Residents of Canvey Island in Essex plot 'Catalan-style' revolt from mainland

Canvey Island is plotting a Catalan-style revolt to break away from the Essex mainland.

The 40,000 strong Thames Estuary community is seeking independence from Castle Point borough council, claiming they are treated like “second class citizens” when it comes to spending decisions:

Revolution is in the air even though Canvey is a far cry from Catalonia

One is a Mediterranean region synonymous with Gaudi, Salvador Dali and Lionel Messi.

The other is a small area of reclaimed land in the Thames estuary, home to the Fantasy Island amusement park and the birthplace of 1970s pub rock band Dr Feelgood.

Catalonian capital v estuary isle

Population

Catalonia - 7.5 million

Canvey - 40,000

Average July temperature

Catalonia - 23C

Canvey - 16.8C

Most famous landmark

Catalonia - Sagrada Familia church

Canvey - The Lobster Smack pub

Football team

FC Barcelona - 5 x Champions League, 24 x La Liga

Canvey Island Town FC - Ryman Premier League Champions 2003/04, 4 x Essex Senior Cup

Famous sons and daughters

Catalonia - Joan Miro, Salvador Dali, Jose Carreras, Pep Guardiola.

Canvey Island - Olympic decathlete Dean Macey, co-creator of Poddington Peas Colin Wyatt

Songs

Catalonia - Barcelona by Freddie Mercury and Montserrat Caballé

Canvey - Milk and Alcohol by Dr Feelgood

A straw poll on conducted on Furtherwick Street – Canvey’s answer to Barcelona’s Las Ramblas – yesterday found strong support for independence.

Retired couple Michael, 67, and Kim Dent, 55, said they would vote for “freedom”.

Mr Dent said: “People here are different from the mainland. They look down on us, but we’re close-knit and look out for each other. If we had our own council we could spend more money on the things we need as I feel we come second at the moment.”

Fourteen of the island’s 17 councillors now belong to the Canvey Island Independent Party (CIIP).

David Blackwell, CIIP founder, said he intends to organise an unofficial independence referendum to “put pressure” on central government if petitioning the Local Government Association fails to have the desired effect.

Mr Blackwell said: “If we held a referendum tomorrow we’d get 98 per cent voting in favour of independence. We have taken inspiration from Catalonia, but we’ve been fighting this battle since the 1970s when they lumped us together with the mainland in a completely artificial borough council. They always look after themselves first when it comes to spending decisions and we’re fed up with it. It’s time for change.”

On the high street, which is home to a string of charity shops, bookies and pawnbrokers, similar concerns about pressures on housing and NHS services were raised to those expressed during the Brexit debate. However, most of the new incomers to the island are East Enders moving out rather than immigrants.

Nigel Bury, 66, a retired hotel manager, said: “We’re independently minded on the island. We voted for Brexit because people got fed-up with the EU telling us what to do and I reckon we’d do the same with the borough council.”

While there is no breakdown for Canvey Island itself, Castle Point, which includes Benfleet, Hadleigh and Thundersley, was one of the highest leave voting wards in the EU referendum with 72.7 per cent.

Tyler Offord, 16, a student, said: “There’s definitely a difference from the rest of Essex. People are friendlier here. I would probably vote for independence.”

Christine Levitt, 62, retired day centre worker, said: “I retired here two years ago from east London because Canvey is a nicer place to live. I think we should have independence.”

Alison Sinclair, 61, said: “I was brought up on Canvey, but I live in Benfleet now and I can see it from both sides. Independence sounds like a good idea, but I’m not sure we’d be able to cope on our own.”