Editing English Democrats (section)

== History ==
In 1998, in response to calls for the [[devolution]] of power to [[Scotland]] and [[Wales]], [[Robin Tilbrook]] aimed at reforming the [[English National Party]], which had ceased operating in 1981. This project included members of the [[Devolved English parliament|Campaign for an English Parliament]], a [[Advocacy group|pressure group]] that lobbies for a devolved English Parliament. The party was relaunched as the "English Democrats" in September 2002, after merging with several other smaller political parties. In October 2004 the party merged with the Reform UK Party, which was a small splinter group from the [[UK Independence Party|United Kingdom Independence Party]] (UKIP). The [[New England Party]] merged with the English Democrats in February 2007.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://northwest.englishdemocrats.party/about-2/|title=About English Democrats North West|website=northwest.englishdemocrats.party|language=en|access-date=21 February 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170222193744/http://northwest.englishdemocrats.party/about-2/|archive-date=22 February 2017|url-status=dead}}</ref>

The English Democrats were co-founders of the English Constitutional Convention,<ref>{{cite web|title=Devolution for England – The way forward |publisher=English Constitution Convention |url=http://www.englishconstitutionalconvention.com/ |access-date=8 August 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070708090225/http://englishconstitutionalconvention.com/ |archive-date=8 July 2007 |url-status=dead}}</ref> now defunct.

In December 2004, it was rumoured that [[Robert Kilroy-Silk]], the former UKIP [[Member of the European Parliament|MEP]] had entered into negotiation to join the English Democrats.<ref>{{cite news |last=Hyde |first=Marina |title=Diary |work=[[The Guardian]] |date = 14 December 2004 |url=https://www.theguardian.com/diary/story/0,,1372973,00.html| access-date =8 August 2007 |location=London}}</ref> However, Kilroy-Silk formed [[Veritas (political party)|Veritas]] instead.

In 2007, the columnist and conspiracy theorist [[Vernon Coleman]] announced he had joined the English Democrats.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.vernoncoleman.com/englishdemo.htm|title=Why I've Joined The English Democrats|website=www.vernoncoleman.com|access-date=26 April 2015|archive-date=22 May 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190522231358/http://www.vernoncoleman.com/englishdemo.htm|url-status=live}}</ref>

The party's most significant electoral success came when Peter Davies (a former UKIP and Reform UK member), its candidate for Mayor of Doncaster, was [[2009 Doncaster Council mayoral election|elected]].  Having received 16,961 votes in the first round, 189 votes behind the [[independent (politician)|independent]] Michael Maye, Davies was returned in the second count on transfers of second preference votes, with 25,344 votes to 24,990.<ref name="DoncasterMayor2009">{{cite news|title=English Democrat is new Mayor of Doncaster|work=[[The Independent]]|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/english-democrat-is-new-mayor-of-doncaster-1697869.html|access-date=5 June 2009|location=London|first=Celia|last=Paul|date=5 June 2009|archive-date=8 June 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090608075826/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/english-democrat-is-new-mayor-of-doncaster-1697869.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="Mayoral Election 2009 Results">{{cite web |title=Mayoral Election 2009 Results |url=http://www.doncaster.gov.uk/services/the-council-democracy/mayoral-election-results-2009 |publisher=Doncaster Council |date=5 June 2009 |access-date=9 September 2017 |archive-date=9 September 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170909143059/http://www.doncaster.gov.uk/services/the-council-democracy/mayoral-election-results-2009 |url-status=live }}</ref>  However, Davies announced his resignation from the party on 5 February 2013 citing "a big influx of new members joining from the British National Party".<ref name="resignation">''BBC News'' [https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-21335384 "Doncaster mayor quits English Democrats 'because of BNP'"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181231003306/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-21335384 |date=31 December 2018 }}, 5 February 2013</ref> One of its councillors, Mick Glynn, resigned the following day after the party's chairman, Tilbrook, launched a personal attack on Davies, thus reducing its number of elected representatives to two.<ref>England Watch blog [http://englandwatch.wordpress.com/2013/02/07/another-english-democrat-councillor-resigns/ "Another English Democrat Councillor Resigns."] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140426235722/http://englandwatch.wordpress.com/2013/02/07/another-english-democrat-councillor-resigns/ |date=26 April 2014 }}, 7 February 2013</ref> The English Democrats lost their remaining councillors in the 2015 local elections. On 18 September 2015, [[Veritas (political party)|Veritas]] merged into the English Democrats.<ref name="Merger with the English Democrats">{{cite web |url=http://www.veritasparty.com/ |title=Merger with the English Democrats |work=Veritas |date=18 September 2015 |access-date=5 March 2016 |archive-date=3 March 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303222534/http://www.veritasparty.com/ |url-status=live }}<br />- {{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/uk-politics-33079925?ns_mchannel=social&ns_source=twitter&ns_campaign=bbc_live&ns_linkname= |title=English Democrats and Veritas to merge |series=Politics Live |work=BBC News |date=11 June 2015 }}</ref>

The party claimed a total membership of 1,011 at the end of 2004, and 1,202 at the end of 2005.<ref>{{cite web |title=English Democrats Party Statement of Accounts |publisher=[[Electoral Commission (United Kingdom) |Electoral Commission]] |date=31 December 2005 |url=http://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/files/dms/EnglishDemocrats_23009-17188__E__N__S__W__.PDF |access-date=8 August 2007}}{{dead link|date=May 2022|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref>

In 2015, the party lost the vast majority of its general election minimum 5% of poll [[deposit (politics)|deposits]], had a few councillors elected and gained some by defection and was regarded by some as a [[political fringe|fringe]] party.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/general-election-2015/politics-blog/11614787/Meet-the-small-loony-parties-who-never-win-anything-but-do-enrich-our-democracy.html | title=Meet the tiny, fringe parties who never win anything – but do enrich our democracy | work=[[The Daily Telegraph]] | date=19 May 2015 | access-date=19 October 2015 | archive-date=28 November 2015 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151128222223/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/general-election-2015/politics-blog/11614787/Meet-the-small-loony-parties-who-never-win-anything-but-do-enrich-our-democracy.html | url-status=live }}</ref>