English Democrats Party
Encyclopedia
The English Democrats are an English federalist
political party, committed to the formation of a devolved
English Parliament
with at least the same powers as those granted to the Scottish Parliament
. Whilst not supporting English Independence, the English Democrats consider themselves the English equivalent of the Scottish National Party
in Scotland and Plaid Cymru
in Wales. Their motto is "Not left, not right, just English".
At the English local elections
in June 2009, the party's candidate won the Mayoral Election for the Metropolitan Borough of Doncaster
.
of power to Scotland
and Wales
, Robin Tilbrook formed the "English National Party", with the aim of reforming the defunct English National Party
which had been founded in the 1960s, but had ceased operating as a party by 1981. The English National Party formed by Robin Tilbrook included members of the Campaign for an English Parliament
, a pressure group that lobbies for a devolved English Parliament.
The party was relaunched as "The English Democrats" in September 2002, after merging with several other smaller political parties. In October 2004, the party merged with the Reform UK Party, which was a small splinter group from the United Kingdom Independence Party (UKIP). The New England Party
merged with The English Democrats in February 2007.
The English Democrats are co-founders of the English Constitutional Convention
.
In December 2004, it was rumoured that Robert Kilroy-Silk
, the former UKIP MEP
had entered into negotiation to join The English Democrats. However, Kilroy-Silk went on to form Veritas
.
. In addition to the twenty-person National Council including nine area chairmen, there are 14 National Sub-Committees to expedite progress in the party development.
The party claimed a total membership of 1,011 at the end of 2004, and 1,202 at the end of 2005. The BBC reported 1,300 members in 2007. Party Membership was nearly 8000 in September 2011.
The national chairman of the party is Robin Tilbrook, a solicitor, who attended Wellington College, Berkshire
, and is a former member of the Conservative Party
. He has stood for the party twice in European Parliament
elections; for London
in 2004, and the East of England
in 2009.
in five of the nine regions of England. Their 2004 election canvassing leaflet featured the slogan, "Not left, not right, just English". Their candidates won 130,056 votes in total.
A month later, the party stood at the 2004 Birmingham Hodge Hill by-election. The English Democrat candidate received 277 votes, or 1.4% of the votes cast.
On 30 September a by-election was held at Hartlepool
. The English Democrat candidate polled 41 votes or 0.1% of votes cast.
was "The English Democrats—Putting England First!" In total, The English Democrats fielded 25 candidates for the May 2005 general election, including Staffordshire
South where the election was delayed until June due to the death of a candidate. The party withdrew their candidate in North Norfolk
and endorsed the Conservative Party candidate, Iain Dale
, as he had "taken the issues of English discrimination seriously".
Garry Bushell
, the former Sun
journalist and current Daily Star Sunday TV critic, became the most high profile candidate for The English Democrats, standing in the Greenwich and Woolwich constituency in London
. Bushell's 1,216 votes (a 3.4% share for that constituency) beat the UKIP candidate, Stan Gain, who secured 2.0% (709 votes), represented the party's best showing for the election; though this was still a 5th place performance.
In June 2005, Bushell also stood in Staffordshire South, where he received 643 votes (2.5%) coming fifth out of eight candidates.
Town Council, polling 120 votes, or 56.8% of the poll, on a turnout of 10%.
, seventy-eight candidates stood for election in boroughs and districts across fifteen English counties, including twenty in Dartford and ten in Portsmouth
. All were unsuccessful.
elections in the South East Wales region, and the constituencies of Monmouth (fifth with 2.7%), Newport East (sixth 2.2%) and Newport West (fifth 2.7%). The party received also 0.9% of the vote on the regional list.
was nominated as Mayoral candidate for The English Democrats for the 2008 London mayoral and Assembly elections
with the campaign slogan "Serious About London". In January 2008 Bushell stepped down as the Mayoral candidate due to work commitments and Fathers 4 Justice
founder Matt O'Connor
was selected by The English Democrats in his place with his campaign expected to start on 14 February. His campaign web site voteenglish.org was launched on 31 January 2008. A Party political broadcast
for O'Connor's campaign was broadcast on 11 April.
One week before the Mayoral election, on 25 April, Matt O'Connor announced to Vanessa Feltz
and the BBC
that he was dropping out of the Mayoral race. He cited his reasons as being due to a lack of support within The English Democrats on St George's Day
and lack of press coverage as well as the party's cooperation with far-right group England First
. The English Democrats released a press statement on their website in response to his resignation voicing disappointment at his decision to quit the contest. O'Connor received 10,695 first preference votes (representing 0.44% of the votes cast) in the mayoral contest, ranking ninth out of ten candidates, he received 73,538 second preference votes 3.67%, ranking eighth.
ward of Doncaster and in three wards in Rochford.
forced by the resignation of former shadow home secretary David Davis
from the House of Commons. Because of the issues raised by David Davis in the by-election, parties other than the Conservatives
, such as Labour
, Liberal Democrats
, United Kingdom Independence Party (UKIP) and British National Party
(BNP) chose not to stand. Joanne Robinson ended up coming in third, with 1,714 votes (7.2%), 44 votes fewer than the Green candidate received in second place. Of the 26 candidates she was one of only three to win back her deposit. This result is both the highest place and percentage of the votes won by any English Democrat candidate in a parliamentary election or parliamentary by-election.
