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English Democrats

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English Democrats
ChairmanRobin Tilbrook[1]
Founded2002 (2002)[1]
HeadquartersQuires Green
Ongar CM5 0QP[1]
Youth wingYoung English Democrats
IdeologyEnglish nationalism,
English devolution,
Euroscepticism,
Federalism
National affiliationAlliance for Democracy[1]
European affiliationNone
European Parliament groupNone
International affiliationNone
Colours 
House of Commons English Seats
0 / 533
House of Lords
0 / 724
European Parliament English & Welsh Seats
0 / 64
London Assembly
0 / 25
Local government[2]
3 / 19,385
Police & Crime Commissioners
0 / 41
Website
www.voteenglish.org

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 officially supporting English Independence, the English Democrats consider themselves the English equivalent of the Scottish National Party in Scotland and Plaid Cymru in Wales.[3] Their motto is "Not left, not right, just English".[4][5]

At the English local elections in June 2009, the party's candidate Peter Davies won the mayoral election for the Metropolitan Borough of Doncaster.[6] However, he announced his resignation from the party on 5 February 2013.

History

In 1998, and in response to calls for the devolution 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. [citation needed]

The English Democrats were co-founders of the English Constitutional Convention,[7] now defunct.[citation needed]

In December 2004, it was rumoured that Robert Kilroy-Silk, the former UKIP MEP had entered into negotiation to join the English Democrats.[8] However, Kilroy-Silk formed Veritas instead.

The party's most significant electoral success came when Peter Davies (a former UKIP and Reform UK member), 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.[6][9] However, Davies announced his resignation from the party on 5 February 2013 citing "a big influx of new members joining from the British National Party".[10] One of their councillors, Mick Glynn, resigned the following day after the party's chairman, Robin Tilbrook,[11] launched a personal attack on Peter Davies reducing their number of elected representatives to four (including a parish seat).

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 England. In addition to the twenty-person National Council which includes nine area chairmen, there are 14 National Sub-Committees to expedite progress in the party's development.[citation needed]

In 2010 the EDP was structured into ten regions in England by splitting the South-East region. As of April 2012, the party has never been able to fill all ten Regional Chairman's posts.[citation needed]

The party claimed a total membership of 1,011 at the end of 2004, and 1,202 at the end of 2005.[12] The BBC reported 1,300 members in 2007. Party membership was around 1,500 in September 2011, following the influx of a number of people joining from the BNP, UKIP and other fringe parties. In a speech by Robin Tilbrook given to students at the University of Nottingham on 9 February 2012, he stated that the party now had almost 3,000 members.[13] However, according to the English Democrats' returns to the Electoral Commission they received only £23,084 in income in 2009 which equates to just 770 members at £30 per month assuming all income came from membership subscriptions and no donations.

Election performances

Main article: English Democrats Party election results

The first person to stand as a candidate for the English Democrats was Gary Cowd, who stood in Rushmoor—West Heath Ward in North Hampshire[14] 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 party.

Parliamentary elections

At the 2004 Birmingham Hodge Hill by-election. The English Democrat candidate received 277 votes, or 1.4% of the votes cast.[15]

The party's slogan for the 2005 general election was "The English Democrats—Putting England First!" In total, the English Democrats fielded 25 candidates for the May 2005 general election,[16] 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".[17]

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.[18] Bushell's 1,216 votes (3.4%) beat the UKIP candidate, Stan Gain, who secured 709 votes (2.0%);[19] this was the party's best result for the election though 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.[20] In 2011 Bushell announced that he was, in future, supporting UKIP.

For the Haltemprice and Howden by-election in 2008, the English Democrats fielded a candidate, Joanne Robinson, in the by-election 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.[21]

The English Democrats stood 107 candidates in the 2010 general election.[22] 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[23] but saved one deposit in the Doncaster North constituency.[citation needed]

In by-elections, the party contested Oldham and Saddleworth (Stephen Morris polled 144 (0.4%)),[24] Barnsley Central (Kevin Riddiough polled 544 (2.2%) votes),[25] Feltham and Heston (Roger Cooper polled 322 (1.4%)),[26] Corby (David Wickham polled 432 (1.2%) votes)[27] and Rotherham (David Wildgoose polled 703 (3.3%) votes)[28]

European Parliament

The English Democrats stood candidates for the 2004 European Parliament election in five of the nine regions of England. The party’s 2004 election canvassing leaflet featured the slogan, "Not left, not right, just English". Its candidates won 130,056 votes in total.

In June 2009, the English Democrats contested elections to the European Parliament. The party 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.[29] 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 (now defunct) England First Party. This move was criticised by some members.[citation needed]

Local councils

In November 2005 the party achieved its first electoral success when Paul Adams was elected to Crowborough Town Council, polling 120 votes, or 56.8% of the poll, on a turnout of 10%.[30]

In the 2007 local elections, 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.

