By Sam Wise. Reform UK’s Councillor for Coxford, Phillip Crook, will tomorrow table a motion calling for only the Union, St George’s and Southampton City flags to be flown at council buildings, and for the Union Flag to be flown/displayed at every council premises and council school. Let’s call...
Opinion Pieces
Opinion: Flag motion distracts from the real issues facing local people
By Southampton Stand Up To Racism. Southampton Stand Up To Racism is issuing the following statement on the motion brought by Reform UK councillors, due to be debated at Full Council on Wednesday 15 July, which seeks to restrict the flying of flags at the Civic Centre to only...
Reader’s letter: join emergency protest against banning of Pride flags in Southampton
By Trans Pride Southampton. Emergency Protest! It has come to our attention that Reform Councillor Phillip Crook has motioned for Southampton City Council to no longer fly Pride flags. We counter-argue that Southampton City Council should, in fact, fly MORE Pride flags than it does at present – specifically...
Reader’s letter: Clacton by-election – which one Is the comedy candidate?
Image shows one of many Count Binface appreciation groups on Facebook. By Charlotte Ndupuechi. British politics has always had its fair share of colourful characters, but the Clacton by-election feels like something lifted straight from an episode of Black Mirror. Facebook groups have sprung up in support of Count...
Reader’s letter: Why I’m organising Unity in the Community event to celebrate refugees in Southampton
By Bobby Grigore. The best way I’d describe Unity in the Community (a march taking place from noon in Southampton city centre on Sunday) is a celebration of the joy that refugees come to experience as a result of their perseverance in a world that’s been growing rapidly volatile...
Opinion: Will a new Prime Minister bring the change that people in Southampton voted for?
By Cllr. Matt Renyard, Southampton City Green Group Leader and Ward Councillor for Coxford. At the May 2026 local elections, the message was clear – the majority of you wanted change. You wanted leaders who would genuinely tackle the growing gap between your wages and the cost of living, the squeeze...
Reader’s letter: why is council closing play area in summer and dropping splash pad plans?
By Charlotte Ndupuechi. Southampton has some amazing parks and green spaces. From the Common to the Sports Centre, they are places where families gather, children play and communities come together. They are among the city’s greatest assets. That’s why two recent developments have left me wondering what is going...
Reader’s letter: it’s time that Southampton had a new lido
By Chris Zardis. The hot weather definitely made me think, wouldn’t it be nice if we had a lido today. Unfortunately of course we don’t. And so I thought – there must be a campaign group for a lido in Southampton – but though there were plenty of groups...
Reader’s letter: Starmer’s speech – a missed opportunity to address the nation
By Charlotte Ndupuechi. Keir Starmer’s resignation speech left me disappointed, not because he chose to step down—we all knew that was only a matter of time—but because he seemed unwilling to acknowledge how he arrived at this point. During his leadership campaign, Starmer pledged to abolish tuition fees, supported...
Reader’s letter: open letter to Southampton MPs on EHRC Draft Code of Practice
By Cllr Misty Burgess. Sent to MPs Satvir Kaur, Darren Paffey and Caroline Nokes, I am writing to you on behalf of the Southampton & District Green Party councillors regarding the Draft Code of Practice on Services, public functions and associations, in particular the impact it will have...