The Scottish Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon. T.Blair, stated today that there was no reason for England to be granted devolved powers or own parliament. He added that just because the English people wanted it to happen didn’t mean it was what was good for them.
The Scottish Chancellor of the Exchequer, the Rt. Hon. G.B.H.Brown, was quoted as saying that the benefit to the many English residents of this proposed devolvement did not outweigh the benefit that Scotland reaps from the current state of union and it would therefore not be fiscally feasible or affordable for Scottish crofters to relinquish their power over the English peasantry in absolute terms in this fiscal period or the next.
The Scottish Home Secretary, the Rt. Hon. J.Reid, said that England was “not fit for purpose” and that he is going to...
Read the rest here. The whole piece is couched in amusing terms - but from abuse of recent immigrants as slave labour to the destruction of democratic rule in England - contains more than a grain of truth about the Scottish Raj.
This blog is supportive of the aims of the Campaign for an English Parliament, but is in no way connected.
Monday, March 26, 2007
Saturday, March 17, 2007
Too Poor To Be British...
The late comedian, Bob Hope:
"My parents were English. We were too poor to be British."
And in these days of the Barnett Formula, the West Lothian Question and non-representative MPs, to be English, meaning to be a resident of England, is to be a second rate UK citizen. You can DIE in England for want of medication available in Scotland on the NHS.
On 1 April 2007, Prescription Charges will be abolished in Wales. It doesn't matter if you are a multi-millionaire, you won't pay a penny. In England, on the same day, Prescription Charges will be raised. Oh, and by the way, England is subsidising better conditions in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland via the Barnett Formula.
It's as though the UK Government believes that you are inferior...
Isn't it funny how the English are blamed for...
The partitioning of Ireland - carried out under Welsh PM Lloyd George, with a Cabinet stuffed full of Scots!
The British Empire - Ireland and Wales were fully involved, and the Scots was proportionately more highly involved than the English!
British involvement in Iraq - sorry, but Tony Blair is of Scottish/Irish parentage, born and educated in Scotland.
Think of all the anti-English rantings you hear and read - look around you - the so-called "Celtic" elite are always accusing, always holding you to account for things that you as a modern-day resident of England had nothing to do with, always blaming the English for things that are actually their own fault.
England is always scapegoated, always expected to carry the guilt of Scotland, Wales and Ireland.
But awareness is spreading. Things are changing. England will have equality within the UK - or without it.
MARIA
This blog is supportive of the aims of the Campaign for an English Parliament, but is in no way connected.
"My parents were English. We were too poor to be British."
And in these days of the Barnett Formula, the West Lothian Question and non-representative MPs, to be English, meaning to be a resident of England, is to be a second rate UK citizen. You can DIE in England for want of medication available in Scotland on the NHS.
On 1 April 2007, Prescription Charges will be abolished in Wales. It doesn't matter if you are a multi-millionaire, you won't pay a penny. In England, on the same day, Prescription Charges will be raised. Oh, and by the way, England is subsidising better conditions in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland via the Barnett Formula.
It's as though the UK Government believes that you are inferior...
Isn't it funny how the English are blamed for...
The partitioning of Ireland - carried out under Welsh PM Lloyd George, with a Cabinet stuffed full of Scots!
The British Empire - Ireland and Wales were fully involved, and the Scots was proportionately more highly involved than the English!
British involvement in Iraq - sorry, but Tony Blair is of Scottish/Irish parentage, born and educated in Scotland.
Think of all the anti-English rantings you hear and read - look around you - the so-called "Celtic" elite are always accusing, always holding you to account for things that you as a modern-day resident of England had nothing to do with, always blaming the English for things that are actually their own fault.
England is always scapegoated, always expected to carry the guilt of Scotland, Wales and Ireland.
But awareness is spreading. Things are changing. England will have equality within the UK - or without it.
MARIA
This blog is supportive of the aims of the Campaign for an English Parliament, but is in no way connected.
Google celebrates St David and St Patrick - But Will It celebrate St George?
To add to this blog's study of what Google finds acceptable to celebrate and what Google chooses to ignore, we have St Patrick's Day.So far, the list reads...
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Christmas = Not Acceptable (call it "holidays")
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New Year = Acceptable
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St Valentine's Day = Acceptable
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St David's Day (Wales' saint's day) = Acceptable
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St Patrick's Day (Ireland's saint's day) = Acceptable
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Now, I wonder what will happen on St George's Day (England's saint's day)?
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What's your guess?
-
-
MARIA
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This blog is supportive of the aims of the Campaign for an English Parliament, but is in no way connected.
Friday, March 16, 2007
"Celtgelt" - You Know It Makes Sense!
Chris is now away until Tuesday and I shall be caretaking the blog until then. One or two more e-mails from Scotland, but unfortunately anti-English bigotry, foul language, and a terribly dense attitude prevail. I cannot reply without giving publicity to what seems like some form of race hatred in some cases, and without repeating what Chris has already written in others. It also appears that one of the writers is adopting different e-mail addresses and names. Very childish.Take heart people of England - the end of the Scottish Raj is in sight. We, together with Wales and Northern Ireland, will gain equality within the UK - or the UK can go hang. What is most disturbing is the blatant Anglophobia in some of the most recent e-mails and the fact that some of the writers really do seem to consider themselves to be part of some sort of superior race (or it's the biggest wind-up since "Game For A Laugh"!). If they are to be taken seriously, it is chilling.
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Sylv - the map is on its way to you - Chris posted it just before he left. If you haven't received it by Tuesday, please let him know.
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Greg - a lift to London might be possible - can you contact Clifton?
And remember "CELTGELT" - you know it makes sense.
-
UPDATE...
Have just received another e-mail, apparently from one of the Scots contingent, requiring advice about his sexuality. Sorry, "Mr S Bear", this is not a counselling service. Honestly, what a bunch of wallies (grin)! Fun's over, lads/lasses - future e-mails will be marked spam and deleted unread.
