Robin Tilbrook

Yesterday, the day before Robin Tilbrook appears on the Daily Politics to discuss an English parliament, Prof John Curtice released British Social Attitudes polling which shows support for an English parliament at just 26%. English Democrat supporters might smell a rat. Curtice is the BBC's psephologist of choice and a regular on the Daily Politics. These figures were due for publication in the 29th British Social Attitudes report which is published in full in September. Did Andrew Neil ask his fellow North Briton to bring forward publication to counter recent polling from ippr and British Future, both of which show far greater support for an English dimension to devolution?

Probably not. But the early publication of this data might still be politically motivated. John Curtice would say that it's all about 'impact' but I'm sure it has been released early in order to influence the West Lothian Commission and the debate on Scottish Devo-Max/Plus/Independence.

Anyway, the 2011 figure of 26% in favour of an English parliament is up on 2010's figure of 23% but, as is always the case with British Social Attitudes polling, it is on the low side when compared to other polls.

At the end of the report there is a chapter which attempts to explain why British Social Attitudes finds less English discontent, grievance and nationalism than every other pollster. It's worth a read.

Whilst I accept that British Social Attitudes has methodological consistency on its side I find it almost impossible to believe its findings:

As discussed in the introduction to this report, those who believe that there will be – or has already been – an ‘English backlash’ to devolution in Scotland and Wales argue that this will be reflected in:

• a heightened sense of English identity and a corresponding decline in feelings of Britishness
• increasing resentment in England towards the financial deal other countries get from the union, and
• growing calls for changes to the way England is governed – from removing the voting rights of Scottish MPs in the House of Commons to establishing a separate English parliament.

The latest data from BSA provides little evidence to support the first of these predictions. To the extent that any shift towards a greater sense of English identity did occur, it was both very modest and occurred at around the same time as the establishment of the Scottish Parliament and Welsh Assembly in 1999.....

....Although there has been a small increase in demand for an English parliament since around 2008, this largely reflects a fall in demand for English regional assemblies, rather than any shift away from the status quo.

This doesn't, in my opinion, reflect the reality of life lived in England. It seems to me that there is a palpable sense of rising English identity and discontentment with the status quo. It's not necessarily channelled into outright calls for an English parliament, and it's not necessarily anti-British, but the grievance and sense of Englishness is certainly there. I'd be interested to know what John Curtice's gut feelings are. Does he believe his own findings? Has he ever visited an English pub and raised the subject of Scottish independence to see what responses he gets? Anecdotal evidence is no substitute for scientific evidence, but the former does help corroborate the latter.

Does British Social Attitudes face-to-face method of polling reveal a 'Shy English Nationalist Factor' similar to the 'Shy Tory Factor'?

It's the only explanation I can come up with to explain the discrepancy between what British Social Attitudes report and what I perceive with my own eyes and ears.

English nationalists often complain about my negative commentary on the English Democrats and ask why I never report a good news story about the EDP. So I've been waiting, patiently, for a good news story about the English Democrats to come up. And wouldn't you know it, two have come up on the same day!

First. Robin Tilbrook is appearing on BBC’s Daily Politics “Soap Box” slot which will be broadcast on BBC2's Daily Politics Show on Wednesday, 29th February. Tilbrook explains:

After the film has been shown during the programme I shall be appearing in the studio to debate the need for an English Parliament with a Government Minister and an Opposition Shadow Minister on what is after all the Daily Politics Shows most high profile programme in the week i.e. the one following on from Prime Minister’s Question Time.

Please do look out for the programme and tell all your friends and family to either watch it or play it on BBC IPlayer as this certainly will be one of the most high profile bits of media coverage that anyone from the English Nationalist cause has yet managed. Let’s work to ensure that by the next leap year we have really made a difference – for England’s sake!

To get a Tory Minister and Labour Shadow to debate the case for an English Parliament live on air is something of an achievement. I will certainly be watching.

And second. Having previously raised objections to homophobic comments from certain English Democrats, I'm pleasantly surprised to learn that Michael Felse is the English Democrats' candidate for the Salford Mayoral elections.

