Please watch Andy Burnham advocate the break-up of England whilst rejecting the need for proper English representation as a nation. He cant even bring himself to say he is proud to be English. Do you think that Andy Burnham is just another politician who wants to be anything else but English?
Please watch the video and read the transcript, then make your own mind up!
Best Eddie
Campaign Director
Campaign for an English Parliament
In a recorded, televised interview of Andy Burnham, uploaded to YouTube on the 21st August 2010 entitled:-
Andy Burnham not in favour of an ‘English’ Parliament. – YouTube
It is noted that:-
“Ashaz asked: The Scots, Welsh and Northern Irish people are all benefiting from having their own parliament and assemblies working in their interest. Isn’t it time the people of England were consulted on the re-establishment of the English parliament to work in the interests of the people of England? There’s no thirst for regional government in England (see the NE referendum result) and the most recent survey on the subject (April 2010) returned 68% of English people in favour of an English parliament.”
This is a verbatim transcript of the whole of that uploaded interview with Andy Burnham:-
The Interview asked Andy Burnham:-
“A recent survey returned 68% of English People in favour of an English Parliament. The Scots, Welsh and Northern Irish are all benefiting from their own Parliament and Assemblies working in their interests. Isn’t it time the people of England were consulted on an English Parliament working in the interests of the People of England?”
Andy Burham replied:-
“What I see around Europe is a trend towards nationalist or even regional based politics and politics based on geography and I must say I don’t like it. It doesn’t speak to me. It’s happening in Belgium, the Belgium’s are becoming very fractured along regional lines. It is happening in the Netherlands. It has obviously happened in Wales and Scotland with the both nationalist parties in those places gaining support and I don’t have that view on politics.
Politics for me is about values, not about geography, it is not about defending territory. It is about what kind of person you are and what kind of society you are going to build and what message do you send out about yourself. Are you open to working with other people, other places and not having a narrow nationalist view of politics and no I don’t tend towards an English Parliament.
I do want to see more power vested in the English “Regions” and I campaigned for Regional Assemblies to give more democratic power to the “Regions”. I would have a democratically constituted House of Lords, elected House of Lords, where the “Regions” would have their voice drawn from regionalists.
The Lords should be a true voice of the “Regions” rather than London. It is a London dominated House of Lords at the moment and I would change it in that way, but no I wouldn’t have an English Parliament. I am born in Liverpool, of Irish ancestry, of Scottish links in the past and close to Wales. I consider myself British and I as Culture Secretary campaigned for a British football team at the Olympics because I consider myself to be British first and foremost. I am proud to be British and I don’t like this trend towards the break-up of the United Kingdom.”
This video is 10 years old!
Peoples attitudes change over time – can Eddie interview Andy Burnham on his opinion now in light of Brexit, Jeremy Corbyn, the increased support for an English Parliament and what has happened to Labour in Scotland.
He may well have altered his views since 2007!
He hasn’t changed, unfortunately. Virtually everybody in the Labour party is spouting the ‘nations and regions’ garbage.
Agreed, I was taken aback when I read the Labour Party position on this – just who do they think they are kidding with this stuff apart from themselves.
I am very proud to be English and an English parliment or assembly is well overdue.