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Maria
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This blog is supportive of the aims of the Campaign for an English Parliament, but is in no way connected.
It's All England's Fault...
Cargill Scott sc172@hw.ac.uk
Just a few points I'd like to raise as a Scotsman and one of Gordon Brown's constituents. I think you dodged the point Ewan Mcdonald made.... certainly Brown isn't accountable - as you put it - to any of the English constituents but then neither is he accountable to those people in (for example) Dunfermline, the constituency next to Brown's own Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath. In the same vain Blair, representing his English constituency is not accountable to any of the voters in the neighbouring constituencies either, at least in his capacity as MP for sedgefield, as prime minister he is accountable to everyone in the UK and this would not change if Brown was prime minister surely, unless you are accusing Brown of actively favouring the people of Kirkcaldy over everyone else in the UK!
Also, as scary Bear pointed out, there are more than enough English MPs to enforce laws that are unfavourable to Scotland, Wales and N.Ireland, you state that we had the secretary of state for Scotland to 'speak up for us' that's hardly a fair system either is it? considering that said secretary is one man with one vote! Also remember that the post was set up so that the original 1707 'British ' parliment, or rather English parliment as it more properly was (I seem to recall reading a portion of the speaker for the house of lords speech "We have now catched the Scots and we must make sure never to let them go!") to have a govenor presence in Scotland, not to represent us as a nation....
If you have a problem with the amount of Scots in the cabinet it's probably worth remembering that labour's traditional hunting ground has always been Scotland and the north east of England and therefore always has a disproportionate number of Scotsmen in its ranks, these scotsmen have however proven to be more able than the previous ultra English Tory government in many domestic issues regarding the economy.
As for the relatively minor note regarding Adam Smith on a bank note, I doubt it's the first time scotsmen have appeared on UK notes on both sides of the border, I must apologise for our nation contributing a disproportionate share of innovative and intelligent people to the UK. I see nothing wrong with the Bank of England wanting to celebrate a man who's primary acheivement was to the massive benefit of the Bank of England!
Finally, I'm all for the English having more power over their own local politics, although I still believe the overall UK government covers this well. These arguments only surfaced once Scotsmen began dominating the cabinet, therefore a mostly English cabinet would not have sparked your ire but would be no more fair on the Scots, Welsh or Irish... when it comes to UK wide policies the Scots have as much say as the English. All the Scots are guilty of is resisting English domination for 700 years, give us a break!
I reply...
Thanks, Cargill!
A quick reply as I am just leaving for Brighton for the weekend. Firstly, if Brown's constituency was in England, unpopular national policies of his would risk him losing his seat. That is how our democratic system works. He would be accountable. But the vast majority of what he does will have no effect on his constituents as they are governed by the Scottish Parliament. So, basically, Mr Brown can do what he wants in England and the electorate cannot vote against him. And he has no mandate. This is a change brought about by devolution. The old system was not perfect, but it was never anywhere near as unfair as this.
Are you suggesting that every constituency elects a Prime Minister?!
The Transport Minister for England can do what he (or rather New Labour) likes - his constituency is in Scotland and what he does will not effect his constituents because transport is devolved to the Scottish Parliament. And John Reid, up at the Home Office - quite a lot of what he does has no impact on his constituents at all.
Around 75% of Scottish legislation is now passed by its own parliament and Scots MPs still want to have a say on English issues. This has made crucial differences to votes on English legislation on several occasions. Many Scots find this absolutely repugnant, just as many English people do. Recent polls show that the majority of Scots are not in favour of this.
You say: "I see nothing wrong with the Bank of England wanting to celebrate a man who's primary acheivement was to the massive benefit of the Bank of England!"
Many people from many countries have done things which have had a significant knock-on effect for England (and Scotland. And Wales, etc...) and there were several great English economists. So why do we just celebrate a Scottish person? Why not have a person from an ethnic minority group resident in England on our twenty pound notes? Why a person from the Chancellor's own country, just next door, which has its own bank notes? We could just as easily have an Italian person, resident in Italy. That would make just as much sense. Adam Smith belongs on Scottish bank notes.
The Scottish Secretary of State carried much influence in the old UK Parliament. Indeed, George Younger, the Scottish Secretary in the late 1980s, persuaded the Cabinet to let Scotland have the Poll Tax a year earlier than England and Wales - http://englandparliament.blogspot.com/2006/09/david-cameron-scottish-poll-tax-lies.html
There was also a "standing order" to prevent English MPs from voting on Scots-only legislation which was enforced on occasion.
The old UK Parliament was not an English Parliament. England alone was submerged in the Union and disappeared at great cost to its people. As with Scotland, the majority of ordinary English citizens were not originally in favour of the Union.
One of the problems I find with people such as yourself is a lack of logic. Everything is England's fault. In reality, many faults attributed by yourself to the English are actually plainly your own.
You say: "I must apologise for our nation contributing a disproportionate share of innovative and intelligent people to the UK" - I'm sorry, I find this an imperialistic and arrogant comment. Being half-Scots myself, I am not unfamiliar with this attitude (although I'm glad to say it's not, in my experience, the attitude of the majority) and I do not feel at ease with it.
The English do not tend to trumpet their triumphs, but there is plenty to celebrate.
At the moment the present crop of imperialist MPs from Scotland are doing that country a great disservice - making it appear small minded, imperialistic, greedy and basically racist. This is not the truth about Scotland. It's not what the Scots want. The majority of Scots, like the English, want to be part of something fair and forward-looking.
The fact that England submerged itself in the Union is being used and abused by Blair, Brown and co. The fact that people in England can die for want of medication available on the NHS in Scotland is an abomination. The Anglophobic "Little Scotlander" mentality is, sadly, rampant amongst the Blair elite. English MPs meanwhile sit by and file their nails.
