So Myra Weir 'didn't expect the group to do well'. What a surprise.

As I said last night, I achieved what I set out to do, which was to let the town of Rochford, where I've lived since 1990, know that the English Democrats are here.

As we get no publicity at all from any of the media, this involved leafletting extensively throughout Rochford town. This was done exclusively by Brian Lee, Chairman of the Eastern Counties Branch, English Democrats Party, and myself. As Brian and I are both in our 70s we had all the difficulties that we expected.

One of the Conservatives whose result was declared first made the comment that 'his wife, who was his agent, had organised the team of supporters...' Our team consisted of Brian and me, with my husband helping whenever and however he could.

I want to thank the 347 people in Rochford town who voted for me. Given that before this election, the vast majority of people had never heard of the English Democrats, it's not surprising that I didn't get elected. I would have been absolutely amazed and gobsmacked if I HAD been elected - that wasn't what it was about at all.

We are here, we're on the map, and as I said last night, someone else can now follow on from what I've started. Our party motto says it all 'Putting England First'. And: 'Not left, not right, just English'. Not racist, not any -ist, just English. Not anti-immigration - how could I be, married to a third-generation immigrant? The fact that we feel strongly that our country has been disadvantaged in comparison with the Welsh, Scots and Northern Irish doesn't mean we 'hate the Scots and Welsh', as a Conservative man muttered next to me last night. We don't hate anyone. We just want our country's rights and privileges back again. As the Prime Minister puts it and as the BBC likes to put it: 'the nations and regions', by which he means Scotland, Wales and the English regions. Splitting England into regions, all of whom have to compete for resources, will result in 'Balkanisation'. English Democrats don't want that. We want just the same as was given to Scotland and Wales, which our English MPs spinelessly and disgracefully voted for back in 1998.

Given that the English Democrats were only formed as a party in 2002, it's not surprising that 'none of us was elected', as the Echo demeaningly puts it. We're in it for the long haul, as Robin Tilbrook, our Chairman, said a few days ago. I shan't see the end of this fight. But, my God, it's a fight worth taking part in. It's a cause to believe in and to live for. You haven't heard the last of us.

Great post Margaret. Well done for running a positive campaign. You're a credit to the EDP and the political process in general.

I would like to thank most sincerely, the 236 people who voted for me in Rayleigh Sweyne Park yesterday.

I do not live in this ward, nor do I know personally any of its residents but nevertheless, 236 total strangers put a cross next to my name, making a considerable dent in the opposition votes.

I only hope now that all those who voted the Conservatives back in - everywhere - not just this area - will hold them to their promises.

The Cons, Labour and LibDem party cannot continue to ignore the rights of the people of England, without dire consequences. Labour have already had a thorough walloping, so that speaks volumes.

I believe a lot of people are concerned about cut bus routes and housing developments, let's hope we see a little more action from the Conservatives on these issues because what I saw at the count last night was a lot of gloating, backslapping and UTTER COMPLACENCY.

I wish voters could be allowed to watch counts because they'd see the way these people behave behind closed doors. SOME (usually older, traditional)Conserva
tives were very nice and friendly but a lot of them were just too smug to be true.

I had interesting chats with LibDems, BNP and Conservatives, who were all chatting among themselves while the votes were being counted and one thing was crystal clear: many of these grass roots party members actually DO agree that England is discriminated against and wish their upper echelons would do something about it.

Anyway, once again, thank you SO much for your support, any of my voters who read this. I am proud of you all, that you took the time to read my leaflet, which apparently, frightened the Tories into printing a hurried communication on the subject of the West Lothian question, after I did my first leaflet drop. I wonder why?!

I'd like also to thank my partner Simon and my daughter Beth for their help and the people at the polling station and count, who made it all possible.

This is the one and only posting I am going to put here, as I do not intend to return, only to be bored silly with the usual loony detractors and knockers whose unsigned comnents do not deserve to be read, as their writers are only capable of carping on here and not actually putting themselves forward as candidates.

Such people who snipe from the sidelines are hypocrites and cowards.

I am now off to the mayoral count, to support our assembly candidates there.

We all have to start somewhere. The Labour Party started in somebody's front room but look where they ended up today!

gloating, backslapping and UTTER COMPLACENCY

From Tories? You don't say!! :)

The Labour Party started in somebody's front room but look where they ended up today!

