‘Save England' crusade

Press, Volume CXVI, Issue 34133, 21 April 1976, Page 15

‘Save England' crusade

i Press Assn— Copyright) I LONDON. April 20. The English National Party, whose motto is, “1776, American Independence; 1976, English Independence,” yesterday paid homage to its patron, St George, and to its new figurehead, Mr John Stonehouse. Mr Stonehouse recently abandoned the Labour Party, and threw in with the] E.N.P., much to the con-! I fusion of his MiiwalJ North, 'constituents. The controversial member iof Parliament was ap!proached by the founder of (the E.N.P., its chairman and I inspirationist. Dr Frank i Hansford-Miller, after he had 'heard Mr Stonehouse speak

on the condition of England in Parliament. Despite the fact that all but two members walked out of the House while the speech was being made. Dr Hansford-Miller described it as “one of the most wonderful speeches in the English language.” Yesterday the E.N.P. hired two bands and summoned its faithful for a “Save England” crusade in Trafalgar Square, which was also a four-days-early celebration of St George’s Day and a rousing welcome to its illustrious new voice in Parliament. Mr Stonehouse sat on a red velvet chair at the base of Nelson’s Column as the E.N.P. passed in brief review. At the head of the parade of about 100 people was Dr I Hansford-Miller — in a national costume designed bv a Bournemouth arts student and made by his wife in

their Blackheath semi-de-tached with purple drainpipes. The hat is Beefeater, tho shoes troubadour, the doublet Elizabethan, and emblazoned across the breast, the red rose of St George. “England saw her greatest triumphs before the act of union with Scotland and Wales in 1707,” explained Dr Hansford-Miller, who is described by Mr Stonehouse as one of the most sincere men in English politics today. “Ours is a party of inspiration. Let Scotland and Wales have their independence, so that we can have ours.” Dr Hansford-Miller claims Ito represent 46 million people — 84 per cent of the population of Britain, but [when he stood as an Inde(pendent for Mr Jeremy Thorpe's North Devon seat in 1974. he polled ">6B vote-, and lost his deposit.