Derwentside Independents is a

localist Localism describes a range of political philosophies which prioritize the local. Generally, localism supports local production and consumption of goods, local control of government, and promotion of local history, local culture and local identi ...

political party A political party is an organization that coordinates candidates to compete in a particular country's elections. It is common for the members of a party to hold similar ideas about politics, and parties may promote specific ideological or p ...

in County Durham,

England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...

. It was established in 2001 to contest elections to Derwentside District Council, later contesting elections to Durham County Council following the establishment of a

unitary authority A unitary authority is a local authority responsible for all local government functions within its area or performing additional functions that elsewhere are usually performed by a higher level of sub-national government or the national governmen ...

in 2009.

Background

Founded by former Councillor Bill Stockdale, the party benefited from the lack of organised opposition to the Labour Party from the main national political parties in Derwentside. Other officers are Ronald Weightman, nominating officer, and John Jopling, treasurer. According to its 2007 accounts, the party had 23 elected members and 22 general members. However, as of 2012 this was reduced to 9 Elected Members and 22 general members. The party describes itself as an association of like-minded people who formed a party participating in local governance without any specific particular political bias. Each member represents the people who elected them and are not whipped to follow the leader or follow party lines.

Election results

District Council elections

The party increased in strength following the 2003 local elections, gaining eight seats from the Labour Party in west and south Derwentside. At the final election to Derwentside District Council in 2007, the party gained a further 10 seats, bringing its total to 24 and reducing Labour's majority to three.

County Council elections

In March 2008, after feeling the Derwentside Independents could not offer a county-wide alternative to Labour, Councillor Bob Cook resigned from their ranks and joined the Liberal Democrats. He lost his seat at the subsequent local elections. A rival Durham County Council Independent Group led by John Shuttleworth formed in 2008. Following the 2013 elections, the Derwentside Independents Party had 8 councillors on the unitary Durham County Council. Their representation had fallen to 7 councilors by 2016. The party is part of one of two groups of independents on the county council, and forms part of the opposition to the ruling Labour Party.

UK Parliament elections

Its leader, councillor Watts Stelling, contested the 2005 general election in the constituency of North West Durham.

References

{{Reflist, 2 Political parties established in 2001 Locally based political parties in England Politics of County Durham 2001 establishments in England