Finding my way

There is a well researched article by Elwin Jones over on the English Democrats Party blog regarding the legitimacy of the transfer of Monmouthshire from England to Wales in 1972 and it's status before that time. Jones points out that ....

The fact of the 1972 Act of Parliament being required to effect the transfer Monmouthshire to Wales itself constitutes evidence that it was an English county. If Monmouthshire was already truly part of Wales, an Act of Parliament effecting a transfer would have been unnecessary.

Quite true. And with that in mind I think the EDP are quite right to push for the people of Monmouthshire to have their say in a referendum on the issue of whether they want to be in Wales or England. Jones also exposes the failure of the MP's at that time who were supposed to represent the people of Monmouthshire to do so - including Neil Kinnock and Michael Foot.

Although I've linked to the EDP since I started this blog and frequently visit their web site, I haven't really looked at their policies or manifesto. I've always thought of the EDP, probably wrongly, as a pressure group for an English Parliament rather than a fully fledged political party with real political ambitions beyond getting this government to recognise the unfairness of allowing the other nations of Britain to have devolved government while refusing the same right to the English.

It's no secret that I'm interested in politics and looking for a party that I can throw my lot in with. I do not like what is happening to my country and would like to do something about it - however small. I'm not one of those who likes to moan about things and then leave it for others to sort out - I want to do my bit and have great admiration for those bloggers who already actively support or work for the smaller parties like UKIP and BNP. part of the reason for starting this blog was the hope that by writing down what bothers me and what I would like to see done about it I would be able to find a political party that I could support. Definitely out of the running are Labour, The Lib Dems and The Conservative party. I would not join or support any of those while they remain as they are now. So which party could I join?

UKIP?
I've had a brief flirtation with UKIP - but they blew it after the Euro elections in 2004 with their petty infighting, embrace of RKS and inability to put forward any real ideas other than "withdraw from the EU". The signs are that they are starting to get the their act together and that Farage may yet prove to be the leader they need, but I felt badly let down by them both during and after the Euro elections and it's still too early for me to go back to them.

BNP?
I've looked into the policies of the BNP and, although it may not be politically correct to say so, there is much to be admired both in their policies and in their professionalism. Considering how modestly funded they are compared to other parties, they make remarkably good use of it with their websites and publications. I also like Nick Griffin. He gets a lot of bad press, but he comes across to me as a genuine man, passionate about his country and not afraid to defend it - frequently robustly and sometimes quite eloquently. Despite all that, I still feel uneasy about the BNP and would take a lot more convincing before I could throw my lot in with them.

The Liberal Party?
No - not the Lib Dems - the original Liberal party. Before I was allowed to vote - and long before we had the SDP and then the Lib Dems - I was an active helper, though never a member, of the Liberal Party and I still consider myself to be a classical liberal - though one with conservative tendencies these days. Myself and s school friend use to help deliver leaflets fir the Liberal party back in the seventies and he remains an active member of the party today. He is always trying to get me to return to the fold and I was, for a while, tempted, but their decision to drop EU withdrawal from their policies has meant that, if anything, he is more likely to leave than I am to join.

The EDP?
I think I'll be taking a more in-depth look at the EDP over the next few weeks to see what they have to offer. The brief glimpse I have had so far is encouraging in rhetoric, but their policies still seem ill-defined and their aims and ambitions unclear.

I'll let you know how I get on.