Comments on: Open letter to the English Democrats

By: Matt

Matt — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 22:27:37 +0000

Yes please support the cause for an English Parliament on this occasion without using it as an opportunity to advertise your political party. It’s only polite.

Thanks!

By: Wessexman

Wessexman — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 20:19:51 +0000

As a member of the Wessex Society which is like the CEP non Political Society/group
The members are made up of People of all Political views including several English Democrats, but we stick to History & Culture

The Wessex Regionalists are political party but only believe in being a Region of the EU

English Democrats want a English Parliament within the UK !

So dont get carried away with the wrong idea, of some agreement
I can assure you of NO AGREEMENT…… plenty of Disagreement
English Democrats do not believe in the WR & EU in any shape or form.

By: bobbyboy

bobbyboy — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 13:46:23 +0000

The last comment by Scilla is very important. The CEP is a pressure group and the MP who sponsored it on behalf of the CEP would not want to be associated with another political party. Therefore I agree with her point.

I am a member of the English Democrats and there is another party which is named “English Democratic Party”, there appears to be a difference, so when you say EDP which one is it?

By: T. R. Spratt

T. R. Spratt — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 12:25:20 +0000

To correct Stuart Eels’ misinformation. The “Wessex Party” does not exist, except as a contraction of the “Wessex Regionalist Party”. The Wessex Regionalists are, or were (there is some doubt about their current level of activity) as their name suggests, a regionalist party dedicated to a “Europe of the Regions”. The party was founded in the 1970s by Lord Bath who is now a member of the Liberal Democratic Party. The Wessex Regionalists differ from other regionalists in that they promote an eight county region which straddles the government’s South West and South East regions and recognise Cornwall as a nation. They oppose the aims of the English Democrats, and there is absolutely no tie up between the two parties.
The Wessex Society, of which I am a member, is a cultural society and is strictly non-political in its aims. I have written to the main regional paper on occasion about matters of concern to the Wessex Society in my capacity as assistant secretary, but have never mentioned the English Democrats or the CEP in those letters.

I am also a member of The Young Wessex League, and write to the press on behalf of the Young Wessex League. The League seeks recognition for the historic territory of Zeaxeland-Wessex, which corresponds to the Earldom of Wessex as it was in 1066, essentially, the government’s South West and South East regions added together, i.e., the south of England outside of London (constituted as the “Province of London”, including most of Surrey and Essex). The League does indeed support the English Democrats’ aims and strategy, taking the political realist position. It recognises that UKIP, the BNP, and the Conservative parties with their UK wide interests will never deliver devolution to England and Zeaxeland-Wessex.
“Zeaxe; owre land and volc”

By: Stuart Eels

Stuart Eels — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 11:41:54 +0000

If Stephen Gash can’t find any information on our site why not look it up on the English Democrats site where they are now having a demostration an half hour before us! Under their list of English Democrat events leading up to Christmas they are listing OUR Conferance!

By: Scilla

Scilla — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 11:41:34 +0000

Dear Toby,

As I explained to a friend of yours the event has been organised entirely by the CEP after a member’s MP kindly offered to sponsor it in the House of Commons. This could only happen because the CEP is not a political party and has no links to any political party and is therefore not seen as a rival by sitting MPs.

As I have explained elsewhere the number of seats are limited and, naturally, subscribing members of the CEP are given preference-there is nothing ‘elitist’ about it.

Your knowledge that the CEP is an entirely separate and independent organisation is not universal, as I have come to find out.

By: Toby Hector

Toby Hector — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 22:24:57 +0000

Why is this an issue?

It seems like your cutting your nose of to spite your face here. From what I know, many EDP members are also CEP members. In fact I only heard about the CEP myself after becoming a member of the EDP and speaking to people who are members of both. I’ve only ever heard them say good things about the CEP and regardless on what is written on websites I was informed by EDP members that the event was very much a CEP one.

I was planning on joining CEP myself because of the solid recommendations; but after reading your open letter I have to say, you’re coming across as more than a little elitist.

I was also meant to be attending the event on the 18th with a group of other EDP/CEP members to give our support… although I think some reconsideration is now required.

I’m sure I’m missing something here, and I can’t pretend to know the history of the EDP/CEP relationship but surely the objective of this event is the greater issue.

By: Scilla

Scilla — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 12:20:22 +0000

I know the CEP organiser very well-I have known him for years-he is not a member of the EDP. He applied to the Met for pwermission months ago. He is not the person advertised on the EDP site.

By: Stephen Gash

Stephen Gash — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 01:49:45 +0000

I dunno. I do know that a demo has to be notified to the Met police beforehand, especially in Parliament Sq. Have you asked the organiser, as he is a CEP member?

By: Veronica Newman

Veronica Newman — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 21:47:27 +0000

Perhaps the CEP was being prudent in not widely advertising the Parliament Square demonstration.
It has after all been organised for CEP members therefore there has been no need to advertise it outside of the organisation.