Yesterday evening Eddie and I attended a meeting of a Labour Party Group in Aylesbury.  The Chairman had heard Eddie speak on the radio.  He had informed us that they were pairing us up with Sam Tarry, who is a community worker with Hope Not Hate in East London and formerly Chair of Young Labour. We were both asked to give a 15 minute presentation on our theme, to take a VERY small number of questions (say 3 max?) for clarification of our points afterwards, and then to engage as an individual in a participatory, seminar style discussion (probably in breakout groups). We were not expected to lead this discussion.

They were interested in our rationale behind the need for an English Parliament, but we were asked to put an emphasis within our presentation that reflected their underlying interest. Before any discussion, all people present were asked to contribute (by writing on wall sheets) who they thought the English were. To some extent, we were told, this evening had been inspired by the strong local representation of the English Defence League.  That had provoked the question “who do they think the English are that they are defending and do they think that that includes me?”

They believed that an underlying question about the need for an English Parliament was “For whom?” as much as “Why do we need it?” They considered that there was an implicit point there about nationalism, and were concerned whether that could provide any kind of positive agenda for the Left, rather than (as perhaps currently perceived) an exclusively negative one.

The meeting started with a video from a similar group in Liverpool who discussed whether or not they were or felt English and they dismissed English stereotypes.

In the event Sam Tarry did not attend and so Eddie and I held the floor.  Eddie explained that his background was in nursing and the Trades Union movement and that as a nurse he had a particular responsibility in his dealings with all people however they defined themselves.  However he explained that he joined the CEP when he realised that England was being shortchanged.  I explained that the CEP sought a Parliament for England which would represent all those in England however they chose to identify themselves.  I read out the Encyclopedia Britannica definition of England and pointed out that in other countries people can define themselves in a positive manner by their institutions, I quoted France.  I then referred to Wales with Welsh Assembly, Welsh Secretary of State, their national eisteddfod  and Welsh Labour.  I said the same could be said for Scotland.  I mentioned the Age Concern UK ‘family’ that omitted England and a lady at the back clearly recognised this omission.

The meeting chairman led the breakout group I was in.  He clearly stated that the discussion had been prompted by Labour’s ‘Movement for Change’ agenda and that they wanted to know how to instill a sense of Englishness in a multicultural society.  I said that they would need to start locally in community groups.  I referred to the fact that Labour (as well as the others) do not publish an English manifesto and that this might be a start to indicate a recognition of England and the idea of belonging to this country.

We felt that this was a very well worth while meeting.  We were made very welcome and graciously thanked for our contribution.

Scilla Cullen
CEP Director