Crossofstgeorge Debate

[Hotspur]

http://www.newsandstar.co.uk/opinion/letters/labour_to_blame_for_bnp_support_1_570757?referrerPath=opinion

•Given Gordon Brown and his Scottish Mafia’s treatment of the English and Welsh nations, the only thing that surprises me is that the BNP success wasn’t considerably larger.
His outright refusal to allow us a vote on the European constitution, his destruction of the best private sector pension system in the world, while increasing that of the public sector’s, was enough to drive even the most reasonable voter to a party that promises to right these wrongs.

My daily paper listed 13 aims of the BNP and 11 of these dealt with things such as immigration, Europe, jobs, crime, and the economy.

These are the very, everyday issues worried about by ordinary people.

Little wonder they turn to fringe parties as this is the only way to protest at the Government’s refusal to listen to their reasonable concerns for the future. Thank god for the UKIP party where many people, myself included, were able to lodge a protest vote. Had they not been there, I’m sure many more votes would have gone to the BNP.

As for banning the BNP, you may not like what they have to say but nobody can force you to vote for them. There is a very old and very true saying that goes along the lines of: “I totally abhor and disagree with everything you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it”.

That, to those who want the BNP banned, is what freedom and democracy stand for.

R TAYLOR
Kentmere Grove
_________________
Lord Hugh Cecil 1918



"the truth is that colouring federalism with nationalism is like painting a rat red: it kills the animal.

Federalism and Nationalism are contradictory and mutually Fatal".

[Hotspur]

http://www.thisisgrimsby.co.uk/letters/Party-selection-questioned/article-1094696-detail/article.html

Party 'system' of selection has to be questioned
Monday, June 22, 2009, 09:00
Comment on this story

MEMBERS of Parliament have shown us all they have created not just an exclusive benefit system for their own ends but in doing so have made the House of Commons a sanctuary of secrecy and would have continued to do so but for the publication of details by a national newspaper.

The party "system" of selection now has to be seriously questioned and no doubt the emphasis will be on local residents taking priority to represent their local communities in Westminster.

There were very few, if any, offenders in the Scottish Parliament or the Welsh Assembly and the message stemming from that should be an English Parliament (not regional government) with fewer MPs offering far more scrutiny within the House and more focused "select committees" open to the general public via Westminster Hall.

After the debacle on expenses and the "cover-up" led by the Speaker of the house, I would hate to see the House of Lords as simply a duplication of the Commons and its practices; currently the Lords offer greater democracy not less, however it is less expensive and does "volunteer" its talents"!

As for the Speaker, his portrayal of Pontius Pilate washing his hands reflected the attitude of the whole house and its system.


Certainly, career politicians create bad practice. But the traditionalists have shown it to be a habit.

The terms "my honourable friend" coupled to "honourable members" no longer stand, indeed the use of their names would remove the sanctuary.

To shout to us, the public, of "reform" might be better suited via an "act of settlement between us all!"

Brian A Oldham, Normandy Road, Cleethorpes
_________________
Lord Hugh Cecil 1918



"the truth is that colouring federalism with nationalism is like painting a rat red: it kills the animal.

Federalism and Nationalism are contradictory and mutually Fatal".

[Hotspur]

western daily mail

Promises are misleading



I do wish Greg Heathcliffe (WDP 22.06.09) would stop misleading readers with his promises of an English Parliament.



In his letter he states that “We (UKIP) would also give England its own Parliament along with the existing Scottish Parliament, Welsh and Northern Irish Assemblies where matters relating solely to those parts of the UK could be discussed”.



UKIP is not planning to maintain the existing Scottish Parliament, Welsh or Northern Irish Assemblies but proposes introducing dual mandate MPs across the board and part-time national institutions.



So Mr. Heathcliffe, may I suggest you tell the whole story or refrain from telling it at all.



Veronica Newman
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Lord Hugh Cecil 1918



"the truth is that colouring federalism with nationalism is like painting a rat red: it kills the animal.

Federalism and Nationalism are contradictory and mutually Fatal".

[Hotspur]

http://www.thisiswesternmorningnews.co.uk/news/Region-clout-government/article-1096010-detail/article.html

End Celtic hegemony

THE British Parliament is in meltdown – a disastrous breakdown, especially for England, which effectively has no authoritative government.

At least Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have a Government and Assemblies to protect their interests.

The main constitutional change the English want is for their MPs of all parties to demand an English parliament.

Let's have an end to the Celtic hegemony at Westminster which has proved to be so damaging, untenable and unworkable since devolution.

Roger Prescott

Plymouth
_________________
Lord Hugh Cecil 1918



"the truth is that colouring federalism with nationalism is like painting a rat red: it kills the animal.

