The English Democrats

[anotheoldgit]

/// England has been buried under a 'British' identity by the three main political parties. England is not a disparate collection of Euro-regions, nor is it a cash cow for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.///

///Our cause is about trying to save one of the world's oldest nations from being broken up by conniving British establishment and Brussels elite. It's about giving the 50 million people in England a democratic voice through its own parliament.///

/// We are not left, not right, just English.///

Can any true English man or woman argue against this.

We have seen Vince Cable revealing plans this week to drop university fees and levy a graduate tax.

Will this also include Scotland, who at the moment enjoy free University fees, I don't think so somehow.

So shouldn't the English now be pushing for an English Parliament, and lets see if we can receive some perks solely for the benefit of the English.

[Gromit]

English Parliament is a good idea, but the English Democrats are a bunch of loonies.

[Old_Geezer]

Problem is that anyone should feel the need to look for perks for themselves that others don't get. If the Union was governed properly it wouldn't be an issue.

But as long as the other nations have their own tier of gevernment I see it as inequitable that the English do not. Either these things are of value, in which case sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander, or they are a waste of taxpayers' money, in which case they ought not exist at all.

[Zeuhl]

Personally I have no issue with a British identity: I was born in england with English, Welsh, Scottish and Irish great grandparents. And when we think about our nation's great heritage of empire, innovation and the arts we are as likely to be thinking about the efforts of Welsh, Scots and Irish 'Brits'.

However, I agree with the main thrust of the question and Gromit/Old Geezer: the current set up of Westminster and the other Assemblies is inconsistent and inequitable .
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[jake-the-peg]

Yes the English Democrats are a bunch of Loonies but there's a lot to be said for an English Parliament.

However it would seriously water down power in Downing Street so I can't see any Government wanting to do it

[anotheoldgit]

Gromit

/// English Democrats are a bunch of loonies.///

Have you any information to post that supports your statement?

jake-the-peg

/// However it would seriously water down power in Downing Street so I can't see any Government wanting to do it ///

Since Scotland has it's own Parliament and Wales & Northern Ireland have their own Assemblies.

Can you explain to me how England having it's own Parliament could seriously water down power in Downing Street, any further?

Surely if this was the issue Downing Street would not have allowed those other three, to go it alone.

[modeller]

I am puzzled how Scotland has free universities and free subscriptions and apparently don't tax the Scots to pay for it . So who pays ?

[TCL-MUMPING]

"Can you explain to me how England having it's own Parliament could seriously water down power in Downing Street, any further?"

The UK Parliament and the UK Government have Reserved Powers which means the Scots Parliament and the Ulster and Welsh Assemblies can not make decisions in specific areas. The UK Parliament and the UK Government deal with matters covered by those Reserved Powers and on matters relating to England only.

If there were an English Assembly, no doubt devolved powers would be given to it which, in turn, would mean the UK Parliament and the UK Government would have less authority over matters relating only to England.

[Gromit]

Modeller

Taxes are no lower in Scotland, they just decide to spend the money differently.

[anotheoldgit]

Gromit, you still have not answered my question regarding your accusation of the English Democrats.

[Gromit]

I went off the English Democrats when they began colluding with the 'England First Party' who were in fact a couple of ex-BNP nutters from near to were I live. Guilty by association I suppose.

[TCL-MUMPING]

In their manifesto they demand a territorial waters limit of 200 miles for England, sounds wonderful but do you not think a fair few other counties may be a wee bit closer than 200 miles? Scotland, Ulster, Wales, Ireland, France etc spring to mind.

They have seventy words in the section headed Taxation-only twelve more than what they say about about the status of Monmouthshire.