Please do not try to bring Northern Ireland and Wales into your arguments. These two countries also suffer from unfair devolution, athough not to the same degree as England.
An equal system of representation for each UK country is a way forward - or we dissolve the Union. But something needs to change.
Thanks for writing - have a good weekend,
Chris
This blog is supportive of the aims of the Campaign for an English Parliament, but is in no way connected.
Just a few points I'd like to raise as a Scotsman and one of Gordon Brown's constituents. I think you dodged the point Ewan Mcdonald made.... certainly Brown isn't accountable - as you put it - to any of the English constituents but then neither is he accountable to those people in (for example) Dunfermline, the constituency next to Brown's own Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath. In the same vain Blair, representing his English constituency is not accountable to any of the voters in the neighbouring constituencies either, at least in his capacity as MP for sedgefield, as prime minister he is accountable to everyone in the UK and this would not change if Brown was prime minister surely, unless you are accusing Brown of actively favouring the people of Kirkcaldy over everyone else in the UK!
Also, as scary Bear pointed out, there are more than enough English MPs to enforce laws that are unfavourable to Scotland, Wales and N.Ireland, you state that we had the secretary of state for Scotland to 'speak up for us' that's hardly a fair system either is it? considering that said secretary is one man with one vote! Also remember that the post was set up so that the original 1707 'British ' parliment, or rather English parliment as it more properly was (I seem to recall reading a portion of the speaker for the house of lords speech "We have now catched the Scots and we must make sure never to let them go!") to have a govenor presence in Scotland, not to represent us as a nation....
If you have a problem with the amount of Scots in the cabinet it's probably worth remembering that labour's traditional hunting ground has always been Scotland and the north east of England and therefore always has a disproportionate number of Scotsmen in its ranks, these scotsmen have however proven to be more able than the previous ultra English Tory government in many domestic issues regarding the economy.
As for the relatively minor note regarding Adam Smith on a bank note, I doubt it's the first time scotsmen have appeared on UK notes on both sides of the border, I must apologise for our nation contributing a disproportionate share of innovative and intelligent people to the UK. I see nothing wrong with the Bank of England wanting to celebrate a man who's primary acheivement was to the massive benefit of the Bank of England!
Finally, I'm all for the English having more power over their own local politics, although I still believe the overall UK government covers this well. These arguments only surfaced once Scotsmen began dominating the cabinet, therefore a mostly English cabinet would not have sparked your ire but would be no more fair on the Scots, Welsh or Irish... when it comes to UK wide policies the Scots have as much say as the English. All the Scots are guilty of is resisting English domination for 700 years, give us a break!
I reply...
Thanks, Cargill!
A quick reply as I am just leaving for Brighton for the weekend. Firstly, if Brown's constituency was in England, unpopular national policies of his would risk him losing his seat. That is how our democratic system works. He would be accountable. But the vast majority of what he does will have no effect on his constituents as they are governed by the Scottish Parliament. So, basically, Mr Brown can do what he wants in England and the electorate cannot vote against him. And he has no mandate. This is a change brought about by devolution. The old system was not perfect, but it was never anywhere near as unfair as this.
Are you suggesting that every constituency elects a Prime Minister?!
The Transport Minister for England can do what he (or rather New Labour) likes - his constituency is in Scotland and what he does will not effect his constituents because transport is devolved to the Scottish Parliament. And John Reid, up at the Home Office - quite a lot of what he does has no impact on his constituents at all.
Around 75% of Scottish legislation is now passed by its own parliament and Scots MPs still want to have a say on English issues. This has made crucial differences to votes on English legislation on several occasions. Many Scots find this absolutely repugnant, just as many English people do. Recent polls show that the majority of Scots are not in favour of this.
You say: "I see nothing wrong with the Bank of England wanting to celebrate a man who's primary acheivement was to the massive benefit of the Bank of England!"
Many people from many countries have done things which have had a significant knock-on effect for England (and Scotland. And Wales, etc...) and there were several great English economists. So why do we just celebrate a Scottish person? Why not have a person from an ethnic minority group resident in England on our twenty pound notes? Why a person from the Chancellor's own country, just next door, which has its own bank notes? We could just as easily have an Italian person, resident in Italy. That would make just as much sense. Adam Smith belongs on Scottish bank notes.
The Scottish Secretary of State carried much influence in the old UK Parliament. Indeed, George Younger, the Scottish Secretary in the late 1980s, persuaded the Cabinet to let Scotland have the Poll Tax a year earlier than England and Wales - http://englandparliament.blogspot.com/2006/09/david-cameron-scottish-poll-tax-lies.html
There was also a "standing order" to prevent English MPs from voting on Scots-only legislation which was enforced on occasion.
The old UK Parliament was not an English Parliament. England alone was submerged in the Union and disappeared at great cost to its people. As with Scotland, the majority of ordinary English citizens were not originally in favour of the Union.
One of the problems I find with people such as yourself is a lack of logic. Everything is England's fault. In reality, many faults attributed by yourself to the English are actually plainly your own.
You say: "I must apologise for our nation contributing a disproportionate share of innovative and intelligent people to the UK" - I'm sorry, I find this an imperialistic and arrogant comment. Being half-Scots myself, I am not unfamiliar with this attitude (although I'm glad to say it's not, in my experience, the attitude of the majority) and I do not feel at ease with it.
The English do not tend to trumpet their triumphs, but there is plenty to celebrate.
At the moment the present crop of imperialist MPs from Scotland are doing that country a great disservice - making it appear small minded, imperialistic, greedy and basically racist. This is not the truth about Scotland. It's not what the Scots want. The majority of Scots, like the English, want to be part of something fair and forward-looking.
