might take our producers five minutes to find 60 economists who feared Brexit and five hours to find a sole voice who espoused it. But by the time we went on air we simply had one of each; we presented this unequal effort to our audience as balance. It wasn't."
@maitlis.bsky.social
@maitlis.bsky.social
Glad to be at #CoopConf25 and looking forward to hearing something new. I do think using “ideology” as an insult is not helpful though. I’m a member of the Labour Party and the Cooperative Party BECAUSE of my ideology.
November 15, 2025 at 11:37 AM
Glad to be at #CoopConf25 and looking forward to hearing something new. I do think using “ideology” as an insult is not helpful though. I’m a member of the Labour Party and the Cooperative Party BECAUSE of my ideology.
Reposted by Sandy Martin
63% of Kent voters didn’t want Reform to run Kent County Council but our ridiculous voting system gave them a huge majority anyway. Time to make our votes count!
www.bbc.com/news/article...
www.bbc.com/news/article...
Reform UK expels Kent councillor after alleged video leak
Isabella Kemp said she "strongly" denied accusations that she had been involved with the leak.
www.bbc.com
November 15, 2025 at 6:40 AM
63% of Kent voters didn’t want Reform to run Kent County Council but our ridiculous voting system gave them a huge majority anyway. Time to make our votes count!
www.bbc.com/news/article...
www.bbc.com/news/article...
Cannot overestimate how important this is. High rental costs are the major factor in the cost of living crisis for most less-well-off people. Fear of eviction makes it impossible for renters to stick up for themselves. There’s more to be done, but this is a great first step.
Millions of renters to get new rights in just six months
Among the measures coming into force Section 21 eviction notices, which allow landlords to evict tenants on a whim and without reason, will be banned from 1 May 2026
www.mirror.co.uk/news/politic...
Among the measures coming into force Section 21 eviction notices, which allow landlords to evict tenants on a whim and without reason, will be banned from 1 May 2026
www.mirror.co.uk/news/politic...
Millions of renters to get new rights in just six months - see key details
Among the measures coming into force Section 21 eviction notices, which allow landlords to evict tenants on a whim and without reason, will be banned from 1 May 2026.
www.mirror.co.uk
November 14, 2025 at 2:49 PM
Cannot overestimate how important this is. High rental costs are the major factor in the cost of living crisis for most less-well-off people. Fear of eviction makes it impossible for renters to stick up for themselves. There’s more to be done, but this is a great first step.
Reposted by Sandy Martin
Millions of renters to get new rights in just six months
Among the measures coming into force Section 21 eviction notices, which allow landlords to evict tenants on a whim and without reason, will be banned from 1 May 2026
www.mirror.co.uk/news/politic...
Among the measures coming into force Section 21 eviction notices, which allow landlords to evict tenants on a whim and without reason, will be banned from 1 May 2026
www.mirror.co.uk/news/politic...
Millions of renters to get new rights in just six months - see key details
Among the measures coming into force Section 21 eviction notices, which allow landlords to evict tenants on a whim and without reason, will be banned from 1 May 2026.
www.mirror.co.uk
November 14, 2025 at 1:27 PM
Millions of renters to get new rights in just six months
Among the measures coming into force Section 21 eviction notices, which allow landlords to evict tenants on a whim and without reason, will be banned from 1 May 2026
www.mirror.co.uk/news/politic...
Among the measures coming into force Section 21 eviction notices, which allow landlords to evict tenants on a whim and without reason, will be banned from 1 May 2026
www.mirror.co.uk/news/politic...
Reposted by Sandy Martin
“We think it’s long past time that the Charity Commission created real disincentives to breaches of this nature. In effect they amount to a misuse of public money, and if the Commission fails to do so we will not hesitate to challenge it in court.” goodlaw.social/9azv
After Good Law Project lodged a complaint against the rightwing lobby group Policy Exchange, the Charity Commission has launched a formal compliance case.
After Good Law Project lodged a complaint against the rightwing lobby group Policy Exchange, the Charity Commission has launched a formal compliance case.
goodlaw.social
November 13, 2025 at 9:09 AM
“We think it’s long past time that the Charity Commission created real disincentives to breaches of this nature. In effect they amount to a misuse of public money, and if the Commission fails to do so we will not hesitate to challenge it in court.” goodlaw.social/9azv
Actually, let’s not define ourselves by what we’re against - it’s a pro-European cooperation win! Brexit happened because too many people see life as a zero-sum game. In fact, if we all work more closely together we all win.
November 13, 2025 at 4:09 PM
Actually, let’s not define ourselves by what we’re against - it’s a pro-European cooperation win! Brexit happened because too many people see life as a zero-sum game. In fact, if we all work more closely together we all win.
Reposted by Sandy Martin
No — it’s an anti-Brexit win. ✊
UK scores Brexit win as EU fast-tracks electricity trading talks
The breakthrough comes after days of wrangling in Brussels over the extent to which London might be expected to pay for access to the EU’s single market.
www.politico.eu
November 13, 2025 at 3:29 PM
No — it’s an anti-Brexit win. ✊
Reposted by Sandy Martin
Finally, a bit of a reality check from our 2024 election book (out soon!) for everyone hyperventilating about collapsing public trust in the BBC - free to air TV (mostly the BBC) is still the most widely consumed and widely trusted source of news - blows print, online & social media out of the water
November 11, 2025 at 12:51 PM
Finally, a bit of a reality check from our 2024 election book (out soon!) for everyone hyperventilating about collapsing public trust in the BBC - free to air TV (mostly the BBC) is still the most widely consumed and widely trusted source of news - blows print, online & social media out of the water
Reposted by Sandy Martin
“MPs across the Commons are calling for a National Commission on Electoral Reform: a time limited, independent process to review First Past the Post and alternatives and recommend a way forward”
🌹 @alexsobel.co.uk writing in @prospectmagazine.co.uk
🔗 www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/views/letter...
🌹 @alexsobel.co.uk writing in @prospectmagazine.co.uk
🔗 www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/views/letter...
November 12, 2025 at 8:00 PM
“MPs across the Commons are calling for a National Commission on Electoral Reform: a time limited, independent process to review First Past the Post and alternatives and recommend a way forward”
🌹 @alexsobel.co.uk writing in @prospectmagazine.co.uk
🔗 www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/views/letter...
🌹 @alexsobel.co.uk writing in @prospectmagazine.co.uk
🔗 www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/views/letter...