About Us

Clacton for Europe is a group of people who live in this constituency and believe that Britain's future lies closer to Europe than it does at present. Some of us have held that view, and said so, for a very long time; others have come to it more recently; and a few have only lately decided that it is worth the trouble of doing something about. What we have in common is plain enough. We live here, we are fond of the place, and we should like to see this country rejoin its neighbours in time.

We had been quiet for a while, as these small local groups tend to be between elections. The by-election has given us good reason to gather again.

Who runs this, and who pays for it

We would sooner tell you plainly than leave you wondering. This website, and everything Clacton for Europe does during the by-election, is organised and paid for by the campaign of John Stevens, the Rejoin EU candidate, whom we support openly. We are not a front got up to look like something it is not. We are local people who happen to think as he does, and the campaign gives us the means to organise ourselves. You will find the same said at the foot of every page, because the law requires it and because we see no reason to be coy about it.

What it means to back John

It is a simple enough matter. In this by-election the larger parties are not offering the people here a pro-European candidate, and John Stevens is. To support him is to make sure that those who believe this country belongs closer to Europe have a name on the ballot paper that says so, and a campaign on the streets willing to make the argument aloud. We hold nothing against anyone else who is standing. We are simply for the thing we believe in. There is a fuller account of our reasons here.

Everyone is welcome, and we do mean everyone

Labour, Conservative, Liberal Democrat, Green, Reform, or no party at all: it makes not the slightest difference to us. Pro-European people have voted in all manner of ways over the years, for reasons that seemed good to them at the time, and we are the last to hold it against anybody. If you believe this country's future lies closer to Europe, then as far as we are concerned you are one of us, and we should be very glad to meet you. Come along to a stall, deliver a few leaflets, or simply join the mailing list and see how you find us.

We are volunteers rather than professionals, and if the website has a slightly homemade look about it, that is because it is homemade. But we are here, we are local, and we do not intend to go away.