The political tide in Essex ?

As I mentioned in the last post I'm on a visit to my former home town in Essex. Today the family went out for a day out at "Tropical wings" (www.tropicalwings.co.uk) near Battlebridge, and fantastic family trip out with a range of creatures from butterflies to a falcon that flew of during the flying display and didn't seem very keen on returning. (The keepers will track him via a radio transmitter - so he knows how the rest of s are going to feel once ID cards come in).

Back at home I'm looking at the Yellow Advertiser and an interesting article on local politics. What strikes me as an occasional visitor is how the Lib Dems have just died off over here.

Take the local elections here are the number of candidates for each party for Rochford district council elections:

Conservative 15
Lib Dem 6
Lab 6
UKIP 1
Greens 3
English Democrats 5
BNP 1
Ind 1

Two of the Conservatives are already elected as their seats are uncontested. The Lb Dems ad Labour never stand in the sae wards - so the usual collusion there then. But the big surprise s the English Democrats putting up a major effort.

Essex should be fertile ground for the English Democrats. I've seen many St George's flags in evidence and no Union flags. People round here like to work for a living and are not impressed by the money being sent to Labour's client states in Scotland and Wales.

It will be intresting to watch the results as a growing English political dimension presents a special challange to the Conservative party.