The leader of Advance UK, Ben Habib, has hit back at Isle of Wight councillor Geoff Brodie, who described his party’s views as ‘abhorrent’.
Mr Habib, the former co-deputy leader of Reform UK, said Independent Socialist councillor Geoff Brodie was putting out ‘spurious claims’ over Advance’s upcoming meeting at Wootton Bridge Community Centre this coming Saturday (18th October), as previously reported by Island Echo.
Cllr Brodie previously told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) he was appalled Wootton Bridge Community Association was allowing a ‘divisive, political organisation’ to hold the event at the community centre.
The Pan and Barton representative suggested it was against the charity’s published charitable objectives to permit the forum and pointed to the association previously denying the East Wight Primary progressives’ campaign access to the venue on that basis.
The Charity Commission told the LDRS it is currently assessing concerns over alleged political activity at the association.
Wootton Bridge Community Association declined to comment.
Cllr Brodie also made further remarks on the meeting:
“Immigration, whether legal or illegal, is being used by certain politicians to divide people at a time when most of the problems of society – cost of living, privatisation, the costs of Covid corruption, etc – lie with governments.
Article continues below this advertisement “Yes, the illegality needs to be dealt with by governments, but blaming people for fleeing danger and preferring the UK to other countries is not the way.”
Responding, Advance UK’s Ben Habib has said:
“Immigration is the number one issue as far as the electorate are concerned – there have been multiple polls done – immigration comes out at the top by miles in terms of people’s concerns.
“The only thing Advance UK has thus far published from itself as a party is our mission statement. Our mission statement doesn’t even mention immigration – it merely states that we stand for the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland in all its parts and for all its people.
“We stand by our Christian constitution, we stand by freedom for the people, freedom of speech, freedom from the overly interventionist state, freedom from the indoctrination of our children – we stand for democracy in this country, making sure our elected officials can be held to account and we stand for equality under the law.
“None of that can be regarded as divisive.”
Reform UK’s 2024 general election candidate for Isle of Wight East, Sarah Morris, who is now aligned with Advance UK, will be hosting the meeting.
Grow up Brodie, there are too many immigrants coming in, it’s simply numbers. And if they are from “bad” countries, then stay in there own countries and sort it out.
Mr Habib was, of course, born in Pakistan of a Pakistani father and British mother. To me, none of this is relevant and he is a valued member of British society. But that may not be a view shared by the people so keen to “stop all the immigrants, esp Muslim ones, coming over here stealing our jobs and committing crimes” brigade who are using the immigration issue as a vehicle to vent their racism. I think Mr Brodie’s point is that it is a misuse of the venue which is a reasonable challenge if it’s charitable status exclude use for political purposes.
Advance UK is our only hope.
Sadly by the time of the next election it will
be too late.
The Government could easily stop the boats
but for reasons only known unto themselves they
choose not to!.
Their agenda is not what people voted for!
Unfortunately, when people become disenfranchised from society, which is happening with two-tier policing, removal of free speech, uncontrolled immigration, attacks on societies values, people look for proactive members of society that will speak up for them. No one was given a choice on immigration. Now if anyone dares to voice a concern, they are labelled “far right”. It’s nothing to do with race, it’s about culture and British values.
Preferring the UK? Preferring the benefit setup of the UK perhaps. Preferring the opportunity to work clandestinely in a cash economy with no tax, probably. Preferring the preferential treatment for accommodation and services, certainly.
Same old crap from Brodie
Breaking news: racist, far right party, one of whose supporters is that fine upstanding citizen Steven Yaxley-Lennon, expresses outrage at suggestions it might be racist.
That Geoff Brodie seems to cause a lot of trouble, he appears to be uneducated uncouth with absolutely no class at all & quite frankly should resign & step down.