The fact that England submerged itself in the Union is being used and abused by Blair, Brown and co. The fact that people in England can die for want of medication available on the NHS in Scotland is an abomination. The Anglophobic "Little Scotlander" mentality is, sadly, rampant amongst the Blair elite. English MPs meanwhile sit by and file their nails.
Please do not try to bring Northern Ireland and Wales into your arguments. These two countries also suffer from unfair devolution, athough not to the same degree as England.
An equal system of representation for each UK country is a way forward - or we dissolve the Union. But something needs to change.
Thanks for writing - have a good weekend,
Chris
This blog is supportive of the aims of the Campaign for an English Parliament, but is in no way connected.
Banks: Who Founded What?
bazza1986@btinternet.com
Isn't it true that the Bank of England was founded by a Scotsman?
Not sure if "founded" is the right word, bazza, although that is the popular wisdom, I believe it was actually founded by Act of Parliament, but yes it could be said that the Bank Of England was founded by a Scot. And the Bank Of Scotland was founded by an Englishman called John Holland.
Neither is an excuse for the current "Celtgelt" £20.00 note featuring Adam Smith. Scotland has its own UK currency and can feature its own luminaries on its own bank notes. As I say, I'd much rather see people representing ethnic minority groups on English bank notes, a reflection of modern-day England.
This blog is supportive of the aims of the Campaign for an English Parliament, but is in no way connected.
Isn't it true that the Bank of England was founded by a Scotsman?
Not sure if "founded" is the right word, bazza, although that is the popular wisdom, I believe it was actually founded by Act of Parliament, but yes it could be said that the Bank Of England was founded by a Scot. And the Bank Of Scotland was founded by an Englishman called John Holland.
Neither is an excuse for the current "Celtgelt" £20.00 note featuring Adam Smith. Scotland has its own UK currency and can feature its own luminaries on its own bank notes. As I say, I'd much rather see people representing ethnic minority groups on English bank notes, a reflection of modern-day England.
This blog is supportive of the aims of the Campaign for an English Parliament, but is in no way connected.
More Points Raised...
scary_bear55@hotmail.com
Thanks, Scary Bear, I've inserted my replies to each of the points you raise in your text.
Chris,
Regarding your response to my last e-mail, noting that Tony Blair is Scottish, in my opinion Tony Blair portrays himself as English and he represents an English constituency. He was born in Scotland , his father is English and his mother is Irish. So really it’s anyones guess what nationality Tony sees himself as, but in my opinion he, or his PR people, portray him as English.
Tony Blair is Scottish. Being Scots is not a matter of race. He was born and educated in Scotland and speaks of his grandfather who used such phrases as "Ah'll gie ya a richt skelpin'!" Mr Blair's mother was apparently Irish, his father Scots. How his PR people portray him, or indeed Mr Blair portrays himself, is not part of the debate. In my opinion the man is more twisted than Rubik's Cube in its heyday. Tony Blair is Scottish.
Regarding decisions being taken by politicians who are not accountable to the English people, what did you make of the so called Son of Trident vote that took place this week? English MPs helped win a vote, which means there will continue to be nuclear weapons in Scotland .
I haven't read the story you quote, but it's right that these decisions should be UK-wide. If you look here http://englandparliament.blogspot.com/2006/07/blair-government-forces-nuclear-power.html you will see that England is going to be taking a lot of the nuclear energy burden (courtesy of the Scottish Raj).
Scotland only have 59 MPs in Parliament. How many do England have? There are currently 646 MPs in Parliament. So essentially you already have an ‘English Parliament’ who can vote, and win, issues which may disadvantage Scotland , Wales or Northern Ireland.
Surely it is right that England has more MPs than Scotland? It is a much larger country. Proportionally, Scotland has had more than its quota and I believe still does.
About 75% of Scottish legislation is devolved to the Scottish Parliament. This means that Scottish MPs at Westminster are now voting on things that make not the slightest difference to their constituents. They are completely unaccountable. In the case of Top-Up Fees and Foundation Hospitals, Scots MPs overturned the vote of English MPs, although Scotland will be having neither of these.
This happened all the time during the last Conservative government’s days in office.
In those days, it is worth noting that Scotland had a Secretary of State to speak up for it. What did England have?
I remember the Spitting Image comedy show, doing sketches showing Scotland as a testing ground. The Conservative party are probably the main reason for the groundswell of public opinion which led to the Scottish Parliament.
I'm sorry, Scary Bear, but I find the Scottish tendency to trot out the 1980s a let-down. I was a firm socialist, so wouldn't give Thatcher house room, but Britain waas not having an easy time in the 1970s, far from it, and we tend to try and scapegoat the 1980s for everything. It's boring - they were an ever-increasingly long time ago. Throughout the 1980s, Scotland had the Barnett Formula, which ensured higher public spending.
For the record, Scots MP Malcolm Rifkind, no great fan of the English, states that the Poll Tax was not forced on Scotland (in fact, back in 1989, the Scottish Secretary did not see why Scotland should wait for England!). Mr Rifkind also states that Scotland was not used as an experiment here - http://englandparliament.blogspot.com/2006/09/david-cameron-scottish-poll-tax-lies.html
There is proof printed in late 1988 and circulated in early 1989 that the Poll Tax was definitely to be implemented in England in 1990 here - http://80sactual.blogspot.com/2005/05/say-no-to-poll-tax.html - so England was definitely NOT waiting to see if it worked in Scotland.
My local action group was VERY ACTIVE from January 1989 onwards!
Thanks for your fascinating letter. I'm away for the weekend, but if you require further replies, I will be back online next week.
Cheers,
Chris
This blog is supportive of the aims of the Campaign for an English Parliament, but is in no way connected.
Thanks, Scary Bear, I've inserted my replies to each of the points you raise in your text.