Federalism and Nationalism are contradictory and mutually Fatal".

[Hotspur]

English devolution

MR 'megalomaniac' Brown, the unelected PM and Scottish constituent MP the English can't get rid of, waffled about "the next level of devolution for England" and some twaddle about "city regions". The only devolution we want is an English parliament, or we march on Westminster with pitchforks and tumbrils.

Roger Prescott

Plymouth
_________________
Lord Hugh Cecil 1918



"the truth is that colouring federalism with nationalism is like painting a rat red: it kills the animal.

Federalism and Nationalism are contradictory and mutually Fatal".

[Hotspur]

http://www.thisisexeter.co.uk/news/Time-push-promised-referendum/article-1064442-detail/article.html

Time to push for the promised referendum
Wednesday, June 10, 2009, 23:00
1 reader has commented on this story.
Click here to read their views.

THE Labour castle is still crumbling day by day but the problem is it is not only Labour but politics in general. Members of all parties have been caught out over their expenses.

It does not end there, however, for even those that have morally considered the interests of the taxpayer in claiming their expenses knew what was going on but failed to stop it.

The only answer is to radically redesign the way we are governed and bring in an English Parliament consisting of English MPs and an independent judicial body setting the rules and constitution.

By excluding the Scottish, Welsh and Irish, who already have their own parliaments, and by reducing the number of English constituencies, perhaps then we will have a parliament that, with honesty and integrity, can rule this country.

It will, of course, depend on us ridding the shackles of Europe first, which is bringing this country to its knees with its ever-growing need for more one-way finance, its stupid legislation and interpretation of human rights, immigration, health and safety, fishery and agriculture, transport, compliance, political correctness and legal aid, all of which increase the taxes we have to pay.


Let's press for the referendum we were promised. Let's throw this lot out and start afresh with a General Election with sensible policies for the English people.

This will take time to bring in but should hopefully be in place by the time the next General Election is called.

With Labour taking a caning in the recent elections, it is likely that the Conservatives will get in with a huge overall majority.

Let them promise now that if they do get elected will we be guaranteed a referendum on Europe and they will abide by the result.

Derek Blatchford

Exmouth
_________________
Lord Hugh Cecil 1918



"the truth is that colouring federalism with nationalism is like painting a rat red: it kills the animal.

Federalism and Nationalism are contradictory and mutually Fatal".

[HomeRuleforEngland]

The Bolton News

http://www.theboltonnews.co.uk/yoursay/yourview/4467746.Marmite_Mayor_has_my_backing/

Marmite Mayor has my backing

9:01am Wednesday 1st July 2009


WITH reference to an article in the Sunday Express, “Mayor takes £43,000 paycut” (June 28th) he also sacked 42 councillors and ditched politically correct services.

Who is this man? A politician who actually does what the public wants and tries his best to save money by doing something about it.

He has condemned town-twinning and chauffeur driven cars and has labelled local government as a mere talking shop. He has also promised to end council funding for self-promoting groups. And, his best quote of all: “If 100 senators can run the United States of America, I can’t see how 63 councillors are needed to run Doncaster.” Please don’t tell me it can’t be done, because if he can do it, why can’t our councillors? He is known as the “Marmite Mayor” because some people love him and some people hate him.

No prizes (€) for guessing who loves him and who hates him.

James Birch Sharples
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The don't like it up em!

[Hotspur]

Time to give small parties a chance

From: Fred Bishop, Bridge Street, Lower Moor, Worcestershire.

THE vast majority of MPs, including the Prime Minister and those close to him, have never done anything but go to school and electioneer. Yet these are the people that we entrust to make the rules that govern our quality of life.

The vast majority of them have never been in industry, agriculture, fisheries, education, the health service or finance.

The result? Our industry has been sold off, our farming wrecked, our fisheries taken from us, our education relegated to third world status, our health service the worst in the developed world, we are broke and Britain is on the verge of break-up.

They live in palatial residences in magnificent parts of our country, yet they have created conditions that have transformed parts of our cities into dangerous no-go ghettos.

They have never been to war yet they send our ill-equipped soldiers to their deaths in a failed war that should never have been fought.

They have rewarded the voters of England with second-class citizenship in their own country.

The job of running a complex country such as ours demands the most qualified and experienced people available, so why do we elect those whose abilities do not extend beyond petty pilfering, self aggrandisement and lying?

Is it not time to give the smaller patriotic parties a chance? They could not do any more damage than those now glued to the seats of the Commons.
http://www.yorkshir epost.co. uk/letters- to-the-editor/ Friday39s- Letters-Public- sector-employees .5468685. jp
_________________
Lord Hugh Cecil 1918



"the truth is that colouring federalism with nationalism is like painting a rat red: it kills the animal.