In 2008, 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 Finningley ward of Doncaster and in three wards in Rochford.[31]

In the 2009 English local elections, the party fielded 84 county council and local authority candidates with particular focus in Bristol, Essex, Hampshire, Kent, Northamptonshire, Nottinghamshire, Wiltshire, and Lancashire.[30][citation needed] 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.[6][9]

In 2010, the party also stood in the local elections on 6 May, but did not publish a list of candidates.[citation needed] 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.[32][33]

In 2011, the EDP stood about 130 candidates in District level elections, two candidates were elected. The Boston Borough Council elections on 5 May 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.

The party fielded a candidate in the 3 March 2011 local by-election for the Walkden North ward for Salford City Council. Their candidate Laurence Depares polled 125 votes and came 3rd, ahead of the BNP and Liberal Democrats[citation needed].

In 2012, the party fielded 101 candidates in the local elections in England, including district council elections, mayoral contests and elections to the Greater London Assembly.[34] None were elected, and the party suffered the loss of the two seats it was defending, one that it had gained from a former BNP member who had defected to the party and another from an ex-Tory.[35] The English Democrats has come under fire from anti-fascist groups Unite Against Fascism[36] and Hope not Hate[37] and from the unions NASUWT and Unite the Union[38] over the number of former BNP members standing for election for the party. 43% of English Democrats candidates in the 2012 local elections were former BNP members.[39]

The EDP contested the mayoral elections at Liverpool and Salford. In Liverpool their candidate received 1.42% of the vote, finishing in ninth place while in Salford they received 3.6% and finished in eighth place.[40] The Chairman of the English Democrats, Robin Tilbrook, declared that he was standing for Mayor of London and even asked for donations through one of the party's websites[41] but his name didn't appear on the ballot paper.

Welsh Assembly

In 2007, in line with the English Democrats stance on the status of Monmouthshire, thirteen English Democrat candidates contested the Welsh Assembly 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%).[42] The party received also 0.9% of the vote on the regional list.

In 2011, the party fielded a candidate, Kent based Steve Uncles, in the Welsh Assembly 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.

London Mayoral elections

In July 2007 Garry Bushell was nominated as Mayoral candidate for the English Democrats for the 2008 London mayoral and Assembly elections with the campaign slogan "Serious About London".[43] 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.[44][45] 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[46] as well as the party's cooperation with far-right group England First.[47] The English Democrats released a press statement on their website in response to his resignation voicing disappointment at his decision to quit the contest.[48] 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.[49]

Police Commissioners

English Democrats contested five of the 41 Police and Crime Commissioner elections in November 2012. Results were:

Police force Candidate 1st round votes % Posn/no. cands
Cambridgeshire Constabulary Stephen Goldspink 7,219 8.1% 6 out of 7
Essex Police Robin Tilbrook 11,550 6.87% 6 out of 6
Kent Police Steven Uncles 10,789 5.3% 5 out of 6[50]
Merseyside Police Paul Rimmer 7,142 5.7% 6 out of 6[51]
South Yorkshire Police David Allen 22,608 15.6% 2 out of 5[52]

English Democrats holding local government seats

In Nov 2005 Paul Adams was the first elected English Democrats councillor at Parish level for Crowborough Town Council. He was further elected unopposed in 2007, and 2011. In 2011 Markyate Parish councillor Simon Deacon defected from the British National Party, a year prior from the National Front, to the English Democrats, having been elected unopposed. However he resigned in October 2012.[53] The English Democrats gained another Parish council seat when Mick Glynn was elected to Dunsville ward of Hatfield Town Council, Doncaster. Following the resignation of Peter Davies, Glynn though resigned his seat and membership from the party in February 2013. The party had two elected district councillors (the first above Parish level) in the 2011 local elections and obtained a further county council seat through a BNP defection.

Category Number Local authorities Notes
County councillors 1
(2011–date) 		Hertfordshire County Council Elected as a BNP in the County council elections in June 2009, resigned as an Independent Nationalist in August 2010 but then defected to English Democrats in July 2011.[54]
District councillors 2
(2011–date) 		Elected in the Fenside ward of Boston Borough Council[citation needed] Both were elected as English Democrats, the first ever above Parish councillor level. One was defending a seat that he had won for the BNP before defecting to the EDP.

1
(2005 – date) 		Crowborough Town Council
Parish councillors Elected in 2005, elected unopposed, 2007, 2011.

