RIP Spencer Cartlidge of Stoke EFP
Posted by admin978 on October 12, 2011 · Leave a Comment
We regret to announce the death aged 42 of Spencer Cartlidge, one of the most active nationalists in the city of Stoke-on-Trent during the last decade.
Spencer was the England First Party candidate in May this year for the newly created Dresden and Florence ward on Stoke City Council, where he polled 6.1% and defeated the Liberal Democrats. He was one of the architects of the successful agreement between Stoke EFP and BNP branches to avoid splitting the nationalist vote in this year’s local elections, a model for the future realignment of post-Griffin nationalism.
In 2010 he had been a “paper” candidate for Weston & Meir North ward on the old Stoke council boundaries, where he polled 2.1% despite devoting most of his time to the party’s campaigns in other wards. Similarly in 2008 he had polled only 1.8% as an independent in Stoke and Trent Vale ward, while spending most of the campaign supporting neighbouring independent nationalist Mark Leat.
As regular readers will know, Stoke is yet another example of a council area where nationalism made an initial impact, only to be wrecked by the factional divisions incited by the party leadership. In the early days before factional problems, Spencer was one of the BNP’s most successful candidates.
In 2006 he polled 26.7% to finish runner-up in Blurton ward, defeating both Labour and the Conservatives, while the previous year at the 2005 general election he had saved his deposit with 6.9% in the Stoke North constituency. Just a few weeks before the general election Spencer contested the East Valley ward by-election, giving the major parties a real fright and finishing a close third with 22.3%, just 61 votes behind the Lib Dem winner.
Outside politics Spencer was devoted to his children and young grandchildren and was a fanatical supporter of Stoke City. He was delighted to see his team reach the FA Cup Final earlier this year for the first time in the club’s history, thereby qualifying for this season’s Europa League. His many friends in nationalism and football will mourn his passing, but celebrate his years of dedicated service to race and nation.