Campaign for an English Parliament press release. For immediate release.

Summary

UK government figures show Scots are set to receive even more per person, per year than their English neighbours. The English have no parliament and no voice, no-one in the UK parliament speaks for for the English. The UK government’s misrule of England is leading to a dis-united kingdom. The Barnett Formula needs urgent reform and the people of England deserve their own parliament working in the English interest.

Article

According to the UK government’s Treasury’s Public Expenditure Statistical Analyses (PESA)*, in the last financial year (2010/2011) Scots were set to receive £10,212 per head compared with £8,588 in England.

The CEP is very concerned about these new figures.  The funding gap between English people and our neighbours should be getting smaller, not bigger. The people of England are not receiving the same financial support from the British Government that Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland receive – but the challenges facing and problems besetting England are as bad as anywhere  else in the UK.

This is money that is  badly needed in England. Its lack is affecting the majority of people in one way or another: tuition fees at £9k a year, paid for care for the elderly, prescription prices, eye tests, road and bridge tolls, hospital parking,dental check-ups etc. In hard times the English pay.

Is it right, or even democratic, that some citizens of a union of kingdoms are treated less favourably than others? We often hear that people getting different services is what devolution is all about – it’s easy to be different and better when you’ve got £1,624 more per person, per year to spend.

The Barnett Formula is nothing new – far from it. It was introduced as a temporary measure back in 1972. Since then Successive UK governments have known about this funding injustice and done nothing. UK MPs appear more than happy to starve the English of funds.

The UK parliament, working in the UK interest and made up of UK wide MPs controls the Barnett Formula. But the devolved nations have their own governments working in their interests and loudly demanding more funding and concessions. Secretaries of State for the devolved nations within the UK government of the day also put their case. Who is there to represent our interests as English citizens of the UK? Shamefully England has neither recognition or representation – no parliament and no voice.

Many in England are forming the opinion that the Barnett Formula is huge bribe to keep the Scots in the Union. This latest increase does nothing to dispel that view. No wonder in a recent BBC poll 36% of English people said they wanted independence for England.

Clearly for the UK to be United citizens have to be treated fairly. The UK government is failing in this duty.

The UK government needs to sort out the Barnett Formula it also needs to give the people of England a referendum on the re-establishment of an English parliament to speak for England and work in the English interest**. The English deserve fair funding, fair recognition and fair representation. As inhabitants of the nation that conceived parliamentary democracy and laid the foundations for international justice we deserve no less.

Ends

* www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/pespub_pesa11.htm

** only the same choice offered by the UK government to the people of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Comments

Eddie Bone, Chairman of the CEP says:

“British MPs refusal to discuss the legitimate concerns identified by the Campaign for an English Parliament is obviously causing damage to the future prospects of English communities. The concerns of England’s citizens have been ignored for far too long and England just continues to suffer the unfair allocation of the British government’s cutbacks”.

and

“If England is not included when discussing devolution and the unfair Barnett formula is not revised then Scottish Independence and the break up of the Union will be as inevitable as night follows day because the tolerant English will eventually have had enough”.

Other members of the CEP National council:

“Can anyone tell me why English people should continue paying tax at the same level as Scots, welsh or Northern Irish when we get the least back and the worst most expensive services?”

“The Barnett Formula continues to regard English people as fourth class subjects in their own country”

“If England had its own parliament back the Barnett formula would be the first thing to go. What the people of England need is a parliament that works in the English interest – it’s now clear to everyone except members of the British establishment that the UK has failed England”

“The Barnett Formula is an insult to every man, woman and child in England – the UK treats England with contempt – it’s time to change that, it’s time for an English parliament”

Thank you

CEP Campaigns

If you would like to know more about the issues raised in this release please call the CEP’s chairman Eddie Bone on 0798 066 7732 or send an email. Eddie is also available for interview.