The party had an unexpected success when Peter Davies
, its candidate for Mayor
of Doncaster
, was elected. Having received 16,961 votes in the first round, 189 votes behind the independent
Michael Maye, Davies was returned in the second count on transfers of second preference votes, with 25,344 votes to 24,990.
held in June 2009. They fielded a full slate of candidates across the nine English European parliament constituencies
. On 18 May 2009 The English Democrats broadcast their first national Party Election Broadcast
. They came seventh in the election in England (ninth in the UK as a whole) with 279,801 votes or 1.8%, a rise from the 0.7% they received at the previous elections in 2004
. The English Democrats do not stand in Northern Ireland, Scotland or Wales, and their vote across England in 2009 was 2.1%, an increase of 1.3% yet still did not keep their deposits except Yorkshire and the Humber where they gained 2.6% of the vote. None of The English Democrats candidates were elected; the English Democrats were the highest polling party across the UK not to have an MEP elected.
In the North West Region they entered into an electoral agreement with the far right England First Party
. This move was criticised by some members.
106 is the minimum number required to qualify for a Party Election Broadcast. The English Democrats received 64,826 votes, or 0.3% of the vote in England, and 0.2% of the vote in the United Kingdom. No candidates were elected but saved one deposit in the Doncaster North
constituency.
elections on 5 May 5 2011 saw the election of the first two EDP Councillors. David Owens and Elliott Fountain were elected in the Fenside Ward for a four year term, thus becoming the only EDP members of a district council to be elected by public vote.
A sitting EDP councillor on Peterborough council lost his seat.
North ward for Salford City Council. Their candidate Laurence Depares polled 125 votes and came 3rd ahead of the BNP
and Liberal Democrats
and narrowly being beaten by the Conservatives
.
. Their candidate, Stephen Morris, polled 144 votes in an area they had never previously contested.
The party was also represented at the 3 March 2011 by-election in Barnsley Central
. Their candidate Kevin Riddiough polled 544 votes.
constituency of Monmouth, in line with their view that Monmouthshire should be returned to English governance. The English Democrats polled 744 (2.47%) of the votes cast. The incumbent Conservative assembly member was returned.
each year with alterations voted for by their membership at an Autumn Annual General Meeting
and occasional Spring EGM
.
and the National Assembly for Wales
provide a voice to those two constituent nations of the United Kingdom
(UK) that England lacks. The party proposes to convene the first exclusively English Parliament
since the initial Laws in Wales Act 1535 through one of three methods:
The party has rejected suggestions that non-English MPs in the House of Commons should be barred from voting on England-specific matters, on the basis that this would lead to there being, in effect, two parliaments in the same building and that this would be problematic.
The party is against the establishment of regional assemblies
in the Regions of England
.
by a nationwide, multiple choice, referendum, which would include the option to withdraw from it entirely. The English Democrats are committed to campaign on the "Withdrawal" side of any referendum. English Democrats policy is to maintain free trade arrangements by rejoining the European Free Trade Association
(EFTA).
and has called for a referendum on whether Monmouthshire
should be part of England as opposed to Wales:
Campaign, whether the English Parliament is within a Federal UK or simply as a Devolved Parliament within the current UK structure.
and Australia
n models, is advocated. The party's manifesto also suggests that the country should withdraw from international conventions on asylum and immigration.
(SNP) on the BBC Newsnight
programme in a "Act of Disunion" debate and on 1 May 2007 on the Internet television
station 18 Doughty Street
on the 300th anniversary of the signing of the Acts of Union
in 1707.
On 2 May 2008 the East London Advertiser, The English Democrats denied any BNP link and insisted they are non-racist, campaigning on an English identity in the same way as the Welsh and Scots, with Robin Tilbrook stating, "There are no links with the BNP at all. We even stood against them in the elections and have non-English ethnic candidates. We're not about race, but campaign on English identity. Home is where the heart is. Colour is not relevant."
, a Liberal Democrat MP, has said that he was attracted by the thinking of the English Democrats, and he believed that they are not about being right wing or left wing, but about being democratic. Dave Hill in The Guardian
described them as "populist campaigners for an English parliament" with "nationalist leanings".
Federalist
The term federalist describes several political beliefs around the world. Also, it may refer to the concept of federalism or the type of government called a federation...
political party, committed to the formation of a devolved
Devolution
Devolution is the statutory granting of powers from the central government of a sovereign state to government at a subnational level, such as a regional, local, or state level. Devolution can be mainly financial, e.g. giving areas a budget which was formerly administered by central government...
English Parliament
Devolved English parliament
A devolved English parliament or assembly, giving separate decision-making powers to representatives for voters in England similar to the representation given by the National Assembly for Wales, Scottish Parliament and the Northern Ireland Assembly, is currently a growing issue in the politics of...
with at least the same powers as those granted to the Scottish Parliament
Scottish Parliament
The Scottish Parliament is the devolved national, unicameral legislature of Scotland, located in the Holyrood area of the capital, Edinburgh. The Parliament, informally referred to as "Holyrood", is a democratically elected body comprising 129 members known as Members of the Scottish Parliament...
. Whilst not supporting English Independence, the English Democrats consider themselves the English equivalent of the Scottish National Party
Scottish National Party
The Scottish National Party is a social-democratic political party in Scotland which campaigns for Scottish independence from the United Kingdom....
in Scotland and Plaid Cymru
Plaid Cymru
' is a political party in Wales. It advocates the establishment of an independent Welsh state within the European Union. was formed in 1925 and won its first seat in 1966...
in Wales. Their motto is "Not left, not right, just English".
At the English local elections
United Kingdom local elections, 2009
The 2009 United Kingdom local elections were elections held to all 27 County Councils, three existing Unitary Authorities and five new Unitary Authorities, all in England, on 4 June 2009...
in June 2009, the party's candidate won the Mayoral Election for the Metropolitan Borough of Doncaster
Metropolitan Borough of Doncaster
The Metropolitan Borough of Doncaster is a metropolitan borough of South Yorkshire in Yorkshire and the Humber Region of England.In addition to the town of Doncaster, the borough covers Mexborough, Conisbrough, Thorne and Finningley....