Robin Tilbrook is asking people to sign the e-petition he's lodged with the British Government:

We, the undersigned, demand immediate legislation to call a referendum of the Sovereign People of England, to take place on or before the date of the Independence Referendum in Scotland. This Referendum must seek the Mandate of the English Nation to create an English Parliament, with a First Minister and Government for England, with at least the same powers as the Scottish ones.

It's more concise than the earlier petition by Andrew Constantine and, importantly, it specifically asks that the decision should be taken by the English people. Unfortunately, for all it's merits, it is unlikely that significant numbers of people will be willing to put their name to a petition emanating from the desk of Robin Tilbrook, a man whose associates include Steve Uncles, England First, Russky Obraz, Eddy Butler, Chris Beverley and various other BNP rejects.

But if you can overcome your revulsion for Tilbrook, you can sign his petition here.

Dear fellow NC Members

It is with regret that I tender my resignation from The English Democrats.

I can no longer see the party making the breakthrough that the country needs whilst certain people continue to drag our reputation in to the gutter and the Chairman is unwilling or unable to stop this from happening.

Many of our members in London have worked hard to rebuild the party from the ashes of the last General Election, and any advances we are making are being offset by the constant need for damage limitation because of the stream of ill thought out rhetoric on blog and Facebook sites.

It is also a source of worry that the elite at the top of the party seem to see it as their own tool that they can do as they like with without thought of the damage they do to our reputation and in some cases in flagrant violation of National Council decisions.

I will list some of my reasons for leaving below, and leave you to make up your own minds –

Sinn Fein – The email from Steve Uncles is constantly regurgitated and is not only distasteful but used by the opponents of our party to put off a section of the electorate that should be part of our natural vote.

The party put out a statement, but this was watered down from the original to the version that surfaced. More importantly, not only has Steve Uncles not apologised for a lack judgement over sending the email (Which could have killed the whole thing stone dead), he keeps revisiting it on his ‘English Passport’ site, including a statement that modern English Nationalism is not compatible with Irish unionism. It is not our remit, as an English party, to keep revisiting the issues of Northern Ireland , and is causing an image problem that is completely unnecessary.

He has also put up a petition on the Government website asking for people to sign a petition to get Northern Ireland kicked out of the UK – This is traceable back to him, and as a party member reflects badly on the movement.

It has also been noted by myself that whenever this subject is brought up with Robin Tilbrook, he gets annoyed about ‘disloyalty’ regarding the leaking of the email rather than the contents of the email itself.

Eddy Butler – It was agreed at the last NC meeting that Eddy Butler would have to come before the Council to have his membership ratified due to his former high profile membership of the National Front and the BNP. This is consistent with article 3.2 (e) of the party constitution.

On 10th September, one of my members in London was emailed by Robin Tilbrook to say -

Yes we are on the up. We also have the man who was the driving force behind the BNP's period of electoral success coming over to us. I mean Eddy Butler.

I asked to see this email to make sure there was no misunderstanding, as those of you at the last NC will know that this is in complete contravention of the agreed course of action over his membership. Indeed, Eddy Butler is only getting a hearing because Robin threatened to resign if we did not listen to his reasons for wanting to join.

Since then, Eddy Butler has posted items on his Facebook page that are in contradiction of our party manifesto, and has made numerous calls to people on his blog site to come across to the EDP as it is their ‘new home’. You can view how much he rates his new ‘home’ from his blog site, link attached http://eddybutler.blogspot.com/

All about the BNP, nothing to do with the EDP.

I also have the screen capture from Steve Uncle’s Facebook site that is doing the rounds to say that he has been working with Eddy Butler for the last 2 years to wreck the BNP, and that UKIP are next – Whilst I find this probably to be the delusional ranting of the ‘Political Brain’ from Dartford, this is again in the public domain and does us no good.

It is also noted that Eddy Butler had run several ‘teasers’ about which party he was going to go to, and then announced it on his blog site 48 hours after Andrew Brons had lost the BNP leadership challenge to Nick Griffin. His own blog states that his first choice would be to reform the BNP, but after that going to a party with a ‘similar’ manifesto that is ripe for change would be the No 2 option rather than forming a new party.

