Alan England was a Labour Party member for many years including the time when Michael Foot was Labour Leader and presided over the publication of the Party’s 1983 General Election manifesto, once described by Gerald Kaufman as “The longest suicide note in history“. As a Labour Party member, Alan was active at branch level but, being in a ‘politically restricted’ category of public service, he did not stand in any public election as a Labour Party candidate.
Alan was also an active trade unionist who believes that trade unions are owned by their members, and not by their paid employees (who have their own trade unions)! Following the introduction of legislation which prescribed balloting rules, Alan secured election to his union’s national council.
As time elapsed, Alan became increasingly aware of the excessive dominance of Scots in both political and trade union affairs. Indeed, Scottish members of his trade union even had their own designated “Scottish Hotel” during annual conferences in venues such as Blackpool, Bournemouth, Brighton and Eastbourne! Eventually, following devolution to Scotland and Wales, he concluded that the Labour Party no longer represented him being older, white, male and English. Consequently, he allowed his membership to lapse in 2000.
Alan England joined the English Democrats in 2005 and, in addition to having been an elected member of the National Council was also National Secretary. In 2007, he stood as a Party candidate in elections to his parish council, Hambleton District Council and the Welsh Assembly.
Alan’s experience includes that of having been a Police Lay Visitor (now Independent Custody Visitors), a school governor of a primary school and a high school, and as a parish councillor.
South West England - English Democrats 