.
Formation
In 1998, and in response to calls for the devolutionDevolution
Devolution is the statutory granting of powers from the central government of a sovereign state to government at a subnational level, such as a regional, local, or state level. Devolution can be mainly financial, e.g. giving areas a budget which was formerly administered by central government...
of power to Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
and Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
, Robin Tilbrook formed the "English National Party", with the aim of reforming the defunct English National Party
English National Party
English National Party has been the name of various political parties of England.-The original ENP:The English National Party was founded as the John Hampden New Freedom Party in the 1960s by Frank Hansford-Miller. In 1974, it renamed itself the "English Nationalist Party"...
which had been founded in the 1960s, but had ceased operating as a party by 1981. The English National Party formed by Robin Tilbrook included members of the Campaign for an English Parliament
Devolved English parliament
A devolved English parliament or assembly, giving separate decision-making powers to representatives for voters in England similar to the representation given by the National Assembly for Wales, Scottish Parliament and the Northern Ireland Assembly, is currently a growing issue in the politics of...
, a pressure group that lobbies for a devolved English Parliament.
The party was relaunched as "The English Democrats" in September 2002, after merging with several other smaller political parties. In October 2004, the party merged with the Reform UK Party, which was a small splinter group from the United Kingdom Independence Party (UKIP). The New England Party
New England Party
The New England Party was a political party in the United Kingdom, based in Dartford. According to its registration with the Electoral Commission, its leader, nominating officer, and treasurer was Michael Tibby while Sheila Tibby was its campaigns officer....
merged with The English Democrats in February 2007.
The English Democrats are co-founders of the English Constitutional Convention
English Constitutional Convention
The English Constitutional Convention is a pressure group lobbying for a devolved English Parliament.The English Constitutional Convention aims to bring about the same constitutional changes achieved by the Scottish Constitutional Convention which ultimately secured a devolved Parliament and...
.
In December 2004, it was rumoured that Robert Kilroy-Silk
Robert Kilroy-Silk
Robert Michael Kilroy-Silk is an English former politician, former independent Member of the European Parliament, and former television presenter, best known for his daytime talk show Kilroy. He has been a university lecturer and Labour Party Member of Parliament...
, the former UKIP MEP
Member of the European Parliament
A Member of the European Parliament is a person who has been elected to the European Parliament. The name of MEPs differ in different languages, with terms such as europarliamentarian or eurodeputy being common in Romance language-speaking areas.When the European Parliament was first established,...
had entered into negotiation to join The English Democrats. However, Kilroy-Silk went on to form Veritas
Veritas (political party)
Veritas is a political party in the United Kingdom, formed in February 2005 at Hinckley golf club by politician-celebrity Robert Kilroy-Silk following a split from the United Kingdom Independence Party . Kilroy-Silk served as party leader from formation, through the 2005 General Election, until...
.
Organisation
The English Democrats have an England-wide network of area, county and some Borough officers. In April 2006, it announced full national representative coverage of the nine Regions of EnglandRegions of England
In England, the region is the highest tier of sub-national division used by central Government. Between 1994 and 2011, the nine regions had an administrative role in the implementation of UK Government policy, and as the areas covered by elected bodies...
. In addition to the twenty-person National Council including nine area chairmen, there are 14 National Sub-Committees to expedite progress in the party development.
The party claimed a total membership of 1,011 at the end of 2004, and 1,202 at the end of 2005. The BBC reported 1,300 members in 2007. Party Membership was nearly 8000 in September 2011.
The national chairman of the party is Robin Tilbrook, a solicitor, who attended Wellington College, Berkshire
Wellington College, Berkshire
-Former pupils:Notable former pupils include historian P. J. Marshall, architect Sir Nicholas Grimshaw, impressionist Rory Bremner, Adolphus Cambridge, 1st Marquess of Cambridge, author Sebastian Faulks, language school pioneer John Haycraft, political journalist Robin Oakley, actor Sir Christopher...
, and is a former member of the Conservative Party
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
. He has stood for the party twice in European Parliament
European Parliament
The European Parliament is the directly elected parliamentary institution of the European Union . Together with the Council of the European Union and the Commission, it exercises the legislative function of the EU and it has been described as one of the most powerful legislatures in the world...
elections; for London
London (European Parliament constituency)
London is a constituency of the European Parliament. It currently elects 8 MEPs using the d'Hondt method of party-list proportional representation.- Boundaries :The constituency corresponds to Greater London, in the south east of the United Kingdom....
in 2004, and the East of England
East of England (European Parliament constituency)
East of England is a constituency of the European Parliament. It currently elects 7 MEPs using the d'Hondt method of party-list proportional representation.- Boundaries :...
in 2009.
Annual conference
The Party holds a two-day annual conference each year in September; the first day is dedicated to members only matters, the second day is open to all those wishing to learn more about The English Democrats.2003
The first person to stand for The English Democrats was Gary Cowd, who stood in Rushmoor—West Heath Ward in North Hampshire in a Council by-election in May 2003. Cowd was an active member of The English Democrats and a National Council member. In 2006 he left The English Democrats.2004
The English Democrats stood candidates for election in the 2004 European Parliament electionEuropean Parliament election, 2004
Elections to the European Parliament were held from 10 June 2004 to 13 June 2004 in the 25 member states of the European Union, using varying election days according to local custom...
in five of the nine regions of England. Their 2004 election canvassing leaflet featured the slogan, "Not left, not right, just English". Their candidates won 130,056 votes in total.
