The English Democrats have unwisely leaked an email from former member Andrew Constantine, details of which are to be found on the British Democracy Forum.
Hi guys
This is a "musing on a Saturday afternoon" moment, but I am wondering whether we should entertain a move to independence either by another formal NC motion at the AGM in Sept 2008 - or at least by setting up an "independence crazies" formal section of the party.
I have some pragmatic reasons for this musing:
1. Most days I manage to speak to someone about our policies. I am not managing to convert, or even influence, many. Perhaps I am a poor salesmen, but I believe that the real issue is that many folks do not understand the UK constitution, do not appreciate what having n English parliament implies, and get hung up about what "English" means. Compare and contrast with the simplicity of the SNP policy and its media coverage. There would be no doubt about what "Independence for England" means; nor would it raise questions about nationality, race etc.
2. We are not managing to inspire others sufficiently well to build the party quickly enough. Our official policy is an English parliament within a Federal UK. It appeals to a number English nationalists, but we are not succeeding in getting any big hitters to finance us. The fact that a person is rich and successful in business does not mean they are necessarily very bright when it comes to constitutional theory. "Independence for England" is a simple and effective message.
3. The SNP might assist us if we move to independence. Even informally we could pinch material from their websites, leaflets etc. I have just done this on the cogs forum as an example.
4. Our media coverage is often very limited. Some of the same reasons that apply above might be relevant here. A journalist might hesitate to write about us when they see the emphasis we place on the adjective "English". "Independence for England" is of course more extreme, but it is also similar and matches the SNP message. So the media can see at a glance what we are about.
Important reasons for great caution on this issue
My key concern is not to damage the party.
We cannot afford any factionalism.UKIP are in real poor condition and we are the natural home for disillusioned UKIPpers whilst we argue for a federal UK.
Query - As a first step - It is possible to have a sub-set in the party calling for independence without damaging the party and our cause?
Kind Regards, Andrew
Andrew was an EDP national council member until a spat over EDP policy and some bitter in-fighting led to his resignation and the formation of the Free England Party. The ill will continues as Andrew's Telegraph blog shows.