Draft:Independent Oxford Alliance

The Independent Oxford Alliance (IOA) is a British political party based in Oxford founded in 2023 to contest that year's election to the Oxford City Council. It currently has four members on the council, and unsuccessfully ran a candidate in Oxford East at the 2024 United Kingdom general election. The party also intends to run candidates for wards within Oxford in the 2025 Oxfordshire County Council elections.

The party is opposed to the use of Low Traffic Neighbourhoods (LTNs) to reduce car use within Oxford, as well as other related measures such as bus gates and the expansion of the Zero Emission Zone.

History
The Independent Oxford Alliance was launched in November 2023 but was not formally registered with the Electoral Commission until January 30, 2024.

In the run up to the 2024 City Council elections the party was criticised in an open letter by Annelise Dodds, the incumbent MP for Oxford East, and Susan Brown, the leader of the council, for posts made on social media by party chair Anne Gwinnett and candidate for Barton and Sandhills Chaka Artwell. Dodds called the behaviour of some senior figures in the party "appalling", saying the views expressed by these individuals would "shock the vast majority of Oxford residents". Gwinnet called the letter an attempt to "distract attention" and "a coordinated political attack".

In the 2024 City Council elections the party stood candidates in 10 of the 24 wards, concentrating its efforts in East Oxford. It won in four of them: Lye Valley, Rose Hill and Iffley, Littlemore, and Cowley. Additionally, it endorsed and campaigned with Mohammed Azad, an independent candidate in Temple Cowley, who also won his seat.

At the 2024 general election, the party fielded a candidate in Oxford East: David Henwood, the party leader and councillor in Rose Hill and Iffley. He came fifth with 6% of the vote, saving his deposit.

Platform
The party does not have a formal manifesto but describes its five "shared priorities" as:
 * Transport
 * Housing
 * Care and Wellbeing
 * Education
 * "Open for Business"