Church of the Militant Elvis Party
Encyclopedia
The Church of the Militant Elvis Party is a frivolous political party in the United Kingdom
. The leader of the party is David Bishop who also goes by the nickname of Lord Biro/Bus-pass Elvis. The party has 6 registered campaign groups i.e. 'Bus-pass Elvis Party', 'Elvis Defence League', 'Elvis turns Green Party', 'Grumpy old Elvis Party', 'Militant Elvis Anti-Tesco Popular Front' (MEAT-PF) and the 'Elvis and the Yeti Himalayan Preservation Party'. The party is concerned with the depletion of the Amazon rainforest
, climate change
, the power of Tesco
on the British high street and the power of large corporations. A book on Elvis noted that "an obviously ironic attitude toward Elvis is used in the service of rather serious anti-imperialist political objectives". It deregistered in December 2008, but re-registered in March 2010 and stood in the 2010 general election in Kettering
, gaining 112 votes.
He first stood as the Church of the Miltant Elvis in the 2001 General Election in Brentwood, where the party came last with 52 votes. Bishop stood in the same seat as then Veritas
politician Robert Kilroy-Silk
in the 2005 General Election in Erewash. He promised to place giant photos of celebrities at airports "to discourage undesirable foreigners from entering Britain", to have a public inquiry into British vets' fees, to go the Antarctica and shout at icebergs to "stop melting", to "present Mr Blair with an Oscar for his marvellous performance as a sincere politician", to give Kilroy-Silk a job as "keeper of the Royal stool", and to preserve the red squirrel. He campaigned in a red cat suit, and says he was heckled while campaigning. The party gained 116 votes and again came in last place.
Bishop stood again as one of 26 candidates in the Haltemprice and Howden by-election, 2008
, on a platform of overthrowing the capitalist state, due to it turning Elvis
into a "fat media joke". He argued that George W Bush is the anti-Christ, and campaigned to imprison Cherie Blair
to prevent her reporting details of her sex life, and to place CCTV in the bedroom of Nick Clegg
. He came 17th with 44 votes (0.2%).
Campaign pledges for the 2010 general election for Kettering included filling in potholes, bringing back dog licences, introducing moats around houses, Bono
for Pope, turning public schools into pound shops, and keeping public lavatories.
Bishop stood for election in the Oldham East and Saddleworth by-election
on January 13, 2011 as the candidate for the Bus-Pass Elvis Party, gaining 67 votes (0.1% of votes).
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. The leader of the party is David Bishop who also goes by the nickname of Lord Biro/Bus-pass Elvis. The party has 6 registered campaign groups i.e. 'Bus-pass Elvis Party', 'Elvis Defence League', 'Elvis turns Green Party', 'Grumpy old Elvis Party', 'Militant Elvis Anti-Tesco Popular Front' (MEAT-PF) and the 'Elvis and the Yeti Himalayan Preservation Party'. The party is concerned with the depletion of the Amazon rainforest
Amazon Rainforest
The Amazon Rainforest , also known in English as Amazonia or the Amazon Jungle, is a moist broadleaf forest that covers most of the Amazon Basin of South America...
, climate change
Climate change
Climate change is a significant and lasting change in the statistical distribution of weather patterns over periods ranging from decades to millions of years. It may be a change in average weather conditions or the distribution of events around that average...
, the power of Tesco
Tesco
Tesco plc is a global grocery and general merchandise retailer headquartered in Cheshunt, United Kingdom. It is the third-largest retailer in the world measured by revenues and the second-largest measured by profits...
on the British high street and the power of large corporations. A book on Elvis noted that "an obviously ironic attitude toward Elvis is used in the service of rather serious anti-imperialist political objectives". It deregistered in December 2008, but re-registered in March 2010 and stood in the 2010 general election in Kettering
Kettering
Kettering is a market town in the Borough of Kettering, Northamptonshire, England. It is situated about from London. Kettering is mainly situated on the west side of the River Ise, a tributary of the River Nene which meets at Wellingborough...
, gaining 112 votes.
Electoral history
Bishop previously stood in the 1997 general election in Tatton against Neil Hamilton as "Lord Byro versus the Scallywag Tories", gaining 116 votes (0.2%).He first stood as the Church of the Miltant Elvis in the 2001 General Election in Brentwood, where the party came last with 52 votes. Bishop stood in the same seat as then Veritas
Veritas
In Roman mythology, Veritas, meaning truth, was the goddess of truth, a daughter of Saturn and the mother of Virtue. It was believed that she hid in the bottom of a holy well because she was so elusive. Her image is shown as a young virgin dressed in white...
politician Robert Kilroy-Silk
Robert Kilroy-Silk
Robert Michael Kilroy-Silk is an English former politician, former independent Member of the European Parliament, and former television presenter, best known for his daytime talk show Kilroy. He has been a university lecturer and Labour Party Member of Parliament...
in the 2005 General Election in Erewash. He promised to place giant photos of celebrities at airports "to discourage undesirable foreigners from entering Britain", to have a public inquiry into British vets' fees, to go the Antarctica and shout at icebergs to "stop melting", to "present Mr Blair with an Oscar for his marvellous performance as a sincere politician", to give Kilroy-Silk a job as "keeper of the Royal stool", and to preserve the red squirrel. He campaigned in a red cat suit, and says he was heckled while campaigning. The party gained 116 votes and again came in last place.
Bishop stood again as one of 26 candidates in the Haltemprice and Howden by-election, 2008
Haltemprice and Howden by-election, 2008
The 2008 Haltemprice and Howden by-election was a by-election held in the United Kingdom on 10 July 2008 to elect a new Member of Parliament for constituency of Haltemprice and Howden...
, on a platform of overthrowing the capitalist state, due to it turning Elvis
Elvis Presley
Elvis Aaron Presley was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. A cultural icon, he is widely known by the single name Elvis. He is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King"....
into a "fat media joke". He argued that George W Bush is the anti-Christ, and campaigned to imprison Cherie Blair
Cherie Blair
Cherie Blair , known professionally as Cherie Booth QC, is a British barrister working in the legal system of England and Wales. She is married to the former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Tony Blair; the couple have three sons and one daughter...
to prevent her reporting details of her sex life, and to place CCTV in the bedroom of Nick Clegg
Nick Clegg
Nicholas William Peter "Nick" Clegg is a British Liberal Democrat politician who is currently the Deputy Prime Minister, Lord President of the Council and Minister for Constitutional and Political Reform in the coalition government of which David Cameron is the Prime Minister...
. He came 17th with 44 votes (0.2%).
Campaign pledges for the 2010 general election for Kettering included filling in potholes, bringing back dog licences, introducing moats around houses, Bono
Bono
Paul David Hewson , most commonly known by his stage name Bono , is an Irish singer, musician, and humanitarian best known for being the main vocalist of the Dublin-based rock band U2. Bono was born and raised in Dublin, Ireland, and attended Mount Temple Comprehensive School where he met his...
for Pope, turning public schools into pound shops, and keeping public lavatories.
Bishop stood for election in the Oldham East and Saddleworth by-election
Oldham East and Saddleworth by-election, 2011
The 2011 by-election in Oldham East and Saddleworth was a by-election for the Parliament of the United Kingdom's House of Commons constituency of Oldham East and Saddleworth held on 13 January 2011...
on January 13, 2011 as the candidate for the Bus-Pass Elvis Party, gaining 67 votes (0.1% of votes).