I will give you some links to make up your own minds

http://eddybutler.blogspot.com/2011/04/future.html

http://eddybutler.blogspot.com/2011/04/headless-chickens.html

Steve Uncle’s Removal from the NC – Within 2 weeks of his ‘resignation’ (Which was only tendered by the chairman when 12 out of 12 voted through a no confidence motion), Steve Uncles was on the BBC as a ‘spokesman’ for the party. Robin advised me that this was because he was the only person in the area available to do the job.

Neither London Chairman Roger Cooper or myself, as Vice-Chairman, were called and told that there was a need to get someone down there. Indeed, Frank Roseman lives in Westminster but was not contacted by the Chairman, despite being a far better public speaker than Steve Uncles. Constantly using a discredited member who has an awful internet footprint as a ‘spokesman’ is not, in my opinion, what the NC wanted when he was removed from his position, and paints us in a bad light.

The South East Area Elections – We were advised at the last NC that Sean Varnham had not sent in his statement to go out with the ballot forms for the SE area election. This was incorrect.

It also needs to be noted that Sean was not sent the full party list for Sussex until well after the ballot papers had gone out, and even then they had no telephone numbers or email addresses for him to contact and canvass for his candidacy. Steve Uncles, as a former SE area chairman, had all this information and therefore an unfair advantage (Although he still threw his toys out of the pram about me sending out an email to Kent and Surrey in support of Sean, despite those areas coming under the purview of London during the GLA campaign).

It is also of interest to note that the closing date for voting was 9th September, and the date of the count was changed to the AGM after the votes were in– Where are the ballot papers between these times? They are being sent to the Norwich PO Box number, so what methods are in place to stop gerrymandering? I believe very few, as Steve Uncles has posted on his blog site that irrespective of the vote ‘I will be back on the NC after the AGM’.

A Dog serving two masters – It is to be noted with regards to the previous posting about Eddy Butler that he is still in the paid employ of the MEP for Yorkshire , Andrew Brons, yet wishes to join the EDP.

Chris Beverly, our new Leeds Chairman and recently appointed Facebook admin, is also on the payroll of the EU as an assistant to Andrew Brons. Whilst I have not met Mr Beverley, and I understand from Mike Cassidy that he is a decent guy, what happens when the Euro elections come around and he has to choose between party and job? He has not resigned from his post as he needs to make a living – Yet he will make that living by OPPOSING the EDP in the next Euro Elections. Such a conflict of interest would not be allowed in any company, it is the equivalent to a Barclays Bank manager working for Lloyds as a paid advisor and with access to company confidential documents. You are either an English patriot or a BNP employee, there is no middle ground on this one.

Contact with UKIP – Robin advised us at an NC meeting last year that he had been offered the Deputy Leadership of UKIP during the negotiations regarding the Alliance for Democracy if he stood down all the EDP candidates at the 2010 General Election. He advised us that he declined, and that UKIP had stood candidates against ours when they had seen our list of candidates as a spoiler tactic.

We were told that UKIP are completely untrustworthy, and a motion was passed that no further meetings should be had with their party without it being run past the NC first.

Robin then announced at the last NC that he and Derek Hilling had met with UKIP in July to discuss possible mergers. This was done without the knowledge or permission of the NC, in breach of a previous motion which was brought about by Robin’s revelations. It would appear that NC motions, even when brought about by the chairman, have no validity when applied to him.

Steve Uncles – Need I say more? Removed from the NC, he still attacks party members on line with impunity and brings the movement in to disrepute. In the last month he has made attacks upon Stephen Morris, Michael Cassidy, Derek Hilling and myself on his blog site (In contravention of the Communications policy document that has been ratified by the NC). He has also referred to a suicide victim as a ‘fascist’ and had launched numerous tirades about UKIP under the logo ‘U-Tit’. He constantly brings the party in to disrepute, and despite the attempts of the NC can do what he likes with the protection of the chairman.