Party policies

English Parliament

The party contends that the Scottish Parliament 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:

  1. By converting the current House of Commons of the United Kingdom into a devolved English parliament within the asymmetrical devolution framework currently existing in the United Kingdom,
  2. By creating a new legislature with equal status to the Scottish Parliament and a more powerful Welsh Parliament within a re-constituted federal or confederal United Kingdom,
  3. As an independent, sovereign legislature for the re-founded state of England, upon dissolution of the Union, most likely to be created by independence for Scotland and Wales.

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.[55]

The party is against the establishment of regional assemblies in the Regions of England.[56]

European Union

The party favours deciding the UK's future relationship with the European Union 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).[57]

Traditional counties

The party is supportive of historic counties and has called for a referendum on whether Monmouthshire should be part of England as opposed to Wales.[58][59]

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 Canadian and Australian models, is advocated. The party's manifesto also suggests that the country should withdraw from international conventions on asylum and immigration.[60]

Nationalist connections

On 17 November 2011, the chairman of the English Democrats, Robin Tilbrook, met with Sergey Yerzunov, a member of the executive committee of the Russian right wing group Russky Obraz.[61] Shortly after, Obraz announced that they were now in alliance with the English Democrats.[62] Other members of this alliance include Serbian Obraz, Movement 1389, Golden Dawn, Dane's Party, Slovenska Pospolitost, Czech Labour Party and Noua Dreaptă.

Since 2010, a number of former members of the BNP have joined the project, with the party chairman quoted as saying that "they will help us become an electorally credible party."[63]