A month later, the party stood at the 2004 Birmingham Hodge Hill by-election. The English Democrat candidate received 277 votes, or 1.4% of the votes cast.
On 30 September a by-election was held at Hartlepool
Hartlepool by-election, 2004
On 23 July 2004, the Member of Parliament for Hartlepool, in England, Peter Mandelson , was nominated as the United Kingdom's new European Commissioner. On 8 September he accepted the office of Steward of the Manor of Northstead, thereby disqualifying himself from Parliament and causing a by-election...
. The English Democrat candidate polled 41 votes or 0.1% of votes cast.
2005
The party's slogan for the 2005 general electionUnited Kingdom general election, 2005
The United Kingdom general election of 2005 was held on Thursday, 5 May 2005 to elect 646 members to the British House of Commons. The Labour Party under Tony Blair won its third consecutive victory, but with a majority of 66, reduced from 160....
was "The English Democrats—Putting England First!" In total, The English Democrats fielded 25 candidates for the May 2005 general election, including Staffordshire
Staffordshire
Staffordshire is a landlocked county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes, the county is a NUTS 3 region and is one of four counties or unitary districts that comprise the "Shropshire and Staffordshire" NUTS 2 region. Part of the National Forest lies within its borders...
South where the election was delayed until June due to the death of a candidate. The party withdrew their candidate in North Norfolk
North Norfolk (UK Parliament constituency)
North Norfolk is a parliamentary constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election....
and endorsed the Conservative Party candidate, Iain Dale
Iain Dale
Iain Campbell Dale is best known for his conservative-minded British political blog Iain Dale's Diary and for his frequent appearances on UK news channels as a political commentator. He is also a publisher, broadcaster and former Conservative Party politician...
, as he had "taken the issues of English discrimination seriously".
Garry Bushell
Garry Bushell
Garry Bushell is an English newspaper columnist, rock music journalist, television presenter, author and political activist. Bushell also sings in the Oi! band The Gonads and manages the New York City Oi! band Maninblack. Bushell's recurring themes are comedy, country and class...
, the former Sun
The Sun (newspaper)
The Sun is a daily national tabloid newspaper published in the United Kingdom and owned by News Corporation. Sister editions are published in Glasgow and Dublin...
journalist and current Daily Star Sunday TV critic, became the most high profile candidate for The English Democrats, standing in the Greenwich and Woolwich constituency in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. Bushell's 1,216 votes (a 3.4% share for that constituency) beat the UKIP candidate, Stan Gain, who secured 2.0% (709 votes), represented the party's best showing for the election; though this was still a 5th place performance.
In June 2005, Bushell also stood in Staffordshire South, where he received 643 votes (2.5%) coming fifth out of eight candidates.
Crowborough Town Council by-election
In November 2005 the party achieved its first electoral success when Paul Adams was elected to CrowboroughCrowborough
The highest point in the town is 242 metres above sea level. This summit is the highest point of the High Weald and second highest point in East Sussex . Its relative height is 159 m, meaning Crowborough qualifies as one of England's Marilyns...
Town Council, polling 120 votes, or 56.8% of the poll, on a turnout of 10%.
2007
In the 2007 local electionsUnited Kingdom local elections, 2007
The 2007 UK local government elections were held on 3 May 2007. These elections took place in most of England and all of Scotland. There were no local government elections in Wales though the Welsh Assembly had a general election on the same day. There were no local government elections in Northern...
, seventy-eight candidates stood for election in boroughs and districts across fifteen English counties, including twenty in Dartford and ten in Portsmouth
Portsmouth Council election, 2007
Elections to Portsmouth Council were held on 3 May 2007. One third of the council was up for election and the council stayed under no overall control.After the election, the composition of the council was*Liberal Democrat 19*Conservative 17*Labour 5...
. All were unsuccessful.
Welsh Assembly elections
In line with the English Democrats stance on the status of Monmouthshire, thirteen English Democrat candidates contested the Welsh AssemblyNational Assembly for Wales
The National Assembly for Wales is a devolved assembly with power to make legislation in Wales. The Assembly comprises 60 members, who are known as Assembly Members, or AMs...
elections in the South East Wales region, and the constituencies of Monmouth (fifth with 2.7%), Newport East (sixth 2.2%) and Newport West (fifth 2.7%). The party received also 0.9% of the vote on the regional list.
London mayoral election
In July 2007 Garry BushellGarry Bushell
Garry Bushell is an English newspaper columnist, rock music journalist, television presenter, author and political activist. Bushell also sings in the Oi! band The Gonads and manages the New York City Oi! band Maninblack. Bushell's recurring themes are comedy, country and class...
was nominated as Mayoral candidate for The English Democrats for the 2008 London mayoral and Assembly elections
London mayoral election, 2008
The London mayoral election, 2008 for the office of Mayor of London was held on 1 May 2008 and was won by Conservative Party candidate Boris Johnson....
with the campaign slogan "Serious About London". In January 2008 Bushell stepped down as the Mayoral candidate due to work commitments and Fathers 4 Justice
Fathers 4 Justice
Fathers 4 Justice began as a fathers’ rights organisation in the United Kingdom. It became prominent and frequently discussed in the media following a series of high-visibility stunts and protests often in costume. It was temporarily disbanded in January 2006, following allegations of a plot by...
founder Matt O'Connor
Matt O'Connor
Matt O'Connor is the founder of the fathers' rights group Fathers 4 Justice in the UK. Denied access to his children by the Family Courts, O'Connor created Fathers 4 Justice to demand reform of the family courts and government policy on parental access.In his GQ magazine feature on O'Connor in...
was selected by The English Democrats in his place with his campaign expected to start on 14 February. His campaign web site voteenglish.org was launched on 31 January 2008. A Party political broadcast
Party political broadcast
A party political broadcast is a short television or radio broadcast made by a political party....
for O'Connor's campaign was broadcast on 11 April.