Indeed, I had a row with Robin by email last night because I posted a joke about Steve’s personality being used as a contraceptive on my personal Facebook page, and got read the riot act – Yet Uncles can constantly slander all and sundry without the slightest hint of being reigned in on public blogs and websites. Hypocrisy and double standards.

Searchlight – Robin has admitted to me that he talks with Nick Lowles, and I had a row with him a while ago where he took what Lowles had said about members of the EDL as gossip and had spread them (Notably that senior members are Irish Republicans and are standing behind the flag of St George to line their own pockets – I have met these people and know them to be concerned about the state of OUR country, not another). He was then surprised in midweek that Lowles posted a tissue of lies about our candidate for the upcoming Barnsley election being an ex-BNP officer, when it is in fact Kevin Riddiough who is standing. When I pointed this out to Robin, he advised me that he was ‘disappointed’ as Lowles was supposed to run any story about the EDP past him first. What kind of judgement does this show? He would rather converse with and trust a Marxist agitator ahead of his own members who have met and spoken with members of numerous street groups.

I now await the usual flurry of on line activity from the Dartford Warbler about me being a ‘quitter’, ‘deranged’ or a ‘Brit-Nat plant’ – This is par for the course, and neither myself or our country has time to spend on this childish vindictiveness when our way of life is at stake.

I would like to thank the decent members of the EDP (Of whom there are many) for standing with me over the last 18 months and trying to sort out our local areas and some of our national issues. There are many decent and hardworking members of the party who deserve better from some of those at the top who remind me of a sketch from The Life of Brian (Judean People’s Front, anybody?)

Special thanks go to Stephen Morris, Mark Lancaster, Martin Butler and Sean Varnham who have been a sounding board for ideas and campaigns, and a special mention should go to Ben Weald and Roger Cooper in London who are a credit to the movement.

No doubt with your new BNP recruits you will achieve limited successes before realising that there is a glass ceiling that can only be broken by engaging with all of the decent members of our society – But then, I have come to believe that there are those at the top level who would be happy with 5% of the vote, a couple of MEP’s to keep the money coming in and bragging rights about being leaders of the ‘biggest English Nationalist Party’ at their respective gentlemen’s clubs. Enjoy it before our country and our way of life goes down the pan – In the meantime I will be with like minded patriots from all parties trying to bring up the issues and making a difference both locally and on the streets of London .

Best Regards

Cliff Dixon
London Co-ordinator GLA 2012

Chairman
Hillingdon Branch - English Democrats

The English Democrats' leader Robin Tilbrook was on the Daily Politics yesterday, you can watch the programme here.

Can anyone spot the mistake?

UPDATE

Also available on Youtube.

On Sunday I published the official press release covering Steve Uncles 'resignation', the version of events that Robin Tilbrook would have us believe. An alternative view - the one that I believe - is the original press release written by Derek Hilling, Party Secretary, upon which Tilbrook based his delusive story.

From: "Derek Hilling"
To: RobinTilbrook@aol.com

Robin,

What do think of this as the press release?

On 12th February 2011 the National Council of the English Democrats unanimously voted to remove Steve Uncles (ex- South East Area Chairman) from all his official positions within the party, although he remains a party member. We have taken this action in order to ‘draw a line’ under recent events connecting our party with both Sinn Fein and some ex-BNP leaders, because Steve Uncles was both the initiator and the primary driver behind these approaches. His actions were kept from the majority of the National Council until the public revelations of an ex-party member revealed some of these matters in November 2010.

Steve Uncles took it upon himself to contact and indeed ask for support from Sinn Fein in 2009. The National Council of the English Democrats condemn this approach by Steve Uncles as an opportunistic attempt to associate us with the IRA, with whom we wish to have no association. The English Democrats are struggling to ensure that the people of England are treated fairly within the United Kingdom and we have no interest in interfering in the politics of Northern Ireland. We believe in a government for England but we also believe that it is the sole preserve of the people of Northern Ireland to determine their political arrangements, and it is not for others to interfere.