Yes - taking a beating from the p*ssed off voters of England and Wales!! (I know what you mean though, it was just nice to stick the knife in to Labour.)

Such people who snipe from the sidelines are hypocrites and cowards.

I'd be careful of accusing people of hypocrisy and cowardice, Kim, unless you're absolutely certain you're not even slightly guilty of it yourself. By all means treat people who post anything abusive with the contempt they deserve, but I think if people question the (arguably occasionally abusive) remarks you make, you owe it to yourself to back them up - don't you agree?

It's a shame that someone with your obvious intelligence, and wide knowledge of local matters, chooses to run away from such an opportunity to put your arguments across.

If the "loony detractors" (which I am sure includes me, given the "spineless", "gutless" and other names you've called me) are breaking site rules then report the post. If not, you're not really in a position to complain. You of all people push those site guidelines to the limit - if you dish it out, you should be ready to take it too. That's what life is all about.

Look forward to the day when you decide to return and keep commenting - preferably without the abuse and name-calling though.

All the best.

Gracious speech Kim, but then concession speeches almost have to be don't they, one must save face!

The people have spoken, you would do well to listen!

i am glad tories have kept their seat.

I was stunned (tho i shouldnt have been) when i heard on the news that labour are blaming the Credit Crunch for their terrible losses. They really are sooo arrogant to believe that, that is the reason they lost, that it hasnt got anything to do with the fact that people are fed up of being ignored and taxed to death just to support the illegal immigrants and travellers who pay nothing into this country. Oh and guess what, when i applied for my driving licence all i had to do was fill in a form and send it back with my fee. 2 years ago my daughter applied for her driving licence, she had to fill in a form get a photo signed to say it was her, enclose her birth certificate (only the A4 one) and her fee. This week my son had his application returned (which had fee, signed photo and a declaration on application form to say it was him and his birth certificate enclosed) because a birth certificate is not proof that it is him. Just more proof now that labour have totally lost control of immigration that we now have to almost turn up in person with entire family to dvla to get a driving licence.

piano hinges wrote:
<b> Great post Margaret. Well done for running a positive campaign. You're a credit to the EDP and the political process in general.</b>

Thank you very much for those kind words.

It was certainly a learning experience for me - I've never done anything like that before in my life, nor ever expected to. It was just something I felt so strongly about, even if late in life (well, very late!!) I've never thought of entering politics as a career, as many politicians seem to do now, but when you suddenly discover a cause worth living and dying for, then you just have to go with it, and go where it takes you. I shan't see the end of all this, but that doesn't matter in the least.

PS: After blaming the 'Echo' for not giving us any coverage, they've printed a photo of me with my agent on page 2 of Friday's 'Echo'! This was one of the photos that my husband Barry took yesterday morning. As I said earlier, it was all about getting the EDP into the public consciousness locally.

Beth above mentions immigration. I agree with her - we now seem to have no borders at all, and anyone can come. EDP members have been accused of 'racism' because we want to regain control of our borders, quite simply because this is a small island and space is obviously limited! We'll soon be as over-populated as the Netherlands. Gordon Brown talks of 3 million new homes to be built in the next few years, but what he fails to mention is that these are ALL planned to be built in England, not in other parts of Britain! He has lost a lot of power in his own country, since devolution, but he persists in pontificating about England and the English, at the same time as denying our existence - the 'regions'!

I could not possibly be anti-immigrant as such because I am married to a third generation immigrant, whose grandparents fled from pogroms in the then Russian Empire around a century ago. They'd have been killed if they hadn't come here, and I sympathise with those in a similar plight today. That doesn't mean, however, that we can continue to absorb unlimited numbers, all with their own foreign cultures, which we're expected to respect and defer to. People who seek refuge here must respect OUR culture, not the other way around.

About Labour's difficulties, the 10p tax fiasco has probably done them more harm than the so-called 'credit crunch'. It has hurt the poorest, the very people that the Labour Party was originally set up to champion and to protect. Those early Labour pioneers must be turning in their graves at this moment, if they could know about what has been done to (1) the lower-paid who for whatever reason, can't claim tax credits and (2) people retired before age 65, who're not eligible for the higher age-related tax allowances.

Margaret:

Fully support your views. Stand your ground on English culture, no one else will do it for you.