One week before the Mayoral election, on 25 April, Matt O'Connor announced to Vanessa Feltz
Vanessa Feltz
Vanessa Jane Feltz is an English television personality, broadcaster and journalist. She currently presents an early morning radio show on BBC Radio 2, a mid morning phone-in show on BBC London 94.9. In 2011, she started hosting The Vanessa Show on Channel 5. The first series ended on June 24th...
and the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
that he was dropping out of the Mayoral race. He cited his reasons as being due to a lack of support within The English Democrats on St George's Day
St George's Day
St George's Day is celebrated by the several nations, kingdoms, countries, and cities of which Saint George is the patron saint. St George's Day is celebrated on 23 April, the traditionally accepted date of Saint George's death in AD 303...
and lack of press coverage as well as the party's cooperation with far-right group England First
England First Party
The England First Party is a minor English nationalist political party. It had two councillors on Blackburn with Darwen council between 2006 and 2007.-Formation and policies:...
. The English Democrats released a press statement on their website in response to his resignation voicing disappointment at his decision to quit the contest. O'Connor received 10,695 first preference votes (representing 0.44% of the votes cast) in the mayoral contest, ranking ninth out of ten candidates, he received 73,538 second preference votes 3.67%, ranking eighth.
2008 English local elections
The party fielded candidates in 12 district council elections. None was elected. The party's best results were when it came second to the Conservatives: in the FinningleyFinningley
Finningley is a village and civil parish within the Metropolitan Borough of Doncaster, in South Yorkshire, England. Historically part of Nottinghamshire, Finningley lies along the A614 road, about six miles from the centre of Doncaster, at , and at an elevation of around seven metres above sea...
ward of Doncaster and in three wards in Rochford.
2008 Haltemprice and Howden by-election
The English Democrats fielded a candidate, Joanne Robinson, in the by-electionHaltemprice and Howden by-election, 2008
The 2008 Haltemprice and Howden by-election was a by-election held in the United Kingdom on 10 July 2008 to elect a new Member of Parliament for constituency of Haltemprice and Howden...
forced by the resignation of former shadow home secretary David Davis
David Davis (British politician)
David Michael Davis is a British Conservative Party politician who is the Member of Parliament for the constituency of Haltemprice and Howden...
from the House of Commons. Because of the issues raised by David Davis in the by-election, parties other than the Conservatives
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
, such as Labour
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
, Liberal Democrats
Liberal Democrats
The Liberal Democrats are a social liberal political party in the United Kingdom which supports constitutional and electoral reform, progressive taxation, wealth taxation, human rights laws, cultural liberalism, banking reform and civil liberties .The party was formed in 1988 by a merger of the...
, United Kingdom Independence Party (UKIP) and British National Party
British National Party
The British National Party is a British far-right political party formed as a splinter group from the National Front by John Tyndall in 1982...
(BNP) chose not to stand. Joanne Robinson ended up coming in third, with 1,714 votes (7.2%), 44 votes fewer than the Green candidate received in second place. Of the 26 candidates she was one of only three to win back her deposit. This result is both the highest place and percentage of the votes won by any English Democrat candidate in a parliamentary election or parliamentary by-election.
2009 English local elections
The English Democrats fielded 84 county council and local authority candidates with particular focus in Bristol, Essex, Hampshire, Kent, Northamptonshire, Nottinghamshire, Wiltshire, and Lancashire.The party had an unexpected success when Peter Davies
Peter Davies (politician)
Peter Davies is a politician in the English Democrats. He became Doncaster's second directly elected mayor in June 2009.-Personal life:Born in Woodlands on the outskirts of Doncaster in 1948, Davies went to school in Thorne, then worked at Danum School as a teacher. He is married...
, its candidate for Mayor
Doncaster Council mayoral election, 2009
Elections for Doncaster's directly elected mayor were held on 4 June 2009, the same day as the Elections to the European Parliament. Peter Davies of the English Democrats won. Placing second in terms of first preference votes, Davies beat Michael Maye, an independent with backing from the Liberal...
of Doncaster
Metropolitan Borough of Doncaster
The Metropolitan Borough of Doncaster is a metropolitan borough of South Yorkshire in Yorkshire and the Humber Region of England.In addition to the town of Doncaster, the borough covers Mexborough, Conisbrough, Thorne and Finningley....
, was elected. Having received 16,961 votes in the first round, 189 votes behind the independent
Independent (politician)
In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do...
Michael Maye, Davies was returned in the second count on transfers of second preference votes, with 25,344 votes to 24,990.
2009 European Parliament election
The English Democrats contested the elections to the European ParliamentEuropean Parliament election, 2009
Elections to the European Parliament were held in the 27 member states of the European Union between 4 and 7 June 2009. A total of 736 Members of the European Parliament were elected to represent some 500 million Europeans, making these the biggest trans-national elections in history...
held in June 2009. They fielded a full slate of candidates across the nine English European parliament constituencies
Regions of England
In England, the region is the highest tier of sub-national division used by central Government. Between 1994 and 2011, the nine regions had an administrative role in the implementation of UK Government policy, and as the areas covered by elected bodies...
. On 18 May 2009 The English Democrats broadcast their first national Party Election Broadcast
Party political broadcast
A party political broadcast is a short television or radio broadcast made by a political party....
. They came seventh in the election in England (ninth in the UK as a whole) with 279,801 votes or 1.8%, a rise from the 0.7% they received at the previous elections in 2004
European Parliament election, 2004
Elections to the European Parliament were held from 10 June 2004 to 13 June 2004 in the 25 member states of the European Union, using varying election days according to local custom...