Federalism and Nationalism are contradictory and mutually Fatal".

[Hotspur]

Western Daily Press 22.07.09



Join forces to reach goal



At long last I see the differences between our proposals and those of Veronica Newman (“Not telling the whole story” Western Daily Press July 9).



While we want to employ existing MPs both as national representatives at Westminster and (once every four weeks) as representatives of their home nations within Britain , she appears to want a new parliament, new MPs, new buildings and new levels of bureaucracy (which it will a;; bring in its wake) in order to achieve far less.



Any “English Parliament”, quite apart from being unable to exist under EU rules (as pointed out by UKIP councilor Allan Wood on July 7), would be quite powerless.



UKIP wants the English, Welsh, Scots and Northern Irish people to have a meaningful, democratic voice in national and local affairs but with the absolute minimum of bureaucracy and costs involved. Our proposals are tailored to that end.



So, once again, I suggest to her that we forget past differences and join forces to work for our common goal, a meaningful political voice for all British people and each home nation having equal rights in political terms and equal opportunity to express their opinions.



Greg Heathcliffe

Swindon

Wiltshire




Western Daily Press 22.07.09



please all respond to this letter



wdletters@bepp.co.uk
_________________
Lord Hugh Cecil 1918



"the truth is that colouring federalism with nationalism is like painting a rat red: it kills the animal.

Federalism and Nationalism are contradictory and mutually Fatal".

[Hotspur]

http://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/features/letters/4501926.Barnett_formula/

Barnett formula
11:33am Monday 20th July 2009





I TOTALLY agree with your editorial (Echo, July 17): the Barnett Formula must be revised.

It is wrong and grossly unfair that the benefits which are enjoyed by the people in Scotland – eg, lower class sizes, free prescription charges, free tuition fees for students – are not enjoyed by the people of England who have to pay for these services.

Why should one part of the UK receive these benefits when other parts of the nation do not?

If we all agree that the UK is one nation then people and their children should receive the same benefits irrespective of where they live.

Wouldn’t it be wonderful if the formula were to be changed before next summer?

Sadly, this will not happen because the politics of the formula override fairness and justice.

Alan Macnab, Darlington.
_________________
Lord Hugh Cecil 1918



"the truth is that colouring federalism with nationalism is like painting a rat red: it kills the animal.

Federalism and Nationalism are contradictory and mutually Fatal".

[Hotspur]

http://www.redditchstandard.co.uk/comment79144.html
_________________
Lord Hugh Cecil 1918



"the truth is that colouring federalism with nationalism is like painting a rat red: it kills the animal.

Federalism and Nationalism are contradictory and mutually Fatal".

[Hotspur]

western daily press

Points about Parliament



I write in response to Lionel Hutts’ letter (Your Say, Julu 14th). There are a number of points I would like to address.



The first of these is his declaration that we do not need a Parliament for England as the Westminster one already covers England.



It is the UK government that resides in the Palace of Westminster. It cannot be an English Parliament while MPs from other nations are able to vote on issues that affect only England.



Secondly, his assertion that the West Lothian Question, which he refers to as the Midlothian question, has nearly zero importance to the man in the street. May I suggest he tells that to the parents and students who have to pay tuition fees, a measure passed against the wishes of English MPs, courtesy of the votes of MPs from Scotland?



Next he writes that an English Parliament would be an enormous expense. Not so when the issues that relate only to England are devolved as it would be no more expensive paying for an English Parliament to do the job of governing England than is paid to Westminster to govern England-only matters now.



Mr. Hutts goes on to say that the devolved assemblies have little power. He may be interested to learn that devolved powers relate to education, health, social security, police, prisons and courts, transport, and much more.



As for his closing paragraph that the system has served us well for hundreds of years and does not need changing, this may be true, however it was changed in 1998 by the Devolution Acts.
_________________
Lord Hugh Cecil 1918



"the truth is that colouring federalism with nationalism is like painting a rat red: it kills the animal.

Federalism and Nationalism are contradictory and mutually Fatal".

[Hotspur]

http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/north-east-news/have-your-say/readers-letters/2009/07/24/scotland-is-always-first-with-brown-72703-24230635/

Scotland is always first with Brown
Jul 24 2009 Evening Chronicle
Add a commentRecommended (2) 12next
IF the UK was democratic, Gordon Brown could not have been prime minister.

He has never received an English vote but because of devolution for Scotland, he has more power over the English than he has over the Scots. He is in effect Scotland’s viceroy to England.