In 2010 Steve Uncles took it upon himself to contact both Eddie Butler and Richard Barnbrook who at the time were both leading members of the British National Party, although they had fallen out with Nick Griffin. Mr Uncles believed that these people would be useful converts to the English Democrats. We wish to state categorically that at no time have we attempted to initiate any political arrangements with the British National Party as we consider their political beliefs to be an anathema to the vast majority of the people of England. The English Democrats remain, as we always have been, committed to advancing the political, social and economic interests of all the people of England regardless of their race, ethnicity or heritage.

Steve Uncles, by his actions, called into questioned this commitment and that is the reason he no longer speaks for our party.

Derek

Note how Hilling tells us that the NC unanimously voted to remove Steve Uncles from all his official positions within the party, while Tilbrook's tale sets Uncles up as some sort of martyr by informing us that he resigned; note too how Hilling tells us that Uncles took it upon himself to contact Sinn Fein, Eddie Butler and Richard Barnbrook, while Tilbrook tells us that no contact was made with Sinn Fein or discussions entered into with the British National Party.

Prevarication from Tilbrook.

Uncles sent an email to Sinn Fein, whether they received it or responded is by-the-by. And whilst Tilbrook may be technically correct to say that "at no time have we (or Steve) had any discussions with a view to any political arrangements whatsoever with the British National Party", it's just a way of evading the truth pertaining to Uncles' dealings with Eddie Butler and Richard Barnbrook.

All this happened on Tilbrook's watch.

You can rewrite press releases Mr Chairman, but you cannot rewrite history.

On Saturday the English Democrats National Council met in Banbury. At top of the agenda was a vote of no confidence in Steve Uncles. The vote was passed. Uncles did not attend the meeting but sent notice that he would step down from the National Council in the event of the vote going against him. In stepping down from the NC he also relinquishes his place on the Exectutive and his roles as South East Chairman and National Communications Director.

There follows a press release from the English Democrats.

New National Communications Director

I would like to welcome the appointment of Stephen Morris as our new National Communications Director. Stephen has been doing excellent work as our North West Chairman. Since he took over he has re-energised our Party there. I look forward to working closely with him in this new role too.

On 12th February 2011, I, as Chairman of the English Democrats, also accepted the resignation of Steve Uncles, who had been our National Communications Director. Steve had been a long serving and active member of the National Council. Despite Steve's many exceptional services to the Cause of English Nationalism and his innovation and drive in moving the English Democrats forward to the point where it is now the 7th largest political party in England, it was felt that the Party needed to "draw a line" under the recent false allegations of negotiations between our Party and Sinn Fein or the BNP.

As a result of the recent betrayal of Steve's trust by a former colleague, it now appears that, in 2009, Steve took it upon himself to attempt to contact Sinn Fein. The National Council of the English Democrats has condemned this unauthorised attempt but notes that there was no actual contact. The English Democrats are struggling to ensure that the people of England are treated fairly within the United Kingdom and we have no interest in interfering in the politics of Northern Ireland. We believe in a government for England but we also believe that it is the sole preserve of the people of Northern Ireland to democratically determine their own political arrangements.

On behalf of the English Democrats, we also wish to state unequivocally that at no time have we (or Steve) had any discussions with a view to any political arrangements whatsoever with the British National Party. We consider that Party's political beliefs to be anathema both to us and to the vast majority of the people of England. The English Democrats remain, as we always have been, committed to advancing the political, social and economic interests of all the people of England regardless of their race, ethnicity or heritage.

Steve, by his actions seemed, we believe unwittingly, to give unnecessary ammunition to those who wish to attack our Party and the cause of English Nationalism generally, and that is the reason why he no longer speaks for our Party.

Robin Tilbrook

Chairman

The English Democrats

"Not Left, Not Right, Just English!"

The crisis engulfing the British National Party opens opportunities for other right-of-centre parties and might perhaps lead to the formation of a new party altogether. Beginning a series of articles on right-wing alternatives to the BNP, Searchlight takes a look at the English Democrats Party.

Robin Tilbrook senses that this might at last be his moment. After several years struggling to get his party, which he has personally bankrolled, noticed he believes that the time for the English Democrats Party (EDP) has arrived.

