The Berwick Advertiser has the following article on the CEP’s very damp rally in Berwick-on-Tweed on Saturday:
English Parliament campaigners look to Berwick for support
CAMPAIGNERS calling for the establishment of an English Parliament were in Berwick at the weekend to begin a month of activities across the country.
About a dozen members of the Campaign for an English Parliament (CEP) came to the town from all parts the country to distribute leaflets and increase awareness of their efforts.
Michael Knowles, a member of the CEP national council and head of its media unit, said: “The theme for all our activities this month is the same.“We are arguing that if we are one union – which we just about are – then, within reason, everyone should enjoy the same benefits.
“However, the disparity between England and Scotland has become quite grotesque. We want England to have the same benefits as Wales and Scotland because it is England which is paying for most of it.
“We are here because a lot of people in Berwick know there is a campaign which is working to get the people of the town the same benefits that the Scottish Parliament has achieved for Scotland.
The Campaign for an English Parliament was launched a decade ago after legislation to devolve power to Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland was put before parliament.
Mr Knowles said the CEP boasts about 5,000 members from across England.
More on this shortly.
Spotted in Berwick Advertiser
This entry was posted on Monday, September 8th, 2008 at 9:00 am by wonkotsane, is filed under Berwick, Press and tagged with Berwick, Press.You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
“However, the disparity between England and Scotland has become quite grotesque. We want England to have the same benefits as Wales and Scotland because it is England which is paying for most of it”.
Quote from Mr Knowall in Berwick Advertiser. How is this true when all the revenue from North Sea Oil & Gas goes into UK coffers and not to Scotland?
September 10th, 2008 at 3:30 amBerwick has been abandoned by England for years; even their football team has to play in the Scottish leagues because English FA doesn’t want them.
Most Scots, that I have talked to, want an English Pariament too, as long as they keep their Oil, Gas and Fishing Rights. Sounds reasonable to me.
Your point about the football team is the easiest to answer so I’ll address that first. Berwick Rangers have the choice of which league they want to play in, subject to the relevant FA accepting them. Cardiff Swansea and Wrexscum (sorry, couldn’t help myself) all play in the English leagues. I’m a Shrewsbury Town supporter and the biggest cup wins in their history are winning the Welsh Cup 6 times. In fact, 15 out of the 39 teams that have won the Welsh Cup are English.
Your point about fishing rights is also quite a simple one - the Scots don’t have any more control over their fishing rights as any other EU member state. Quotas are set by the EU, as are the elvels of subsidies and the rules requiring excess stocks to be thrown back into the sea on pain of a huge fine are also EU rules.
Finally, North Sea Oil. Before The 1964 Continental Shelf Act, the maritime border between England and Scotland was an extension of the land border in accordance with international law. The land border points north east and north west at the coast putting a lot of what is now claimed as Scottish territorial waters into England’s jurisdiction. The British government, without consulting the people of England, handed over vast oil and gas reserves and fishing waters by moving the maritime border so that it extends from the coast on a parallel. Should Scotland seek independence or fiscal devolution, we would certainly be pushing for the 1964 Continental Shelf Act to be amended or repealed so that England is not deprived of those resources that it is entitled to.
That aside, according to the last set of available figures from the Treasury, the subsidy paid to Scotland by the English taxpayer was £11.3bn and the revenue from North Sea oil and gas was £7bn which leaves a £4.3bn gap. This assumes all revenues from North Sea oil and gas are attributable to Scotland which, even if the maritime border remains as is, is not the case as some of the North Sea still falls within English jurisdiction.
On a final note, England hasn’t abandoned Berwick. Scotland is run by the Scottish government, England is run by the British government. It is the British that have abandoned Berwick (if, indeed, it has been abandoned) not England. You must learn the distinction between English and British, they are not the same.
September 10th, 2008 at 5:53 amWell said Sir ! Bendover needs to replace his kilt with Troouusersss !
September 10th, 2008 at 7:35 amlets face it north sea gas-oil is kept out of brit news,english people dont know much about it because it isnt in the news and you arnt kept informed but in scotland it is always in the news money is gushing to westminster (nobody else in europe has got it)ok norway)and westmin gov keep screwing us ? where does the money go thats the question we need answered.
ps good result for engerlund the other night as the fans sang”rule britania and god save the queen all night ,just maybe england want to stay british
September 12th, 2008 at 2:01 pmWell said, Wonko! The facts about the North Sea Oil need drumming home.
September 13th, 2008 at 1:00 amI don’t give a monkeys about the final tally. Give Scotland what belongs to her. Which is most of it. Come on, be fair guys.
Also, can I assume we will not be arguing about who’s oil it is when the Western Scottish fields are ‘discovered’ by Brown and co?
http://www.oilofscotland.org
September 18th, 2008 at 1:06 pm