Daniel Hannan has been blogging about the prospect of a hung parliament.
This is something I've discussed in the past too.
It is beginning to irk me that the direct democracy movement - a movement I have a lot of sympathy with, and which Daniel Hannan and Douglas Carswell claim has a lot of traction in the Conservative party, is ignoring the place of England in the direct democracy framework. It is simply an inversion of the principles of localism and direct democracy to ignore the current democratic deficit in England, to talk about taking decisions at the lowest possible level and still have Westminster, in the guise of the British parliament, holding powers over England that have already been devolved to the other nations of the United Kingdom.
Can we get an English Parliament? Yes Witan!
Showing posts with label Democratic Deficit. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Democratic Deficit. Show all posts
Tuesday, 23 February 2010
Wednesday, 20 January 2010
Why 2010 is so important... (part 2)
A thought experiment, if you will indulge me.
Forgive me, Iain Dale, for asking my readers to imagine your prediction is wrong. Imagine the SNP do better than you've predicted, or UKIP squeeze the Conservatives in a few key marginals. Imagine, in short, that the Conservatives fall a few seats short of an overall majority.
The clear choice of the English people would be a Conservative government, denied by the choices of voters in the rest of the United Kingdom.
Forgive me, Iain Dale, for asking my readers to imagine your prediction is wrong. Imagine the SNP do better than you've predicted, or UKIP squeeze the Conservatives in a few key marginals. Imagine, in short, that the Conservatives fall a few seats short of an overall majority.
The clear choice of the English people would be a Conservative government, denied by the choices of voters in the rest of the United Kingdom.
What's true of the EU, is true of the UK, only more so...
Douglas Carswell, Conservative MP for Harwich and Clacton and one of the most thoughtful politicans of our age, is submitting a Private Members Bill on an 'in or out' referendum regarding the UK's membership of the EU. It is an important bill, that deserves to be widely publicised and I urge you to go to his page and send it on to your friends or on facebook, twitter, blogs etc.
I'm afraid, however, that Douglas isn't really taking things to their logical conclusion. Every argument that can be made against the UK being a member of the EU (loss of sovereignty, financial cost, loss of an independent voice in the world, a lack of democracy) is equally true of England's membership of the UK.
I'm afraid, however, that Douglas isn't really taking things to their logical conclusion. Every argument that can be made against the UK being a member of the EU (loss of sovereignty, financial cost, loss of an independent voice in the world, a lack of democracy) is equally true of England's membership of the UK.
Tuesday, 19 January 2010
Council Tax timebomb could blow the union apart
Over on Dizzy, an interesting article regarding Labour plans for an increase in English Council Tax if they win the election.
What is most interesting to me, is what Dizzy doesn't point out. If Labour is still in power after the next election, it will almost certainly be as a result of winning Scottish and Welsh constituencies and without a majority mandate in England. If they increase council tax in England with the votes of Scottish MPs they will be slapping English voters in the face with a big leather gauntlet, finely embroidered with the words 'Democratic Deficit'.
What is most interesting to me, is what Dizzy doesn't point out. If Labour is still in power after the next election, it will almost certainly be as a result of winning Scottish and Welsh constituencies and without a majority mandate in England. If they increase council tax in England with the votes of Scottish MPs they will be slapping English voters in the face with a big leather gauntlet, finely embroidered with the words 'Democratic Deficit'.
The Anti-English Mainstream Media Bias
Over on 'A National Conversation for England' an interesting point about the General Election Leader debates, (2 posts, here and here).
As they rightly point out, these debates are being presented as affecting 'The UK', when actually many policies discussed at these debates will affect only England. This point is completely ignored by the Mainstream Media.
You will also almost certainly not be surprised to know that the BBC has created a Scottish History Portal. The Scots are clearly a proud people with a long, interesting, and eventful history. Judging by the English History Portal, we are slightly lacking in that regard (hat tip forengland).
As they rightly point out, these debates are being presented as affecting 'The UK', when actually many policies discussed at these debates will affect only England. This point is completely ignored by the Mainstream Media.
You will also almost certainly not be surprised to know that the BBC has created a Scottish History Portal. The Scots are clearly a proud people with a long, interesting, and eventful history. Judging by the English History Portal, we are slightly lacking in that regard (hat tip forengland).
Monday, 18 January 2010
The Campaign for an Independent England
Welcome to the campaign for an Independent England.
We believe that the best interests of England will be served by cession from the United Kingdom and the establishment of an independent English state. The devolution introduced since 1997 has created a democratic deficit that penalises the people living in England, and makes them pay for it. Even Scots and Welsh Nationalists have noted the disadvantage suffered by England. The English Democrats, a minor party with no MPs or councillors, obstensibly campaign for 'England', but their manifesto calls only for an English Parliament within a federal UK, which is manifestly not independence and a weaker position than that held by the SNP or Plaid Cymru in relation to Scotland or Wales.
We believe that the best interests of England will be served by cession from the United Kingdom and the establishment of an independent English state. The devolution introduced since 1997 has created a democratic deficit that penalises the people living in England, and makes them pay for it. Even Scots and Welsh Nationalists have noted the disadvantage suffered by England. The English Democrats, a minor party with no MPs or councillors, obstensibly campaign for 'England', but their manifesto calls only for an English Parliament within a federal UK, which is manifestly not independence and a weaker position than that held by the SNP or Plaid Cymru in relation to Scotland or Wales.
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