The EDP was formed in 2002 to call for the establishment of an English Parliament. It positions itself on the right but denies it is racist, though this claim is undermined by the involvement of many leading activists from the English Defence League.

It has contested European, parliamentary and local elections but with very little success. Its one moment of glory was when Peter Davies, son of Philip Davies, the Conservative MP for Shipley, was elected Mayor of Doncaster in 2009.

With some high profile supporters, such as the columnist and TV critic Garry Bushell, the EDP thought the Doncaster result would herald a new chapter for the party. This failed to materialise and it continued its poor run of election results.

In the 2010 general election the EDP fielded 107 candidates, enabling it to qualify for a party election broadcast, but only saved its deposit in Doncaster North, the seat of the Labour leader Ed Miliband.

Last month the party stood in the Oldham East and Saddleworth by-election but despite running a vigorous and expensive campaign it received only 144 votes, one less than the Monster Raving Loony Party. By contrast the BNP received 1,560 votes.

And this is the heart of the EDP’s problem. Whatever its internal and political deficiencies the presence and profile of the BNP has restricted opportunities for the EDP. Tilbrook has long understood that his party would be able to prosper only if the BNP collapsed.

In the run-up to 2009 European election the EDP formed an alliance with the England First Party in the North West region. The EFP, led by Mark Cotterill, is a minuscule hard-right group based in East Lancashire. Its politics are quite different from the EDP, but they share a belief in an English Parliament and a hatred of the BNP.

White van man From flickr LoopZillaWhite van man From flickr LoopZilla

The two parties worked together, the EFP providing organisational and logistical support for the EDP. It was unclear whether the EDP would have been able to stand without it.

The driving force behind this link-up was Steve Uncles, the EDP’s national membership secretary, and Michael Cassidy, its Yorkshire chairman. Both are on the right of the party and appeared to favour a deeper link with the far right. Tilbrook agreed with the plan but he was driven more by short-term advantage, namely trying to stop Nick Griffin being elected as an MEP, which he believed would massively boost the BNP and end EDP hopes of becoming a major political party.

The plan only narrowly failed, but although Griffin was elected the BNP has not made the expected wider breakthrough and with its current internal problems and financial crisis the EDP senses another opportunity.

Tilbrook appears to have been keen to bring disillusioned BNP members into the EDP. However when former BNP members in Merseyside, Cumbria and Yorkshire began joining the English Democrats, it caused some rumblings of discontent.

It was the courting of Richard Barnbrook that caused most anger. Last November Barnbrook, who resigned from the BNP in August, approached the English Democrats. He knew that to retain his seat on the London Assembly, where he sits as an independent, he needed the financial and organisational support of a political party. Cliff Dixon, the party’s vice chair in London, voiced his concern but was told by Tilbrook to keep an open mind and that the final decision would be taken by the London Committee, chaired by Roger Cooper.

Uncles had other ideas and was keen to push Barnbrook’s application through as fast as possible.

Separately, Tilbrook had been in discussions with Eddy Butler, the former BNP national organiser who was expelled from the party after challenging Griffin for the leadership. However the two had different agendas. Tilbrook was looking to build the EDP while Butler was not convinced that the EDP, particularly in its current form, was the right party for him. Conscious that he had to keep the racial nationalists on board, Butler was unhappy with the EDP’s moderate nationalist programme. Rather, he preferred the idea of uniting the broad nationalist movement, from the racial nationalists to the right-wing populists, around a few shared themes while a longer discussion took place about what kind of party was needed.

Some have argued that Butler was biding time for Andrew Brons to make his move. While the Yorkshire MEP has stayed loyal to the BNP he is increasingly acting independently and separately from Griffin. Butler, though no longer in the BNP, works for Brons.

Dixon became increasingly concerned about the actions of Tilbrook and Uncles. Eventually he decided to speak out after the party hired Jim Dowson to run its fundraising. Not only did the EDP’s appeal letters look remarkably similar to those Dowson wrote for the BNP during the three years he worked for the party, but Dixon believed that Butler now had the EDP’s entire membership list.

