Vanessa Smith

I'm on BlueSky now bsky.app/profile/v-smit…

I have made @PSCupdates's Councillor Pledge for Palestine! I am committing to advocate for Palestine and to combat complicity in Israel's crimes. Follow this link to ask your local councillors to do the same: palestinecampaign.eaction.org.uk/CouncillorPled…

You don't need a big party machine with lots of money to run a decent campaign. Just hard-working, dedicated people who focus on their community and the issues that mean the most to them. Progressive, community politics beats hatred and division. 🧡💚

If anyone is in any doubt how the Labour Party treats its Cllrs the take a look at this This is the Labour official who has been watching over our every move and controlling the Labour Group We walked away from this - they cannot control us anymore

Mass Labour exodus on Nottingham City Council - me and Dalia Gebrial for Novara Media V📺 Video link in replies 📺V

Welcome to the family @NottmPA

@kirstyljones @NottmPA Congratulations! Looking forward to working with you across the county

Looking forward to bringing much needed opposition to Nottingham Labour on Nottingham City Council, properly representing Nottingham residents. Join @NottmPA to shape our direction forms.gle/DsK4Wnyh7qXhCp…

SIX CLLRS RESIGN 🥀 ‘Today we end decades of Labour stranglehold on our City Starmers Labour takes ordinary people’s votes for granted in our communities, our City & the Country There are now progressive alternatives This is the beginning of the end for Labour in Nottingham

@AaronBastani We are now the Progressive Alternative in Broxtowe 👇 Worst Labour result here in living memory

BREAKING: Labour group leader Kate Foale loses her seat to @broxtoweindys

@CllrJWilliamson @MyWakefield Welcome! It's a tough thing to do,but it's so freeing to be able to keep to your values and hold your head up. Solidarity from @broxtoweindys !

I resigned the Labour whip during @MyWakefield meeting. Whilst speaking in a debate on austerity and welfare cuts, it became clear that the Labour Group are unwilling to genuinely represent the needs and interests of our district. Instead of supporting my motion in demanding an end to austerity, the reversal of all welfare cuts and the proper financing of local government, among other things. Labour Councillors overwhelmingly responded by watering it down, defending or excusing the government's actions and deflecting back onto the Tories and Lib Dems. Yes, criticism of the Tories and Lib Dems is warranted for their involvement in austerity over the last 14 years but, it is a Labour government that is doing it now. If we are not prepared to oppose this government with the same veracity as we did the Tories, then we are nothing more than hypocrites. Putting the current welfare cuts into perspective, they are the fifth largest tranche of cuts since 2010 and the largest since 2015. Essentially meaning that this so-called Labour Government are cutting benefits at higher levels than 9 of the 14 years the Tories were in office. Aditionally, the current disability cuts go further than the Tories were prepared to go to in 2018, as they are 3x larger than the cuts that Ian Duncan Smith resigned over. Whilst there have been other issues within the Labour Group and the wider Party that have influenced my decision, this debate was the final straw. The Labour Group are unwilling to call the government's cuts for what they really are - a continuation of Tory austerity. I was already suspended from the party for voting against the Labour Group's austerity budget which, reduced Council services by £29m, cut 250 jobs and raised Council tax by the maximum. I cannot continue to legitimise a Labour Cabinet which lied about the scale of the job cuts, and tried to decieve residents when u-turning on cuts to libraries and the garden waste services. I cannot remain a member of a political group that conducts itself in this manner, and is willing to stand by whilst the government betrays its own values and the working-class communities it is supposed to represent. Equally, I cannot continue to legitimise a Labour government that has reneged on its manifesto commitments and is attacking the poorest and most vulnerable in our society. This is not the Labour Party I joined, and it is not the Labour Party people voted for. Our district deserves better than Councillors who are putting their own positions and allowances over the needs of our residents. We deserve politicians, at all levels of government, who are honest and will genuinely represent our interests. This decision is not me leaving the Labour Party - it is the Labour Party that has left us. They do not represent working-class communities anymore and I could not look my residents in the eye if I were to continue legitimising the disgraceful choices of this Party. Just to be clear, whilst I have resigned the Labour whip, I will continue to represent Hemsworth, Kinsley, Fitzwilliam, South Hiendley & Felkirk. It will just be from the opposition benches, as an Independent Councillor. Solidarity, Jake

If anyone was believing the hype, this is the view of a recent senior Nottm City Councillor who sees #Broxtowe as a rotten borough and Beeston, Stapleford, Kimberley and Eastwood as “meaningless suburban towns”. It is a remarkable insult and shows what the City thinks of us.

So proud of @broxtoweindys delivering our @broxtowebc budget to cabinet tonight. • No cuts to jobs & Services ✂️⛔️ • Building new council houses 🏘️ • Lowest rent in East Mids 💷 • ethical investments 🌳 • 100 Broxtowe events+free play days • Sound finances for Broxtowe ✅

Help us fight the National Party machines and let us,our residents & our communities have a voice & a seat at the political table in May. Never before has it been so vital to break the 2 Party system and provide a strong community alternative to Reform gofund.me/2db69baa

So many passionate, community minded people (familiar faces and new) coming together to share ideas about how we can have positive impact in Broxtowe and beyond. Feeling really grateful and inspired 😁

She’s listened to the ‘non -dom community’ but not the WASPi women, the pensioners, the charities demanding a rethink on the 2 child benefit cap, the working class communities left behind. It’s astounding that this is the LABOUR Party, a LABOUR government!

Sink the Bill? The Climate & Nature Bill? This Bill? 🏭reduce greenhouse gases 🌎reverse damage to natural world 🙋‍♀️launch climate citizen assembly When will backbenchers get a backbone and show some leadership & courage? Where is the fight back? What will it take?

Absolutely! You have to get out there, and we will be doing the same in Beeston on 11th Feb at Middle St Resource Centre 6:30pm. Come and join us.

No-one voted for this. We expected it from the Tories, but not from @UKLabour. Make no mistake, this is a choice and they’re “choosing” not to rebuild QMC until 2037 🏨💔

Build from the grassroots up Get back into your communities The political systems have failed us Rebuilding a genuine civil society means constructing & supporting organisations deeply rooted in communities & built around people This is what our Cllrs do 👇 Our Broxtowe ❤️