Discussion thread on the Free England Party's electoral strategy

[Ea of Dune]

Arden> An Umbrella organisation as RTL says allows cross party cooperation on projects that are of importance to it's members, without having to compromise the idividual policy they champion.

It makes sense to me because if the FEP and say the EDP agree not to stand against each other in certain wards we will not get two parties who promote England splitting the vote when the movements main aim should be getting people into council offices, parliament, mayoral positons etc to start with.

Nobody can start to implement their policies etc. until they actually have people in a position where this can happen, and fighting amongst ourselves will not achieve this.

Ea of dune

[arden forester]

Originally Posted by Richard the Lionheart

There is some common ground, but not on everything. Have you never heard of cross party working before? I provide you with a link to demonstrate that parties do work together for certain purposes.

10 Downing Street website - Search Results

There is still a huge difference in opinions on forms of government. The EDP want a federal system, the FEP want home rule for England. I would work with anti-EU Labour supporters on a common purpose of opposition to the EU. I may not like any of their policies, but would find common ground with supporters that were anti-EU.

I think it's a little unfair and undemocratic for anyone to deny our right to exist and campaign for what we believe in. Home rule is a passion for me and I want to work towards something I feel strongly about. You may not approve, but that's up to you. Please show some consideration and allow my colleagues and I the right to fight for what we believe in.

Thank you for the response!

1. Of course I've heard of cross party working, but that's a bit different from small parties competing for the limited amount of support in the first instance.
2. Home rule is not independence. The Irish Free State was home rule, the Irish Republic is independence. You want independence, I gather.
3. I never suggested for a moment that I would deny your party's right of existence. Just that it seemed odd to start a new one so soon (relatively) after the EDP.
4. You are correct. I don't approve of independence or home rule, just a devolved system that is properly democratically accountable.

Just as a thought. The old saying "A house divided against itself, etc, etc," is very true. I would have thought that you could get far more electoral success as a comprehensive unite rather than as several coming together as and when. The first thing you'll have to do is agree what seats you contest, otherwise it will be head-to-head with both being the worse off!

[Richard the Lionheart]

Thank you for your comments guys. Yes, home rule was what happened in the IFS, but I see it as pretty much the same thing as independence in modern parlance, although you may disagree. I want England to be a sovereign nation state.

I'm sure a compromise will occur between the FEP and EDP so that we don't stand against each other wherever possible, but that might not always be the case. If an EDP candidate was standing in my ward, and I was standing, then of course there might be a clash of interests if there was insistence by both parties that they wanted to stand, but that is likely to be the exception rather than the rule, an almost impossibilty

[Johnny Hates Jazz]

The English Democrats, have never stood against any other Engilsh Nationalist Party.

It is totally avoidable at District Council Level or even UK Parliamentary Level.

The "English Cause" is bigger then any minor variations in Policy.