. The English Democrats do not stand in Northern Ireland, Scotland or Wales, and their vote across England in 2009 was 2.1%, an increase of 1.3% yet still did not keep their deposits except Yorkshire and the Humber where they gained 2.6% of the vote. None of The English Democrats candidates were elected; the English Democrats were the highest polling party across the UK not to have an MEP elected.
In the North West Region they entered into an electoral agreement with the far right England First Party
England First Party
The England First Party is a minor English nationalist political party. It had two councillors on Blackburn with Darwen council between 2006 and 2007.-Formation and policies:...
. This move was criticised by some members.
General election
The English Democrats stood 107 candidates in the 2010 general election.106 is the minimum number required to qualify for a Party Election Broadcast. The English Democrats received 64,826 votes, or 0.3% of the vote in England, and 0.2% of the vote in the United Kingdom. No candidates were elected but saved one deposit in the Doncaster North
Doncaster North (UK Parliament constituency)
- Sources :* Election results from 1992 to the present* Election results from 1945 to the present* The website of Ed Miliband...
constituency.
Local elections
The party also stood in the local elections on May 6, but did not publish a list of candidates. The two sitting English Democrat councillors on Calderdale and Blackburn with Darwen councils retired, and the party did not nominate any candidates to contest the seats.Local elections
The EDP stood about 130 candidates in the 2011 District level elections, two candidates were elected. The Boston Borough CouncilBoston (borough)
Boston is a local government district with borough status in Lincolnshire, England. Its council is based in the town of Boston. It lies around N53°0'0" W0°0'0"....
elections on 5 May 5 2011 saw the election of the first two EDP Councillors. David Owens and Elliott Fountain were elected in the Fenside Ward for a four year term, thus becoming the only EDP members of a district council to be elected by public vote.
A sitting EDP councillor on Peterborough council lost his seat.
Local by-elections
The party fielded candidataes in the 3 March 2011 local by-election for the WalkdenWalkden
Walkden is a town within the metropolitan borough of the City of Salford, in Greater Manchester, England. It is west-northwest of Salford, and west-northwest of Manchester....
North ward for Salford City Council. Their candidate Laurence Depares polled 125 votes and came 3rd ahead of the BNP
British National Party
The British National Party is a British far-right political party formed as a splinter group from the National Front by John Tyndall in 1982...
and Liberal Democrats
Liberal Democrats
The Liberal Democrats are a social liberal political party in the United Kingdom which supports constitutional and electoral reform, progressive taxation, wealth taxation, human rights laws, cultural liberalism, banking reform and civil liberties .The party was formed in 1988 by a merger of the...
and narrowly being beaten by the Conservatives
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
.
Parliamentary by-election
The party was represented in the 13 January 2011, by-election in Oldham and SaddleworthOldham East and Saddleworth by-election, 2011
The 2011 by-election in Oldham East and Saddleworth was a by-election for the Parliament of the United Kingdom's House of Commons constituency of Oldham East and Saddleworth held on 13 January 2011...
. Their candidate, Stephen Morris, polled 144 votes in an area they had never previously contested.
The party was also represented at the 3 March 2011 by-election in Barnsley Central
Barnsley Central by-election, 2011
The Barnsley Central by-election was a by-election for the Parliament of the United Kingdom's House of Commons constituency of Barnsley Central which took place on 3 March 2011...
. Their candidate Kevin Riddiough polled 544 votes.
Welsh Assembly election
The party fielded a candidate, Steve Uncles, in the Welsh AssemblyNational Assembly for Wales election, 2011
The National Assembly for Wales election 2011 was the most recent election for the National Assembly. The poll was held on Thursday, 5 May 2011 and decided the incumbency for all the assembly's seats...
constituency of Monmouth, in line with their view that Monmouthshire should be returned to English governance. The English Democrats polled 744 (2.47%) of the votes cast. The incumbent Conservative assembly member was returned.
Councillors
During the summer of 2011 there have been a number of changes in the number of councillors for the EDP. As of September 2011 The English Democrats had one elected mayor, one County councillor (elected as BNP) four district councillors (two elected as English Democrats, one elected as Conservative, one elected as BNP), and a few parish or town councillors.| Category | Number | Local authorities | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elected mayor | 1 (2009–date) |
Doncaster Metropolitan Borough Council Metropolitan Borough of Doncaster The Metropolitan Borough of Doncaster is a metropolitan borough of South Yorkshire in Yorkshire and the Humber Region of England.In addition to the town of Doncaster, the borough covers Mexborough, Conisbrough, Thorne and Finningley.... |
Elected 2009. |
| Unitary authority councillors | 1 (2011–date) |
Peterborough Peterborough Peterborough is a cathedral city and unitary authority area in the East of England, with an estimated population of in June 2007. For ceremonial purposes it is in the county of Cambridgeshire. Situated north of London, the city stands on the River Nene which flows into the North Sea... City Council (2009–2011) |
2 councillors elected as Conservatives in 2008 defected to English Democrats in October 2009. One was defeated at the 2011 elections. |
| County councillors | 1 (2011–date) |
Hertfordshire County Council Hertfordshire County Council Hertfordshire County Council is the upper-tier local authority for the non-metropolitan county of Hertfordshire, in England, the United Kingdom. It currently consists of 77 councillors, and is controlled by the Conservative Party, which has 55 councillors, 17 Liberal Democrats, versus 3 Labour... |
Elected as a BNP British National Party The British National Party is a British far-right political party formed as a splinter group from the National Front by John Tyndall in 1982... in the 2009 County council elections in June 2009, resigned as an Independent Nationalist in August 2010 but then defected to English Democrats in July 2011. |
| District councillors | 3 (2011–date) | 2 members of Boston Boston (borough) Boston is a local government district with borough status in Lincolnshire, England. Its council is based in the town of Boston. It lies around N53°0'0" W0°0'0".... Borough Council |
Elected in the Fenside ward |
| 1 member Three Rivers Three Rivers - Geography :in Australia:*Three Rivers Station, a pastoral lease in the Mid West of Western Australiain Brazil:*Três Rios, a municipality in the state of Rio de Janeiroin Canada:*Trois-Rivières, a city formerly called Three Rivers... District Council |
Elected as a BNP British National Party The British National Party is a British far-right political party formed as a splinter group from the National Front by John Tyndall in 1982... councillor in 2008, joined the EDP in 2011. |
||
| Town and parish councils | 1 (2005 – 2007) 5 (2007 – date) |
1 member of Crowborough Town Council | Elected at by-election in November 2005, re-elected unopposed 2007 and 2011, though in 2011 he did not stand as an EDP candidate and may no longer be a member of the EDP.. |
| a few members of various parish councils | Elected unopposed in 2011 or defected from the BNP. |
Policies
The English Democrats publish a manifestoManifesto
A manifesto is a public declaration of principles and intentions, often political in nature. Manifestos relating to religious belief are generally referred to as creeds. Manifestos may also be life stance-related.-Etymology:...
