The English Democrats Party, previously the English National Party, is a political party in England, which seeks the establishment of a new Parliament for England with at least the same powers as those granted to the Scottish Parliament.

History

The English National Party was founded in 1974 by Frank Hansford-Miller, who has since settled in Australia. The ENP had a sitting MP from April to August 1976, in the person of John Stonehouse. Stonehouse joined the party on Hansford-Miller's invitation after resigning from the Labour Party, though the ENP had previously tried to have him extradited from Australia under charge of treason. The party was reformed after the 1997 devolution of power to Scotland and Wales by a group that included members of the Campaign for an English Parliament, and relaunched as the English Democrats Party in September 2002.

The National Party Chairman is Robin Tilbrook, a former member of the Conservative Party. The party put up candidates for election in the European Parliament election, 2004 in 5 out of the 9 Regions of England and gained 130,056 votes. English Democrats got over 20% in Basildon and just over 1% of the vote at the 2004 Birmingham Hodge Hill by-election. Their 2004 election canvassing leaflet featured the slogan "Not left, not right, just English".

In October 2004 the English Democrats Party voted to merge with the UK Reform Party, a UKIP splinter group, to form the "English Democrats".

As of December 2004 the membership of the English Democrats is estimated at around 1,100. It has an England-wide network of Regional and County officers; its particular strength is in the Home Counties, covered by the East England and South East England Regions.

Alliance of Parties

The EDP's strategy for the 2005/2006 election is to work with other parties in support of an English Parliament. The 'Alliance for Democracy' currently consists of:

• English Democrats
• UK Reform Party
• Democratic Party
• Liberal Party
• Countryside Party
• Senior Citizens Party

Policies

The party is opposed to Britain's membership of the European Union, and is against the establishment of regional assemblies in the Regions of England, seeing this as a European scheme to divide up England into manageable Regions. It believes England needs a separate, single parliament, (or a conversion of the House of Commons to an English Parliament) claiming the Scottish Parliament and Welsh Assembly provide a voice to those two countries that England lacks within the UK. It also wishes to decrease the number of immigrants, and would re-evaluate if the asylum laws should remain in place in their current form, its immigration stating that "entry should be determined by ... the ability of newcomers to be absorbed into the prevailing public culture". However it claims to represent the interests of all people living in England, regardless of race or cultural background. Its health policy advocates a shift from Care in the Community for the mentally ill back towards enforced institutionalisation. It supports the legalisation of cannabis, and wishes to codify the body of common law which makes up much of England and Wales criminal law.

The English Democrats Party is not affiliated with the English Democratic Party, an unregistered political entity which was founded in 1994 and is concerned with constitutional affairs.

External links

• EDP Official website (http://www.englishdemocrats.org.uk/)
• English Democrats Forum (http://www.crossofstgeorge.net/)
• English Constitutional Convention website (http://www.englishconstitutionalconvention.com/)
• Campaign for an English Parliament (http://www.thecep.org.uk/)