Chris,
Regarding your response to my last e-mail, noting that Tony Blair is Scottish, in my opinion Tony Blair portrays himself as English and he represents an English constituency. He was born in Scotland , his father is English and his mother is Irish. So really it’s anyones guess what nationality Tony sees himself as, but in my opinion he, or his PR people, portray him as English.
Tony Blair is Scottish. Being Scots is not a matter of race. He was born and educated in Scotland and speaks of his grandfather who used such phrases as "Ah'll gie ya a richt skelpin'!" Mr Blair's mother was apparently Irish, his father Scots. How his PR people portray him, or indeed Mr Blair portrays himself, is not part of the debate. In my opinion the man is more twisted than Rubik's Cube in its heyday. Tony Blair is Scottish.
Regarding decisions being taken by politicians who are not accountable to the English people, what did you make of the so called Son of Trident vote that took place this week? English MPs helped win a vote, which means there will continue to be nuclear weapons in Scotland .
I haven't read the story you quote, but it's right that these decisions should be UK-wide. If you look here http://englandparliament.blogspot.com/2006/07/blair-government-forces-nuclear-power.html you will see that England is going to be taking a lot of the nuclear energy burden (courtesy of the Scottish Raj).
Scotland only have 59 MPs in Parliament. How many do England have? There are currently 646 MPs in Parliament. So essentially you already have an ‘English Parliament’ who can vote, and win, issues which may disadvantage Scotland , Wales or Northern Ireland.
Surely it is right that England has more MPs than Scotland? It is a much larger country. Proportionally, Scotland has had more than its quota and I believe still does.
About 75% of Scottish legislation is devolved to the Scottish Parliament. This means that Scottish MPs at Westminster are now voting on things that make not the slightest difference to their constituents. They are completely unaccountable. In the case of Top-Up Fees and Foundation Hospitals, Scots MPs overturned the vote of English MPs, although Scotland will be having neither of these.
This happened all the time during the last Conservative government’s days in office.
In those days, it is worth noting that Scotland had a Secretary of State to speak up for it. What did England have?
I remember the Spitting Image comedy show, doing sketches showing Scotland as a testing ground. The Conservative party are probably the main reason for the groundswell of public opinion which led to the Scottish Parliament.
I'm sorry, Scary Bear, but I find the Scottish tendency to trot out the 1980s a let-down. I was a firm socialist, so wouldn't give Thatcher house room, but Britain waas not having an easy time in the 1970s, far from it, and we tend to try and scapegoat the 1980s for everything. It's boring - they were an ever-increasingly long time ago. Throughout the 1980s, Scotland had the Barnett Formula, which ensured higher public spending.
For the record, Scots MP Malcolm Rifkind, no great fan of the English, states that the Poll Tax was not forced on Scotland (in fact, back in 1989, the Scottish Secretary did not see why Scotland should wait for England!). Mr Rifkind also states that Scotland was not used as an experiment here - http://englandparliament.blogspot.com/2006/09/david-cameron-scottish-poll-tax-lies.html
There is proof printed in late 1988 and circulated in early 1989 that the Poll Tax was definitely to be implemented in England in 1990 here - http://80sactual.blogspot.com/2005/05/say-no-to-poll-tax.html - so England was definitely NOT waiting to see if it worked in Scotland.
My local action group was VERY ACTIVE from January 1989 onwards!
Thanks for your fascinating letter. I'm away for the weekend, but if you require further replies, I will be back online next week.
Cheers,
Chris
This blog is supportive of the aims of the Campaign for an English Parliament, but is in no way connected.
Another E-mail...
Ewan Macdonald ewanmacdonald@gmail.com
Can you explain to me how, as a Scottish voter outside Gordon Brown's constituency, he is any more accountable to me than he is to you?
Thank you,
Ewan Macdonald
Imagine this scenario, Ewan.
In England, Mr Brown as Prime Minister, decides to legislate on the NHS. It is not a terribly popular piece of legislation he has in mind, but it goes ahead. There is nothing the electorate in England can do it about it because Mr Brown is not accountable to the electorate in England.
In Scotland, Mr Brown is accountable to his own constituents, but as the legislation will not effect his own constituents, it doesn't concern them.
So England has a PM who is unaccountable for the vast majority of his actions. A lot of the legislation passed by Mr Brown's Government will have absolutely no effect on the people that have elected him to represent them.
Cheers,
Chris
This blog is supportive of the aims of the Campaign for an English Parliament, but is in no way connected.
Can you explain to me how, as a Scottish voter outside Gordon Brown's constituency, he is any more accountable to me than he is to you?
Thank you,
Ewan Macdonald
Imagine this scenario, Ewan.
In England, Mr Brown as Prime Minister, decides to legislate on the NHS. It is not a terribly popular piece of legislation he has in mind, but it goes ahead. There is nothing the electorate in England can do it about it because Mr Brown is not accountable to the electorate in England.
In Scotland, Mr Brown is accountable to his own constituents, but as the legislation will not effect his own constituents, it doesn't concern them.
So England has a PM who is unaccountable for the vast majority of his actions. A lot of the legislation passed by Mr Brown's Government will have absolutely no effect on the people that have elected him to represent them.
In the old days, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland had Secretaries of State to represent them, but England was considered too big to need anything. In these days of devolution, England, Wales and Northern Ireland all need parliaments, or we should return to the days of just one parliament for the whole of the UK.
I personally favour parliaments for all, it is the only fair way - for instance, local government in England should be decided by the people of England via a referendum in their own parliament, not by Gordon Brown to suit his own political ambitions.
If the UK is to remain, the UK Government can be reduced so that it takes care of issues such as defence. And each nation has its own domestic parliament. Equality.
Hope this answers your query and thanks for the e-mail,Cheers,
Chris
This blog is supportive of the aims of the Campaign for an English Parliament, but is in no way connected.
Thursday, March 15, 2007
Two E-mails...
