AROUND 50 people spent a morning talking politics at the inaugural meeting of the South West Surrey Compass group – a radical pressure group, which describes itself as “the home for everyone who wants to be part of a much more equal, democratic and sustainable future”.

The meeting, at the Unitarian Church Hall in Godalming attracted local Labour, Green Party and Liberal Democrat figures including Susan Ryland, 2015 Green Party parliamentary candidate, former Liberal Democrat councillor Penny Rivers and Steve Williams, who fell just 221 votes short of winning a seat on Waverley council for Labour in this year’s local elections.

“The event was attended by a large number of progressive thinking people, including many not linked to party politics”, said Mr Williams, the event organiser.

”This is encouraging for local democracy, with 53 out of 57 borough councillors in Waverley all Conservatives, with no Labour, Lib Dem or Green representation on the council, it is important that the progressive voice is heard and the formation of a local progressive forum is one way in which we can ensure that this happens.”

The meeting was opened by Professor Ruth Lister, professor of social policy at Loughborough University, a former director of the Child Poverty Action Group and now an active Labour member in the House of Lords.

Baroness Lister said: “I very much welcome this meeting to launch a local Compass group for SW Surrey. Compass believes in pluralist politics in which people work together for democracy, equality and sustainability regardless of political affiliation. This meeting marks an important milestone in what we are calling the politics of radical hope.”

The meeting discussed ways of monitoring and challenging the Conservatives on Waverley Borough Council, ways of promoting the progressive cause in South West Surrey and the types of local and national campaigns the group wanted to get involved in.

A steering group was established to organise the next meeting, which will be held at the Unitarian Church Hall in Godalming on Saturday, September 12. Email Steve Williams on [email protected] for more information.