After Barnbrook was accepted into the EDP at its January national council meeting, Dixon broke ranks and went public with his outrage.

He was quickly followed by Ed Abrams, a member of the EDP’s national council, who had already resigned from the party in disgust at the courting of BNP members.

“It does not please me one little bit to see the current turmoil that the party that I still consider to be my political home is in but if it is to survive then Tilbrook and Uncles have to go,” Abrams declared.

“I therefore call upon the loyal members of the English Democrats Party to call for a EGM and propose a vote of no confidence in Tilbrook and Uncles.

“Please remember that ENGLAND comes before everything, Uncles and Tilbrook have had there [sic] day, the cause and the good name of your party comes first and only by passing a vote of no confidence in these two will you be able to wipe the slate clean and move forward.”

Also supporting this position was Alistair Barbour, the BNP’s former Carlisle organiser who switched his allegiance to the EDP in protest at the extremism of the BNP. He too resigned from the EDP after other BNP members began to join though claims still to be loyal to the party’s overall aims.

“Do yourselves a favour, stay a progressive moderate party and do not allow the likes of Butler Barnbrook etc to take you to the right,” he wrote. “Tell them to crawl back to Griffin were [sic] they belong and take Uncles with them.

“Don’t let another so called nationalist party destroy England’s chances of recognition and salvation.”

The EDP is in a state of flux. The crisis in the BNP, which appeared to present an opportunity to the EDP to emerge out of the political margins, now seems to be spreading to the EDP. Whether the party can emerge stronger will be determined partly by what happens to the BNP but also by its own members’ reactions to the arrival of former BNP members in their ranks.

Published by Searchlight Magazine, February 2011.

Steve Uncles and Robin Tilbrook's mismanagement of the English Democrats has earned them and their party a well-deserved write up in the anti-fascist magazine Searchlight:

Dixon became increasingly concerned about the actions of Tilbrook and Uncles. Eventually he decided to speak out after the party hired Jim Dowson to run its fundraising. Not only did the EDP’s appeal letters look remarkably similar to those Dowson wrote for the BNP during the three years he worked for the party, but Dixon believed that Butler now had the EDP’s entire membership list.

After Barnbrook was accepted into the EDP at its January national council meeting, Dixon broke ranks and went public with his outrage.

He was quickly followed by Ed Abrams, a member of the EDP’s national council, who had already resigned from the party in disgust at the courting of BNP members.

I suspect that English Democrats members in the North West are more concerned about the possibility of Mark Cotterill having their membership details.

There now follows a party political damage limitation exercise on behalf of the English Democrats.

OFFICIAL STATEMENT: English Democrats & Richard Barnbrook

There have been inaccurate rumours circulating, on a number of political blogs, that Mr. Richard Barnbrook, an independent member of the Greater London Assembly, is now representing the English Democrats. This is incorrect.

Mr. Barnbrook was in the British National Party (BNP) and he has applied to join the English Democrats. To this end, Mr. Barnbrook recently attended a National Council meeting. He was asked searching questions about his involvement with the BNP, his commitment to England and specifically about his attitude to race.

As we are well aware that the BNP is breaking up, the National Council was determined to clarify whether Mr Barnbrook could commit himself fully to the English Democrats' stance of not discriminating on the grounds of race or ethnicity. Mr Barnbrook assured us both that he could and also that he is no racist and is a patriotic Englishman.

The National Council agreed that the London Area Council of the English Democrats could have further discussions with Mr Barnbrook to decide on what further steps to take, if any. No inducements or promises have been made to Mr. Barnbrook to join our party.

The National Council are naturally very conscious of Mr Barnbrook's previous position of prominence within the BNP and therefore of the sensitivity of this issue but we do take the view that every application to join should be treated properly, fairly and in a common sense way on the merits of the individual applicant.

Finally we would confirm that the English Democrats are absolutely determined to ensure that our commitment to a better democrasy for all the people of England is maintained, come what may.

Robin Tilbrook
Chairman,
The English Democrats