E-mail from: scary bear scary_bear55@hotmail.com
Chris,
Did you have a nasty Scottish teacher in your formative years?
Why do you hate the Scots? I'm Scottish and harbour no ill feeling towards the English whatsoever. Just because some of the current bunch of hopeless politicians are Scottish is no reason to hate the Scottish people. Does the Prime Minister always have to be English?
Best regards,
David
I reply...
Dear David,
The Prime Minister, Tony Blair, is Scottish and that is no problem. In post-devolved times for Scotland, Tony Blair, represents an English constituency so is accountable to people in England. It doesn't matter where people originate from - anybody can be PM.
However, Gordon Brown will not be accountable to people in England as he represents a Scottish constituency. Because of uneven devolution, much of the legislation passed by his government will not effect his own constituents, as so much has been devolved to the Scottish Parliament. That is one of the reasons why we need an English Parliament to balance things out. One of the mainstays of democracy is that our politicians should be accountable to those they govern.
The fact is that the UK is not equal under the current system in a variety of ways. And the fifty-odd million people in England are always at the sticky end. People can now DIE in England for want of medication available on the NHS in Scotland. The UK should be equal.
I also believe that members of ethnic minority groups should be featured on English bank notes, not people from Scotland, which has its own UK bank notes.
And HATE the Scots? My mother is Scots, so I can assure you I don't.
Thank you for writing.
Best wishes,
Chris
E-Mail 2
"Martin Telfer" martinltelfer@yahoo.co.uk
Hi
If you are so determined to get England a parliament why not start your own party? No but then where would the fun be in that? Its so much easier to blame everyone else for England's problems. No free health care for the elderly in England? Campaign for it that what we did. However keep blogging and blaming us though.
Yours from a Scottish Utopia!
Martin
There is the English Democrats political Party and the Campaign for an English Parliament, Martin. Please look at the some of the links on this site - you might find them interesting.
Cheers and thanks for writing,
Chris
This blog is supportive of the aims of the Campaign for an English Parliament, but is in no way connected.
Chris,
Did you have a nasty Scottish teacher in your formative years?
Why do you hate the Scots? I'm Scottish and harbour no ill feeling towards the English whatsoever. Just because some of the current bunch of hopeless politicians are Scottish is no reason to hate the Scottish people. Does the Prime Minister always have to be English?
Best regards,
David
I reply...
Dear David,
The Prime Minister, Tony Blair, is Scottish and that is no problem. In post-devolved times for Scotland, Tony Blair, represents an English constituency so is accountable to people in England. It doesn't matter where people originate from - anybody can be PM.
However, Gordon Brown will not be accountable to people in England as he represents a Scottish constituency. Because of uneven devolution, much of the legislation passed by his government will not effect his own constituents, as so much has been devolved to the Scottish Parliament. That is one of the reasons why we need an English Parliament to balance things out. One of the mainstays of democracy is that our politicians should be accountable to those they govern.
The fact is that the UK is not equal under the current system in a variety of ways. And the fifty-odd million people in England are always at the sticky end. People can now DIE in England for want of medication available on the NHS in Scotland. The UK should be equal.
I also believe that members of ethnic minority groups should be featured on English bank notes, not people from Scotland, which has its own UK bank notes.
And HATE the Scots? My mother is Scots, so I can assure you I don't.
Thank you for writing.
Best wishes,
Chris
E-Mail 2
"Martin Telfer" martinltelfer@yahoo.co.uk
Hi
If you are so determined to get England a parliament why not start your own party? No but then where would the fun be in that? Its so much easier to blame everyone else for England's problems. No free health care for the elderly in England? Campaign for it that what we did. However keep blogging and blaming us though.
Yours from a Scottish Utopia!
Martin
There is the English Democrats political Party and the Campaign for an English Parliament, Martin. Please look at the some of the links on this site - you might find them interesting.
Cheers and thanks for writing,
Chris
This blog is supportive of the aims of the Campaign for an English Parliament, but is in no way connected.
Tuesday, March 13, 2007
Celtgelt And Scotsmen On English Bank Notes...
Illustration Waking Hereward, 2007When you get one of the new Bank of England £20 notes with a picture of Scotsman Adam Smith on, write "Celtgelt" on it. What is "Celtgelt"? More about that in a moment, but first let's look at the idea of Scotsmen on English bank notes.
Is it Scotophobic to resent such a thing? Not at all. Scotland has its own bank notes, celebrates its own luminaries, it is inappropriate to also feature them on English notes. England is another country. Far more appropriate to feature modern-day English people representing ethnic minorities who have come here from abroad than people from a fellow Union country, only next door, which already has its own UK currency.
It also demonstrates the unhealthy hold that Scotland has over England. Scotland is a country of 5 million citizens. And yet its MPs dominate our parliament. Its non-representative MPs pervert democratic rule in England. Its citizens are heavily subsidised by us. You can actually DIE in England for want of medication available free on the NHS in Scotland.
The Scottish thing has become dangerous. Contrary to popular belief, England does not somehow deserve this treatment. Many of the past misdeeds attributed to us are actually more properly the fault of the Scots and Welsh. The partitioning of Ireland? Carried out by a Welsh PM with a cabinet stuffed full of Scots. The Empire? Well, whether you consider it good or bad, the Scots were disproportionately involved.
Whatever, the past is the past and England has contributed a tremendous amount of good things to the world. We do not need to carry guilt for the whole of the UK. We deserve equality.
Find out about CELTGELT at Waking Hereward here - http://wakinghereward.blogspot.com/2007/03/cash-for-lives-scandal.html.
UPDATE
Sylv from Salford
The Scots are everywhere. You wouldn't think it was a tiny nation of five million people, would you?