each year with alterations voted for by their membership at an Autumn Annual General Meeting
Annual general meeting
An annual general meeting is a meeting that official bodies, and associations involving the public , are often required by law to hold...
and occasional Spring EGM
Extraordinary General Meeting
An extraordinary general meeting, commonly abbreviated as EGM, is a meeting of members of an organisation, shareholders of a company, or employees of an official body, which occurs at an irregular time. The term is usually used where the group would ordinarily hold an annual general meeting , but...
.
English Parliament
The party contends that the Scottish ParliamentScottish Parliament
The Scottish Parliament is the devolved national, unicameral legislature of Scotland, located in the Holyrood area of the capital, Edinburgh. The Parliament, informally referred to as "Holyrood", is a democratically elected body comprising 129 members known as Members of the Scottish Parliament...
and the National Assembly for Wales
National Assembly for Wales
The National Assembly for Wales is a devolved assembly with power to make legislation in Wales. The Assembly comprises 60 members, who are known as Assembly Members, or AMs...
provide a voice to those two constituent nations of the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
(UK) that England lacks. The party proposes to convene the first exclusively English Parliament
Parliament of England
The Parliament of England was the legislature of the Kingdom of England. In 1066, William of Normandy introduced a feudal system, by which he sought the advice of a council of tenants-in-chief and ecclesiastics before making laws...
since the initial Laws in Wales Act 1535 through one of three methods:
- By converting the current House of Commons of the United Kingdom into a devolved English parliamentDevolved English parliamentA devolved English parliament or assembly, giving separate decision-making powers to representatives for voters in England similar to the representation given by the National Assembly for Wales, Scottish Parliament and the Northern Ireland Assembly, is currently a growing issue in the politics of...
within the asymmetrical devolutionDevolutionDevolution is the statutory granting of powers from the central government of a sovereign state to government at a subnational level, such as a regional, local, or state level. Devolution can be mainly financial, e.g. giving areas a budget which was formerly administered by central government...
framework currently existing in the United KingdomUnited KingdomThe United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, - By creating a new legislature with equal status to the Scottish Parliament and a more powerful Welsh ParliamentNational Assembly for WalesThe National Assembly for Wales is a devolved assembly with power to make legislation in Wales. The Assembly comprises 60 members, who are known as Assembly Members, or AMs...
within a re-constituted federalFederalismFederalism is a political concept in which a group of members are bound together by covenant with a governing representative head. The term "federalism" is also used to describe a system of the government in which sovereignty is constitutionally divided between a central governing authority and...
or confederalConfederationA confederation in modern political terms is a permanent union of political units for common action in relation to other units. Usually created by treaty but often later adopting a common constitution, confederations tend to be established for dealing with critical issues such as defense, foreign...
United Kingdom, - As an independentIndependenceIndependence is a condition of a nation, country, or state in which its residents and population, or some portion thereof, exercise self-government, and usually sovereignty, over its territory....
, sovereignSovereigntySovereignty is the quality of having supreme, independent authority over a geographic area, such as a territory. It can be found in a power to rule and make law that rests on a political fact for which no purely legal explanation can be provided...
legislature for the re-founded state of EnglandKingdom of EnglandThe Kingdom of England was, from 927 to 1707, a sovereign state to the northwest of continental Europe. At its height, the Kingdom of England spanned the southern two-thirds of the island of Great Britain and several smaller outlying islands; what today comprises the legal jurisdiction of England...
, upon dissolution of the UnionTreaty of UnionThe Treaty of Union is the name given to the agreement that led to the creation of the united kingdom of Great Britain, the political union of the Kingdom of England and the Kingdom of Scotland, which took effect on 1 May 1707...
, most likely to be created by independence for ScotlandScotlandScotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
and WalesWalesWales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
.
The party has rejected suggestions that non-English MPs in the House of Commons should be barred from voting on England-specific matters, on the basis that this would lead to there being, in effect, two parliaments in the same building and that this would be problematic.