He has also signed the “Scottish claim of rights” which means he must put Scotland’s interests before anything else.

That is why his last act as Chancellor was to reduce England’s NHS budget by £2bn and increase the budget of Scotland and Wales by the same amount.

It was why Swan Hunter was allowed to go under, and the Glasgow shipyard get an order for two aircraft carriers.

Anti-cancer drugs are free to anyone who needs them in Scotland and Wales but in England you have to pay up or die.

Cervical screening is started at age 20 in Scotland and Wales but in England it starts at 25. Things would have been different for Jade Goody if she was Scottish.

Alistair Darling and Michael Martin have also signed the Scottish claim of rights.

England is the only nation in the world that has no political representation at all. We need an English parliament.

TIM LEE, English Democrats Party.

* A Labour Party spokesman replied: “Public services in all parts of the UK have seen massive investment from the Labour Government.

“The North East has benefited from billions of extra money put into local NHS services, new schools, extra police on the street and regeneration of our towns and cities.

“This investment has made a huge difference to the region. Labour is committed to continuing to invest in the region.”

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_________________
Lord Hugh Cecil 1918



"the truth is that colouring federalism with nationalism is like painting a rat red: it kills the animal.

Federalism and Nationalism are contradictory and mutually Fatal".

[Hotspur]

http://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/letters-to-the-editor/Its-time-to-show-some.5491746.jp



24 July 2009
THE latest Government initiative on provision of care for the elderly shows up yet more inequalities as every region of the United Kingdom has different rules on 'means testing' with devolution giving a better deal to those fortunate not to live in England.
And, as usual, Labour's proposals favour the feckless over those who have worked hard and saved all their lives.

Plus, of course, on past performance there is no guarantee whatsoever that any money raised would be 'ring fenced' for such care rather than spent like general taxation – whatever they say...

But there is another dimension to the problem of the elderly and infirm, ie voluntary euthanasia which has recently been debated in the House of Lords, and a question which should not be ignored.

As an OAP myself, I am obviously approaching the end of my life, and would hate to suffer a 'living death' as some blind, incontinent geriatric in a care home, unable to do anything for myself at the same time as my heirs are deprived of my savings or home to pay for it, etc while others get it all free.

I have witnessed relatives in hospital or care homes, some in their 90s, begging to be put out of their misery, which to me would have been both compassionate and humane.

I believe the Eskimos used to put their elderly on the ice to simply go to sleep and never wake up again in this world anyway.

It seems a great tragedy that our political leaders will not give serious consideration to such matters yet find the repeated deaths of soldiers as young as 18 in pointless conflicts like Afghanistan etc quite acceptable!
DS BOYES, Rodley Lane, Bramley,
_________________
Lord Hugh Cecil 1918



"the truth is that colouring federalism with nationalism is like painting a rat red: it kills the animal.

Federalism and Nationalism are contradictory and mutually Fatal".

[Hotspur]

http://www.birminghampost.net/comment/letters-to-the-editor/2009/06/23/england-no-longer-represented-by-this-failing-parliament-65233-23947866/

England no longer represented by this failing Parliament
Jun 23 2009 Birmingham Post
Add a commentRecommend Dear Editor, Ken Clarke, in evidence to a select committee, said that an English Parliament is unnecessary, claiming “the average Englishman thinks that they have a Parliament which is the UK Westminster Parliament”. Is he trying to fool the people or himself?

The electorate of every democracy would expect its Parliament to:

1. Put the interest of its country and people first;

2. Give total allegiance to the country’s inhabitants;

3. Be accountable to the voters of their country alone;

4. Have patriotic MPs from its own national political parties.

Westminster fails on all counts as a England Parliament – it only masquerades as such and the clue is in the name “UK” Westminster.

Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland decided, in 1999, that Westminster was not their governance and so have devolved national administrations but England, alone, remains entrapped within a subjugating UK Westminster.

Most of England’s 529 MPs, affiliated to self-indulging UK parties, have no primary allegiance to their country – England doesn’t register on their radar. We elect them and pay them to put our interests first but they fail us. What other country on earth has such pointless MPs?

UK Westminster now only governs (1) England and (2) UK (non-devolved functions) which is a recipe for eternal and fundamental conflict of interest.

A thinking English electorate is realising that this country needs a new political regime of self- governance with its own political parties.

Mr. Clarke is wrong. The average Englishman knows that UK Westminster has long ceased to be “his” Parliament.

R A Hopkins, Leckhampton, Cheltenham
_________________
Lord Hugh Cecil 1918



"the truth is that colouring federalism with nationalism is like painting a rat red: it kills the animal.

Federalism and Nationalism are contradictory and mutually Fatal".