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Campaign Corner"There is a forgotten, nay almost forbidden word, which means more to me than any other. That word is ENGLAND." - Sir Winston Churchill OF all the campaigns I’m backing, the most important is the battle for English freedom. This means fighting across a range of fronts against the EU and regionalisation, and for an English Parliament. In 2005 I stood for the English Democrats in Greenwich and Woolwich. What do we want? Equality for the English. New Labour’s policy of devolution has lead to serious imbalance in the way the UK is governed. I advocated the right for the English to run our own country as the Scots do theirs (the case is explained at the bottom of this page.) Inevitably, this was painted as an “extreme” cause. We had no money and little campaigning time, yet 1216 South Londoners took the time to turn out and vote for us and we beat the UKIP candidate (it’s a crying shame they stood against us, because most of their policies are bang on, too.) A year later a Daily Telegraph poll showed that 68 per cent of English voters backed the cause. The Greenwich and Woolwich result was our best to date. It stands as a small but signficant first step on the way forward to an English Commons. From little acorns, the mighty oak of English liberty will grow. I want to reform the Congestion Charge, tackle asylum abuse and fight for jobs, housing and better hospital care. More democracy, less bureaucracy. Less government, less tax, more freedom. I also want to see St George’s Day reclaimed, celebrated and recognised as a national holiday. On April 23rd 2006, I organised the first Festival of England. Around 800 people packed in to the St George's Day rock 'n variety night at the Circus Tavern (home of darts) in Purfleet, Essex. £5,000 was raised for the Benny Hill statue (see the Benny campaign for more details). This was the second time we've put on successful charity gigs on St Geo’s Day. 750 people turned up to the previous one at the Queen’s Hotel, Blackpool. We had to turn a third of them away. Hopefully the 2008 event will be even bigger. Anything is possible, if everyday English people want it. It really is up to us to make a stand for England's green and pleasant land. We can't rely on British TV to honour our patron saint's day - even though telly bosses periodically wet themselves over St Paddy. But old Albion is far too tarnished with the 'guilt' of empire for the usual suspects (Lefty intellectuals, Tory euro-traitors) to endorse. What can you do? Bombard radio and TV stations (especially BBC ones) with letters and petitions calling for English theme nights to mark our special day. And SWITCH OFF any channel that doesn't include English programming this and every April 23rd. But just as importantly, celebrate St George's Day yourself. If you can't get to our night, do it in your street, your pub or your social club. Get together with people who feel the same way as you and organise something. Don't moan about St Patrick, get organised for St Geo! The campaign has had limited success to date. In 2000, BBC2 debated English nationalism, albeit in a typically condescending and sneering way, and in 2001 Channel 5 devoted an evening to English films. Not much but at least it was a start. In 2005, Red Ken hastily endorsed some feeble St George's day events - just to take the steam out of the planned celebration walk on his HQ. .. But we can do better than this.Armour-clad warriors lie sleeping in our veins. It's time for the English to wake up and reclaim their birthrights. As Shelley wrote (and the Gonads set to music) "Men of England, rise like lions from your slumber, in unvanquishable number; shake to earth your chains like dew, that in your sleep has fallen upon you. We are many. They are few." * St George’s Day 2007: calling all bikers! The 1066 Motorcycle Club once again presents: The Worlds Largest Unofficial St Georges Day Parade. NOW IN ITS 4TH YEAR! This year it will take place on Sunday 22nd April. Meet at Tesco, A34 (JK4 M42)Stratford Road, Shirley, Solihull at 18:00 for a 18:15 start. Alternatively gather at The Rose & Crown,A435 (JK3 M42), Portway at 16.30 for a pre-Parade meet! www.1066-mcc.co.uk. Meanwhile if you’d rather walk, the Stone Cross St George Association (just outside of West Bromwich, West Midlands) reckon they have the largest St George’s Day parade in England. For more details go HERE . * West country folk band Show of Hands have released a brilliant song about England called Roots (The Single Mix). Watch the full video on YouTube. * Justice for England march will take place on Mayday. Go HERE for details. Why do we need an English parliament? The simple answer is: because of the injustices caused by New Labour’s wonky devolution strategy. So many issues are now devolved in Scotland and Wales that we can’t talk about British education, transport or health policy any more. The current arrangement is unfair to English voters. Scotland and Wales have their own Parliament and Assembly but they are still over-represented in the House of Commons. Scottish and Welsh MPs preside over English matters. English MPs have no reciprocal right. The Barnett formula gives about one third extra spending to Scotland for EQUAL need. This set-up is completely out of kilter, and the only constitutionally workable solution is the creation of an English parliament. * An English Parliament would ensure that legislation affecting England was proposed and implemented by MPs accountable to the English electorate. * It would allow for proper parliamentary time to be allotted for the debate of English matters and scrutiny of English legislation. * It would kick the West Lothian Question into touch. * An English parliament would ensure that ministers were directly politically accountable to the constituency that their department serves. It is wrong that Scottish constituency MPs are given English portfolios, like Douglas Alexander at English Transport currently trying to impose an England-only road pricing scheme. (This was wrongly reported on the BBC as if it were a UK-wide issue!) An English parliament would create a more inclusive, civic sense of English identity and national purpose. * An English parliament would give England political leadership. Scotland has a first minister, England does not. Why then should Gordon Brown become in effect first minister of England? Gordon Brown has no democratic mandate on important matters such as Education, Health and Transport – his constituents in Scotland don't elect him to represent them in these areas, and neither does any voter in England. * English people WANT an English parliament. The most recent opinion polls put support for an English parliament at over 60%. Compare that with the vote for the Scottish Parliament of 44% which is described as the "Settled Will of the Scottish People"; and with the 21% who voted for Tony Blair's Government at the last General Election. * An English parliament would spell an end to plans for elected regional assemblies in England, which were simply an attempt to break up England – as Charles Kennedy said to “call into question the idea of England itself”. An English parliament is the only long term hope of preserving the United Kingdom. Let’s have a fair Constitutional settlement for England as well as the other proud nations of the UK. FOR details of the fight against the BBC licence fee go to bbcbias.org. Campaigns * If you have ideas to help with any of the above campaigns, please email me at the Contact link. The fight continues.
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