The party is against the establishment of regional assemblies
Regional Assemblies in England
The Regional Assemblies of England were a group of indirectly elected regional bodies established originally under the name Regional Chambers by the Regional Development Agencies Act 1998. They were abolished on 31 March 2010 and replaced by Local Authority Leaders’ Boards...
in the Regions of England
Regions of England
In England, the region is the highest tier of sub-national division used by central Government. Between 1994 and 2011, the nine regions had an administrative role in the implementation of UK Government policy, and as the areas covered by elected bodies...
.
European Union
The party favours deciding the UK's future relationship with the European UnionEuropean Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
by a nationwide, multiple choice, referendum, which would include the option to withdraw from it entirely. The English Democrats are committed to campaign on the "Withdrawal" side of any referendum. English Democrats policy is to maintain free trade arrangements by rejoining the European Free Trade Association
European Free Trade Association
The European Free Trade Association or EFTA is a free trade organisation between four European countries that operates parallel to, and is linked to, the European Union . EFTA was established on 3 May 1960 as a trade bloc-alternative for European states who were either unable to, or chose not to,...
(EFTA).
Traditional counties
The party is supportive of historic countiesCounties of the United Kingdom
The counties of the United Kingdom are subnational divisions of the United Kingdom, used for the purposes of administrative, geographical and political demarcation. By the Middle Ages counties had become established as a unit of local government, at least in England. By the early 17th century all...
and has called for a referendum on whether Monmouthshire
Monmouthshire (historic)
Monmouthshire , also known as the County of Monmouth , is one of thirteen ancient counties of Wales and a former administrative county....
should be part of England as opposed to Wales:
- "The English Democrats consider that the position of Monmouthshire in Wales is anomalous, as historically it had mostly been part of England until recent boundary re-organisation. Accordingly, we would wish to see a county referendum in Monmouthshire as to whether the people of Monmouthshire would wish to be treated as being part of Wales or part of England."
House of Lords
In April 2006, the English Democrats became members of the Elect the LordsElect the Lords
Elect The Lords is a campaign established in September 2004 by the New Politics Network and Charter88 calling for the United Kingdom House of Lords to be replaced by a predominantly elected upper house...
Campaign, whether the English Parliament is within a Federal UK or simply as a Devolved Parliament within the current UK structure.
Immigration
The party's manifesto states that "we need to change immigration policy so that it better reflects the needs and wishes of the English people". A points system for entry to the UK, based on the CanadianCanada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
and Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n models, is advocated. The party's manifesto also suggests that the country should withdraw from international conventions on asylum and immigration.
Nationalist connections
The English Democrats shared a platform in January 2007 with the Scottish National PartyScottish National Party
The Scottish National Party is a social-democratic political party in Scotland which campaigns for Scottish independence from the United Kingdom....
(SNP) on the BBC Newsnight
Newsnight
Newsnight is a BBC Television current affairs programme noted for its in-depth analysis and often robust cross-examination of senior politicians. Jeremy Paxman has been its main presenter for over two decades....
programme in a "Act of Disunion" debate and on 1 May 2007 on the Internet television
Internet television
Internet television is the digital distribution of television content via the Internet...
station 18 Doughty Street
18 Doughty Street
18 Doughty Street was a British political internet-based broadcaster that hosted a webcast as its chief product. It began broadcasting at 18:55 on 10 October 2006, from its studio at 18 Doughty Street in the Bloomsbury area of London, and ceased broadcasting at 23:00 on Thursday 8 November 2007...
on the 300th anniversary of the signing of the Acts of Union
Acts of Union 1707
The Acts of Union were two Parliamentary Acts - the Union with Scotland Act passed in 1706 by the Parliament of England, and the Union with England Act passed in 1707 by the Parliament of Scotland - which put into effect the terms of the Treaty of Union that had been agreed on 22 July 1706,...
in 1707.
On 2 May 2008 the East London Advertiser, The English Democrats denied any BNP link and insisted they are non-racist, campaigning on an English identity in the same way as the Welsh and Scots, with Robin Tilbrook stating, "There are no links with the BNP at all. We even stood against them in the elections and have non-English ethnic candidates. We're not about race, but campaign on English identity. Home is where the heart is. Colour is not relevant."
Reception
Norman LambNorman Lamb
Norman Peter Lamb is a British Liberal Democrat politician, and Chief Parliamentary and Political Adviser and Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Deputy Prime Minister, Nick Clegg.He is the Member of Parliament for North Norfolk....
, a Liberal Democrat MP, has said that he was attracted by the thinking of the English Democrats, and he believed that they are not about being right wing or left wing, but about being democratic. Dave Hill in The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
described them as "populist campaigners for an English parliament" with "nationalist leanings".
See also
- English Democrats Party election resultsEnglish Democrats Party election results- Summary of general election performance :-By-elections, 2004-2005:----- General Election 2005 :The English Democrats contested 24 seats, receiving a total of 15149 votes, an average of 631 . The percentage share of the vote ranged from 0.6% to 3.4%, with an average of 1.45%...
- Alliance for DemocracyAlliance for Democracy (UK)The Alliance for Democracy was an electoral coalition of two British political parties, the English Democrats and the Jury Team. The Christian Party, and Veritas were associates....
- West Lothian questionWest Lothian questionThe West Lothian question refers to issues concerning the ability of Members of Parliament from constituencies in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales to vote on matters that only affect people living in England...
- Devolved English parliamentDevolved English parliamentA devolved English parliament or assembly, giving separate decision-making powers to representatives for voters in England similar to the representation given by the National Assembly for Wales, Scottish Parliament and the Northern Ireland Assembly, is currently a growing issue in the politics of...
- Parliament of EnglandParliament of EnglandThe Parliament of England was the legislature of the Kingdom of England. In 1066, William of Normandy introduced a feudal system, by which he sought the advice of a council of tenants-in-chief and ecclesiastics before making laws...