Their desire to colonise is as strong as in the days of Empire
Now, to puzzle the English and muddy the waters, they're planning to turn Liverpool into a "mini-region". No referendum. It's just to be forced through to ease the way for our non-representative PM in waiting Gordon Brown. Divide and rule. And the mini-region will simply be a piece of quango-ristic nonsense. It will be a talking shop. There will be bankhanders going on. Nice bits of corruption here and there. The electorate will be shat upon, as usual. Mark my words - it will in no way compare to the Scottish Parliament or Welsh Assembly.
It will not answer the West Lothian Question, Barnett Formula or health apartheid.
The Scots and Welsh will continue to rule and abuse England.
And now Scots are even cropping up on English bank notes, despite having their own. What's on Scottish bank notes? I'll bet it's not English people.
England MUST be set free!
This blog is supportive of the aims of the Campaign for an English Parliament, but is in no way connected.
Sunday, March 11, 2007
John Denham - Labour MP For Southampton Itchen Declares The English Are Racists, Compared To The Scots And Welsh...
On the day of this report in the Times - English denied cancer drug given to Scots, it has come to my attention (via Hansard ) that John Denham (Lab MP for Southampton Itchen) said:
"Incidentally, it must be said that one of the things that the Scottish and Welsh have done much better than the English is to develop an ethnically inclusive national identity. It is much more likely that a member of the black and ethnic minority communities in Scotland will describe himself as Scottish than that someone in England with a similar background will describe himself as English. People in England tend to jump straight to the British identity".
Mr Denham, when immigrants arrive in England and find that our national government and institutions are labelled "British" then surely that, rather than a lack of rapport with the existing population, encourages them to label themselves "British"?
Also, Scots MPs like Gordon Brown are at great pains to encourage the "British" thing in England. But in Scotland and Wales there are many bodies labelled "Scottish" and "Welsh" and those countries have "Scottish" and "Welsh" governing bodies.
If you are seriously trying to tell us that there is no problem with racism in Scotland and Wales, we can point you to various attacks on members of ethnic minority groups and English people in those countries in recent months.
The vast majority of English people, being the many and various peoples of England, have no say in governing their country - it is all taken care of by anti-English Scots and Welsh MPs and lazy, undemocratic English MPs who betray their fellow country people.
Have you not heard of the Barnett Formula? NHS medication apartheid? The West Lothian Question?
Please discover the facts before insulting the people who elect you.
UPDATE:
Sue Campbell...
Another priggish and bigoted New Labour MP working against his own country people. Bet the gravy train's nice and cosy, eh, Mr Denham? What a shame we don't still have OLD Labour - a party with principles!
"Incidentally, it must be said that one of the things that the Scottish and Welsh have done much better than the English is to develop an ethnically inclusive national identity. It is much more likely that a member of the black and ethnic minority communities in Scotland will describe himself as Scottish than that someone in England with a similar background will describe himself as English. People in England tend to jump straight to the British identity".
Mr Denham, when immigrants arrive in England and find that our national government and institutions are labelled "British" then surely that, rather than a lack of rapport with the existing population, encourages them to label themselves "British"?
Also, Scots MPs like Gordon Brown are at great pains to encourage the "British" thing in England. But in Scotland and Wales there are many bodies labelled "Scottish" and "Welsh" and those countries have "Scottish" and "Welsh" governing bodies.
If you are seriously trying to tell us that there is no problem with racism in Scotland and Wales, we can point you to various attacks on members of ethnic minority groups and English people in those countries in recent months.
The vast majority of English people, being the many and various peoples of England, have no say in governing their country - it is all taken care of by anti-English Scots and Welsh MPs and lazy, undemocratic English MPs who betray their fellow country people.
Have you not heard of the Barnett Formula? NHS medication apartheid? The West Lothian Question?
Please discover the facts before insulting the people who elect you.
UPDATE:
Sue Campbell...
Another priggish and bigoted New Labour MP working against his own country people. Bet the gravy train's nice and cosy, eh, Mr Denham? What a shame we don't still have OLD Labour - a party with principles!
UPDATE 2
Greg, Cumbria
The Truth of the matter...
You move to Scotland and British Gas is called "Scottish Gas" and there's a Scottish National Museum and a Scottish Parliament and, in fact, just about everything is called Scottish and the people of the country are referred to as "Scottish"... so, you regard yourself as "Scottish".
You move to England and there's British Gas and the British Museum and the British Parliament and, in fact, just about everything is labelled "British" and the people of the country are referred to as "British" ... so, you regard yourself as "British".
And ambitious MPs representing Scottish constituencies like Gordon Brown encourage it for all their worth and New Labour and its think tanks make out that to regard yourself as English is racist and that everything in the garden is lovely.
And that things like health apartheid and the Barnett Formula and the West Lothian Question don't exist.
And that's it, the 2007 reality - England and everybody in it used and abused by the UK Government.
This blog is supportive of the aims of the Campaign for an English Parliament, but is in no way connected.
Saturday, March 03, 2007
1 April 2007: Free Prescriptions For All In Wales - Prescription Charges Raised In England
Wales is heavily subsidised financially by England via the Barnett Formula. On 1st April 2007, prescription charges in Wales will be dropped. It doesn't matter if you're a millionaire. You won't pay a penny. In England, on the same day, prescription charges will be raised. This despite concerns from various health professionals and patient groups:
From the Daily Express:
Patient groups attacked the 20p increase, which will take the cost to £6.85 for each prescription.Ministers said the increase, which begins on April 1, would raise £425 million for the cash-strapped NHS.
But the move was criticised by Professor Jessica Corner, director of improving cancer services at Macmillan Cancer Support.
She said: “We are extremely disappointed to hear that the Government has decided to raise prescription charges in England, particularly as they are to be abolished entirely in Wales on the same day.
“Our research shows that one in seven cancer patients aged 55 and under who currently have to pay for prescriptions are unable to afford their cancer treatment.
