Independents

In some areas there are also ‘independents’, though they aren't always as independent as their label would suggest. One problem where there is a group of independents is that they may have no coherent voice, each one pulling in a different direction. Sometimes, though, they are too coherent, with one strong individual imposing his or her notions on the group. They may be little more than a single-issue group set up by a person with a bee in their bonnet about that one issue. The same things can happen with local branches of national political parties of course, but it's far less likely because the national parties usually have defined and well-known stances on many issues.

The real problem with independents is that there's nothing about the label, 'independent', which would suggest their actual stance on any issue, or their location on the political spectrum. You’d have to check that out for yourself, and it's a case of "caveat emptor" - buyer beware. Despite this caveat, if your local independent group is closest to your beliefs then join them and be active.

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