In February 2013 Tilbrook and Uncles joined forces with anti-Muslim and white supremacist groups the South East Alliance, English National Resistance, English Volunteer Force, Casuals United, Britain First and March for England in an abortive attempt to protest outside the home of Abu Qatada. This alliance is geared "towards militancy, campaigning and direct action".[64][unreliable source?]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d "English Democrats Party".
  2. ^ Edkins, Keith. "Local Council Political Compositions". Retrieved 6 May 2012.
  3. ^ "Democrats want to be 'English SNP'". BBC News. 25 September 2009. Retrieved 2 May 2010.
  4. ^ Millard, Robin (6 June 2009). "British PM vows to fight on". The Sydney Morning Herald.
  5. ^ http://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/news/Mayoral-sensation-as-town-picks.5341270.jp
  6. ^ a b c Paul, Celia (5 June 2009). "English Democrat is new Mayor of Doncaster". London: The Independent. Retrieved 5 June 2009.
  7. ^ "Devolution for England – The way forward". English Constitution Convention. Archived from the original on 8 July 2007. Retrieved 8 August 2007.
  8. ^ Hyde, Marina (14 December 2004). "Diary". London: The Guardian. Retrieved 8 August 2007. {{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  9. ^ a b "Mayoral Election 2009 Results". Doncaster Council. 5 June 2009. Retrieved 5 June 2009.
  10. ^ BBC News "Doncaster mayor quits English Democrats 'because of BNP'", 5 February 2013
  11. ^ England Watch (http://englandwatch.wordpress.com/2013/02/07/another-english-democrat-councillor-resigns/)
  12. ^ "English Democrats Party Statement of Accounts" (PDF). Electoral Commission. 31 December 2005. Retrieved 8 August 2007. [dead link‍]
  13. ^ England Awake! (Issue 2, 2012) p.4
  14. ^ http://www.gethampshire.co.uk/news/s/36163_independents_rushmoor_challenge___by_john_walton Gethampshire.co.uk
  15. ^ "Lib Dems snatch Labour seat". BBC Online. 16 July 2004. Retrieved 15 May 2008.
  16. ^ Kimber, Richard (2 February 2007). "UK General Election candidates 2005: Number of candidates by party". Political Science Resources. Retrieved 23 January 2008.
  17. ^ "English Democrat party bows out". Eastern Daily Press. 30 March 2005. Retrieved 2 May 2009.
  18. ^ Kimber, Richard (2 February 2007). "UK General Election candidates 2005 – English Democrats". Political Science Resources. Retrieved 8 August 2007.
  19. ^ "Greenwich and Woolwich". London: The Guardian. 2005. Retrieved 8 August 2007. {{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  20. ^ "Result: Staffordshire South". BBC Online. 24 June 2005. Retrieved 8 August 2007.
  21. ^ "Haltemprice and Howden". Politics : Ask Aristotle. London: The Guardian. 2 May 2008. Retrieved 11 July 2008. {{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  22. ^ "English Democrats Field More candidates than the SNP and Plaid Cymru". English Democrats. 22 April 2010. Retrieved 22 April 2010.
  23. ^ "Results: England". Election 2010. BBC. Retrieved 7 May 2010.
  24. ^ UK Polling Report: "Oldham East and Saddleworth" 14 January 2011
  25. ^ Barnsley by-election: What now for Lib Dems?, by Brian Wheeler, BBC News, 4 March 2011
  26. ^ Feltham & Heston at telegraph.co.uk (accessed 12 May 2012)
  27. ^ "By-elections: Labour takes Corby from Conservatives", BBC News, 16 November 2012
  28. ^ "By-elections: Labour retains three seats" BBC News, 30 November 2012
  29. ^ "English Democrats Party European election broadcast". BBC. 18 May 2009. Retrieved 9 June 2009.
  30. ^ Blanshard, Heather (25 November 2005). "St. Johns Ward – Declaration of result of poll" (PDF). Crowborough Town Council. Retrieved 8 August 2007.
  31. ^ "English Democrats Election Results". English Democrats Party. 2 May 2008. Retrieved 15 May 2008.
  32. ^ "Notice of election". Calderdale Council. 29 March 2010. Retrieved 7 May 2010. [dead link‍]
  33. ^ "Local elections candidates 2010". Blackburn with Darwen Council. Retrieved 7 May 2010.
  34. ^ "English Democrats: Party 'could win' council seats". Vote 2012. BBC News. 1 May 2012. Retrieved 4 May 2012.
  35. ^ "English Council Results". Vote 2012. BBC News. Retrieved 4 May 2012.
  36. ^ "BNP and other fascist election candidates". Unite Against Fascism. Retrieved 14 May 2012.
  37. ^ "English Democrats in our sights". Vote 2012. Hope not Hate. Retrieved 14 May 2012.
  38. ^ "Warning! The English Democrats has become the new home for ex-members of the BNP" (PDF). Vote2012. NASUWT and Unite the Union. Retrieved 14 May 2012.
  39. ^ "Another 'rival' faces post-election blues and meltdown". BNP Blog. BNP. Retrieved 14 May 2012.
  40. ^ "English mayoral elections and referendums". Vote 2012. BBC News. 4 May 2012. Retrieved 4 May 2012.
  41. ^ "London Mayoral Candidate announced". Vote English. English Democrats. Retrieved 14 May 2012.
  42. ^ "Welsh assembly election 2007". BBC Online. 21 March 2007. Retrieved 8 August 2007.
  43. ^ "Gary Bushell Serious about London". English Democrats. Archived from the original on 11 October 2007. Retrieved 8 August 2007.
  44. ^ "Fathers 4 Justice founder to enter Mayoral race". London Evening Standard. 9 January 2008. Retrieved 24 July 2010.
  45. ^ "London Elects: The Candidates". londonelects.org.uk. Retrieved 31 March 2008.
  46. ^ "Matt O'Connor quits Mayoral contest". BBC Online. 25 April 2008. Retrieved 25 April 2008.
  47. ^ "O'Connor accuses English Democrats of BNP link after quitting race for Mayor". East London Advertiser. 25 April 2008. Retrieved 13 May 2009. [dead link‍]
  48. ^ "Matt O'Connor's shock resignation press release". English Democrats. 25 April 2008. Retrieved 25 April 2008.
  49. ^ "London mayoral election 2008". BBC Online. 6 May 2008. Retrieved 15 May 2008.
  50. ^ "Kent police and crime commissioner results", BBC News England, 16 November 2012
  51. ^ "Merseyside police and crime commissioner result", BBC News Liverpool, 16 November 2012
  52. ^ "South Yorkshire police and crime commissioner results", BBC News England, 16 November 2012
  53. ^ http://englandwatch.wordpress.com/2012/10/19/english-democrats-loose-another-councillor/
  54. ^ "BNP Continues to Bleed". BNP ideas. 2011. Retrieved 10 July 2011.
  55. ^ "No English parliament – Falconer". BBC Online. 10 March 2006. Retrieved 8 August 2007.
  56. ^ An English Parliament – We reject the plans for regional assemblies because, among other things, they will promote disunity and conflict within England.
  57. ^ Leaving the EU (European Union) – The English Democrats believe that this country should leave the EU and will campaign forcefully to that end.
  58. ^ "Manifesto of the English Democrats" (PDF). BBC Online. Retrieved 8 March 2008.
  59. ^ http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-south-east-wales-12726556>
  60. ^ Imigration – We support a points system for entry to the UK which is based on the Canadian and Australian model. Points should be awarded for, among other things: educational and professional qualification; family links with England; financial resources; the ability to speak English. In other words, entry should be determined by our needs as a society and the ability of newcomers to be absorbed into the prevailing public culture. High priority should be given to creating a peaceful society which is bound together by shared values and perceptions. The wishes, security and interests of the people of England should be the dominant factors in determining asylum and immigration policies for England.
  61. ^ "Robin Tilbrook meets Russian Nationalists". Retrieved 12 January 2012.
  62. ^ "Right World:Russian Obraz". Retrieved 12 January 2012.
  63. ^ "English Democrats".
  64. ^ "Introducing the English National Resistance".
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