Infobox_British_Political_Party
party_name = For Darwen Party
party_
leader = Tony Melia
foundation = 2007
ideology = Localism
position = n/a
international = n/a
european = n/a
europarl = n/a
colours = Cyan
headquarters = Duckworth Street, Darwen
website = [http://www.fordarwen.org.uk/ fordarwen.org.uk]
The For Darwen Party is a small political party with five seats on Blackburn with Darwen Council. The party fielded candidates in wards in the small town of Darwen, which lies to the south of Blackburn, with a platform that the views of Darweners are not properly represented in the town hall.
Foundation
The party was founded in 2007 by Tony Melia [ [http://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/search/display.var.1236172.0.new_party_pledges_to_put_darwen_first.php New party pledges to put Darwen first] , David Bartlett, "Lancashire Telegraph", 3 March 2007] , who had previously stood as a Liberal Democrat candidate against Jack Straw in the 2005 general election in Blackburn. He said he quit the Liberal Democrats to form For Darwen he was tired of what the Labour-controlled council was doing, particularly with the Darwen Academy, leisure centre, and regeneration.[ [http://archive.lancashireeveningtelegraph.co.uk/2007/3/13/977379.html Party's first public meeting] , "Lancashire Telegraph", 13 March 2007] ]The party gained its first councillor within a month, when Michael Johnson joined from the far right England First Party[ [http://archive.lancashireeveningtelegraph.co.uk/2007/3/13/977379.html Party's first public meeting] , "Lancashire Telegraph", 13 March 2007] [ [http://archive.lancashireeveningtelegraph.co.uk/2007/3/5/975089.html England First pair quit party] , "Lancashire Telegraph", 5 March 2007] .]2007 Local Elections
Shortly after Johnson's move, the party gained two seats in the May 2007 local elections. [ [http://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/display.var.1375885.0.labour_loses_overall_control_of_blackburn_town_hall.php Labour loses overall control of Blackburn town hall] , "Lancashire Telegraph", 4 May 2007] With Labour losing overall control of the council, For Darwen was expected to be courted by Labour, the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats, who were competing compete to form a working coalition. For Darwen chose to form a three-way coalition with Liberal Democrats and Conservatives. The party, along with the Tories, continue to maintain links with Councillor Arif Waghat, who was convicted of benefit fraud in 2007. [ [http://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/display.var.1866430.0.0.php?act=complaint&cid=822809 Benefit fraud councillor still considering his future] , "Lancashire Telegraph", 28 November 2007]
2008 Local Elections
Councillor Johnson quit For Darwen in March 2008 over "policy differences with party members", damaging the town hall coalition, and reducing the number of seats the party held. [ [http://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/mostpopular.var.2110344.mostcommented.councillor_quits_for_darwen_party.php Councillor quits For Darwen party] , By Tom Moseley, "Lancashire Telegraph", 12 March 2008] .
Despite this setback in the run-up to the elections, For Darwen gained a further three seats in the May 2008 Local Elections [ [http://www.blackburn.gov.uk/server.php?show=ConWebDoc.40317 May 2008 official results] ] , 2 coming in the same wards (Earcroft, Sunnyhurst) as the 2007 elections.
The leader of the For Darwen party has been accused in the local press on the 23rd June 2008 of taking a council funded trip to Germany as part of the town twinning project, although he mentions in his election manifesto "There will be no more trips abroad for councillors paid for by us, the council taxpayers. We would rather have the police station manned 24 hours a day." He has since offered to repay the cost of the airfare. [ [http://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/darwen/headlines/display.var.2356975.0.for_darwen_council_leader_trips_up.php Article on Cllr Melia's trip] ]
References
External links
* [http://www.fordarwen.org.uk/ fordarwen.org.uk] - official website