Its refreshing to see honest patriotism balanced with a humanitarian approach. You say your piece but stop short of ranting and raving.

Your professional attitude is much appreciated and you are a credit to your country and the party.

and I am only partly English, by the way, so my comment is completely unbiased.

Thank you very much, Amused! I appreciate the compliments from you and from piano hinges, I really do.

I learned long ago that ranting and raving gets us nowhere, all it does is to frighten and offend the very people who should be our friends. And there are people in the Conservative party who are far closer to our stance than they yet dare to admit!

There are some flamboyant characters who can get away with quite intemperate language - I couldn't. I know I couldn't pull it off so there is no point. Having said that, I often do feel very angry indeed about the things that have been done to my country in recent years.

Well, its about time people got angry and stood up to be counted.

Years ago, as a child growing up abroad, England was a magical land to me, it existed in Enid Blyton and Agatha Christie books (not to mention "Carry On movies). When I finally visited in my teens I was in seventh heaven to finally experience first hand, the creams teas, bluebell woods and quaint villages described so eloquently by the great authors (and my mother). In the ensuing years I watched from abroad in dismay, as British culture came under increasing pressure and seemed to fall out of fashion as those who sought refuge turned around and bit the hand that reached out to them.
Now I am married to an Englishman and live in Essex, and am happy to see at last the resurgence of pride in the country that gave the world its most beautiful language, legal systems and let's face it...a modicum of civilization.

In one of your earlier posts, you mentioned that you entered politics (very) late in life, well I don't know how old you are, but just to let you know, the mayor of Missisauga, Ontario, Canada, is 89 years old. I am not sure when she started out in politics, but she is so popular that every time she talks of retiring, they persaude her to stay a little longer.

Good luck to you.

As someone descended from Scottish stock, who incidentally briefly met you and your husband Barry some time ago, I would also like to congratulate you on a dignified campaign.
I also know many Scots totally support the idea of an English Parliament. Good luck and best wishes.

Silky wrote:
As someone descended from Scottish stock, who incidentally briefly met you and your husband Barry some time ago, I would also like to congratulate you on a dignified campaign.
I also know many Scots totally support the idea of an English Parliament. Good luck and best wishes.

Thank you, Silky! In fact, last September at the EDP's annual conference in Leicester, we had a speaker from the SNP, Angus McNeil.

On Thursday night I was accused of 'hating the Scots and the Welsh, and being racist'. None of this is true.

Amused, I'm going to be 73 in a few weeks' time, so by the time the next local elections come round I'll be nearly 75. We certainly need help with leafletting etc from younger and more agile people. I don't do stairs, for instance (replaced hips), so the flats were a problem.

We have relatives in Canada (who hasn't, or Australia/NZ?) We had a 'Daniel family get-together dinner' in October 2003 in Vancouver, BC (Daniel is a family name from the 19th/early 20th century and I have 4th cousins there). You are absolutely right, Amused - we have had our hands bitten by those to whom we offered refuge, particularly in recent years. That wasn't true of my husband's family, who have (largely) integrated, learned the language, worked hard and become good citizens. One of the EDP's national council members, Ed Abrams, has a similar background to my husband and he describes himself on his website as 'English Jew'. He puts his hand over his heart when we sing 'Jerusalem' and says he's a proud Englishman. So we all have links in different places, one of my oldest friends, an Englishman, is married to a Welshwoman.

We all just have to make our voices heard!

"Bus routes and housing developments" - so what are your views on local issues, Kim? If you had bothered to tell us, more people might have voted for you.

I've just seen the comments on the log cabin thread, in particular one from 'Seen it on' who says that he/she would have voted for me but for Kim's remarks.

I've been written off because of what someone else has said.

I cannot control what someone else chooses to write.

In all threads you have conducted yourself very well, which is more than can be said of some.

I also share the same feeling as 'seen it'. It was Kim's remarks that changed my vote too.

Tony, I am sad that someone else's intemperate remarks changed your vote. I have tried to warn, in a friendly fashion, against this extreme and insultingly-unnecess
ary speech. The cause we serve is far, far bigger than any individual's little ego-trip, and I hope I am not guilty of that.

For those who are still interested, here's what it's all about. And we still need good people to join us and to support us. See: http://uk.youtube.co
m/watch?v=C97ur3pdWy
4