“This news will be yet another blow to patients facing a double whammy of increased costs and a significant drop in income as a result of their cancer.”
This is health apartheid in action. And remember Welsh First Minister Rhodri Morgan punching the air and saying that at last the Welsh had made the English jealous? Because lives in Wales are valued more than those in England?
Morgan is a very sick man. I am not jealous - I am beside myself with rage at the RACIST INJUSTICE OF IT ALL.
More here - http://www.thecep.org.uk/news/Comments.asp?Entry=1504 - the CEP news blog article also contains a link to the original Daily Express article.
UPDATE...
Sue Campbell...
It's strange isn't it? People in England have unelected regional assemblies and no national representation, and people in Scotland and Wales have elected NATIONAL political bodies to represent them. What worries me most is that we now have a situation where people in Wales and Scotland are becoming an elite, far better treated than people in England on a whole range of issues. England needs representation as a UK nation, just like Scotland and Wales. The huge subsidies must be adjusted for a start. Lord Barnett, the man behind the Barnett Formula, has stated that it is unfair to England.
What is happening, with prescription fees, availability of cancer medications on the NHS, etc, is a form of racism levelled against every single living person in England. And yet as soon as you mention England, the politically correct crowd squawk "RACIST!"
Bad and batty logic.
And a very dubious UK Government - which has a massively disproportionate number of Scots and Welsh MPs, some of them unaccountable to the electorate in England, in its upper echelons. Are our rulers Little Scotlanders and Waleans?
Just think, when Gordon Brown is PM he won't be accountable to us. Nor will a lot of legislation passed by his government have any impact on his devolved constituents in Scotland.
That's 21st Century democracy, that is!
This blog is supportive of the aims of the Campaign for an English Parliament, but is in no way connected.
From the Daily Express:
Patient groups attacked the 20p increase, which will take the cost to £6.85 for each prescription.Ministers said the increase, which begins on April 1, would raise £425 million for the cash-strapped NHS.
But the move was criticised by Professor Jessica Corner, director of improving cancer services at Macmillan Cancer Support.
She said: “We are extremely disappointed to hear that the Government has decided to raise prescription charges in England, particularly as they are to be abolished entirely in Wales on the same day.
“Our research shows that one in seven cancer patients aged 55 and under who currently have to pay for prescriptions are unable to afford their cancer treatment.
“This news will be yet another blow to patients facing a double whammy of increased costs and a significant drop in income as a result of their cancer.”
This is health apartheid in action. And remember Welsh First Minister Rhodri Morgan punching the air and saying that at last the Welsh had made the English jealous? Because lives in Wales are valued more than those in England?
Morgan is a very sick man. I am not jealous - I am beside myself with rage at the RACIST INJUSTICE OF IT ALL.
More here - http://www.thecep.org.uk/news/Comments.asp?Entry=1504 - the CEP news blog article also contains a link to the original Daily Express article.
UPDATE...
Sue Campbell...
It's strange isn't it? People in England have unelected regional assemblies and no national representation, and people in Scotland and Wales have elected NATIONAL political bodies to represent them. What worries me most is that we now have a situation where people in Wales and Scotland are becoming an elite, far better treated than people in England on a whole range of issues. England needs representation as a UK nation, just like Scotland and Wales. The huge subsidies must be adjusted for a start. Lord Barnett, the man behind the Barnett Formula, has stated that it is unfair to England.
What is happening, with prescription fees, availability of cancer medications on the NHS, etc, is a form of racism levelled against every single living person in England. And yet as soon as you mention England, the politically correct crowd squawk "RACIST!"
Bad and batty logic.
And a very dubious UK Government - which has a massively disproportionate number of Scots and Welsh MPs, some of them unaccountable to the electorate in England, in its upper echelons. Are our rulers Little Scotlanders and Waleans?
Just think, when Gordon Brown is PM he won't be accountable to us. Nor will a lot of legislation passed by his government have any impact on his devolved constituents in Scotland.
That's 21st Century democracy, that is!
This blog is supportive of the aims of the Campaign for an English Parliament, but is in no way connected.
Friday, March 02, 2007
English Scapegoated, But The Scots And Welsh Are Largely Responsible For Partitioning Ireland!
Firstly, please go to this No 10 E-petition - http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/anthem/ - and consider voting for England to have its own national anthem. The recent Croke Park game has highlighted the inappropriateness of England alone being landed with the British national anthem and all the guilt and nonsense that goes with it. Particularly as quite a lot of the guilt, nonsense and blame heaped upon the English where Ireland is concerned more properly lies with the Scots and Welsh.
Was a country ever scapegoated and abused like England?
Coming soon, an Irish follow-up to Lloyd George Knew My Father - Lloyd George Partitioned My Country.
Fascinating information on the Irish situation is here - http://www.thecep.org.uk/news/Comments.asp?Entry=1502
Maria
This blog is supportive of the aims of the Campaign for an English Parliament, but is in no way connected.
Was a country ever scapegoated and abused like England?
Coming soon, an Irish follow-up to Lloyd George Knew My Father - Lloyd George Partitioned My Country.
Fascinating information on the Irish situation is here - http://www.thecep.org.uk/news/Comments.asp?Entry=1502
Maria
This blog is supportive of the aims of the Campaign for an English Parliament, but is in no way connected.
Thursday, March 01, 2007
Google - St David's Day is OK. What About St George?
So far on our "Google watch" exercise, we've discovered that... Google does not approve of Christmas.
Does approve of New Year.
And does approve of St David's Day.
A few years ago I remember a St George's Day logo on Google, but that was a few years ago. What's the betting that Google leaves out England's Saint's Day in April, but celebrates St Andrew for Scotland later?
We shall see...
Maria
This blog is supportive of the aims of the Campaign for an English Parliament, but is in no way connected.
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