Hello All
Well, another year has gone by and what a year it has been. Who would have thought that in spite of all those politicians, pollsters, bankers, doom laden economists, and grocers, telling them that they can’t leave the EU, those silly English would have the nerve to vote for Brexit.
The shock wave that went through the corridors of power was devastating. So much so that the PM was obliged to throw himself on to his sword, shortly followed by the doom and gloom chancellor. From king and hair apparent to two bloods stained dead things in one day. It was gripping.
Sadly one anti English PM has been followed by another. Mrs May has no love for England as far as I can tell. Another dislike of Mrs Mays is undoubtedly Mrs Sturgeon of SNP fame who had the nerve to say that since Bonney Scotland had voted overwhelmingly to stay in the EU she wanted another independence referendum. Behind the false smiles and fake politeness you can tell that the two of them are getting ready for a fight, but we will probably have to wait a bit for the action to start as they are still sizing each other up.
The press are soundly behind Mrs May in pouring scorn on any thought of another referendum, ceaselessly pointing out that the oil price has gone down and the latest opinion polls show the Scots would rather wear the Westminster ball and chain than run their own country. However, let us not forget that these are the same poles that said we would stay in Europe that we would have a hung parliament in the UK and that Clinton would win in the U.S.
Anyway if Mrs Sturgeon has any sense and I’m sure she has she will at least wait until after the French, German, and Dutch elections that are scheduled for next year. Far right parties are in line to do well in all these countries and in the case of France Marine LePenn could well end up as president. Mrs LePenn has promise to take France out of the EU, if that should happen it could well be curtains for the EU. This of course would deprive the Scott’s of their reason for having an indyref 2 but knowing the clever Mrs Sturgeon she’ll probably have another reason by then.
Not that our government and their pet grocers have given up on Europe. Have you noticed how prices have risen in the shops? Is this because of the fall in the value of the pound as they say or is our beloved government letting the grocers punish us for disobeying them? Or is it the government preparing the ground for a second EU referendum by making us regret voting out in the first?
That is of course, as I have said previously, if the EU is still there in a year’s time. There is already a right wing government in Hungary, and the Austrian left were accused of voting irregularities to keep a far right candidate from being elected as president, which the high court upheld, and was forced to rerun the election. It took a gargantuan effort by the left to mobilise all their voters that gave them the victory in the end, but the writing is on the wall.
Then we have had the Italian referendum on extending the governments powers, which was defeated, causing another PM to bite the dust. And If LePenn in France or Geert Wilders in Holland, or the Germany First party are elected to power in 2017 then we will see massive changes in Europe.
The events in Europe have come about because of the way that governments have been arrogantly disregarding the wishes of their people. The people of Europe are as sick and tired as we are of smug, cocky politicians blithely running our countries for their own benefited with nothing but utter contempt for our wishes.
As you know the CEP have always campaigns for an English Parliament. We have never been an independence movement. However, over the years it has become apparent that some of our members and certainly a large section of the public are leaning towards independence for England. There have been several opinion polls over the last year, notably the one commissioned for the CEP by Dave Lee and published in the Sun, which showed 40 percent of those questioned supported the idea of independence.
There have been other poles of late by poling agencies and academics that put EVEL as the preferred devolutionary rout for England with an English Parliament third or fourth on the list and independence not even mentioned. I can only speak form my own experience, which if I do say so myself is extensive, and as a member of the CEP for more than ten years I have travelled thousands of mile and spoken to thousands of people from every part of these islands, I have never yet found more than a handful of people who think that EVEL is a good idea.
Most people consider it a trick at best, at worst a down-rite deception. To quote one old man in Skegness, ‘when Cameron spoke of more devolution for Scotland he spoke of fairness for the Scottish people, when he spoke about devolution for England he spoke about EVEL and fairness for English MPs’. However, as we know now Cameron was not even giving English MPs fairness as EVEL has proven to be nothing but a sham. Of course the only true pole is a referendum and that is something the Westminster elite will never willing give to the English people.
Whilst I still believe that an EP should be our first priority I also think that we must consider the possibility of independence. Especially as the intransigence of our politicians in ignoring the patent injustice of the present situation is more likely to fuel a call for independence than an EP.
Another point is that resentment towards Scotland is rising. The government has still not ended the injustice of the Barnet formula, and shows no willingness to do so. Neither have they ended the ability of Scott’s MPs from voting on English only matters.
And resentment is building in Scotland also. Promised so much after the first indyref, promises that have not materialised as the Scots would have liked, and so have left a bitter taste in Scotland’s mouth. And they are unlikely to be satisfied as Mrs May is playing a hard game, gambling that Mrs Sturgeon will not call indyref 2 with the oil price so low and Scotland on shaky fiscal ground And Mrs May seems to have taken some delight into rubbing salt into Scotland’s wounds by inviting the Scots, Welsh, and Northern Ireland devolved leaders to number ten only to tell them that they are going to take no part in the Brexit negotiations. However, they do have the consolation of being given David Davises telephone number so they can call him whenever they want.
Still, at least they were invited. England was not represented at all. The most popular nation of the UK, the power house that drives the UK, the fount of 90percent of the UK’s wealth, the source of 84percent of the votes, which means the ultimate arbiter of power to governments, was as usual, treated with complete and utter contempt.
If we ever achieve an EP and are treated with the same disdain as the other devolved powers then is an EP the answer? Or is independence looking more attractive?
The great Chinese philosopher general Sun Tsu once said ‘go with the flow’ well he did not actually use those words, but that was what he meant when he said it is better to sail than to paddle, or was that Confucius ? Anyway, I do believe that the flow is with us. The government of Mrs May was born out of a political blunder which is a good omen, for us. Indeed, Westminster as a whole is in a bad way. What’s more they seem incapable of realising that the world is changing all around them. Westminster is not so much governing these islands as trying to survive.
This is the moment we need to renew our efforts and keep going, and that is all we need to do to win. Remember, persistence is omnipotent.
Please members and supporter help us to help England. Come out and campaign with us, or increase your donations, or simply print the letter that you will find at the bottom of this page, fill in the name, and send it to family, friends and even to your local businesses.
We are making a difference, come and help us make the difference for England.
On behalf of the national council I wish you and your families a merry Christmas and a happy new year.
Steven Davis
Chairman
You may have heard of the campaign for an English Parliament. Maybe you thought it was some peculiar fringe group. It isn’t. There are some very real constitutional injustices faced only and specifically by England within the United Kingdom.
1, The very influential British and Irish council has representatives from the rep of Ireland, Scotland, Wales, the Channel Islands, and the Isle of Man, but not England.
2, Scots Gaelic, Irish Gaelic, and Welsh, are all official languages of the UK, English isn’t.
3, Remember the Barnet formula? English tax payers raise 84 percent of Barnet funds, to be divided between Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. What percentage does England receive? Zero
4, Government spending in England is less than Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland.
5, After devolution Scottish MPs have almost no say over their own constituencies but a disproportionate influence over English constituencies.
6, And as a final injustice, England has ( unlike Scotland and Wales ): no official recognition as a national entity; no national anthem; no representation at Westminster ( it’s MPs serve as British ); no minister or white hall department dedicated to English governance.
As a result we English have no protection from a British government that sees us as little more than a cash cow to be milked whenever it suits them.
At a time when Scotland and Wales do not hesitate to make their presence felt as distinctive national entities within the UK England has no voice of her own, despite making literally the lion’s share of contributions to the UK as a whole.
This is, quite simply, unfair. It’s an injustice, and it needs to be addressed.
We need your help; England needs your help, maybe now more than ever.
Please join us, or go to our website and make a donation.
Thank you.
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