The head of the Campaign for an English Parliament’s media unit and former Chairman, Mike Knowles, has been interviewed by the BBC for a programme on devolution.
The interview will go out on 2 programmes, on radio and TV.
- Today in Parliament on Radio 4 on 3 July.
- The Record Review on TV on 3 July (on BBC Parliament and the BBC News channel).
The radio interview will be repeated on the morning of Sat 4th July on Radio 4. The TV piece will be repeated throughout the week on BBC Parliament and will most likely form part of the Summer “loop” coverage, that will be repeated while Parliament is in recess.
Both Today in Parliament and The Record Review will also go on the BBC iPlayer. The Radio 4 programme will also be available as a podcast.
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Well done Mike!
July 2nd, 2009 at 5:18 pmYes. Well done Mike!
July 2nd, 2009 at 6:46 pmYes, well done Mike. Shame it was such a small slot in the program. Could do with a whole episode dedicated to the English Question.
July 4th, 2009 at 9:25 amThis is good work Mike. The English Question is starting to be taken seriously by the BBC, possible too little too late, but at least better late than never.
I have changed my position from supporting the creation of devolved English Parliament to full English Independence. And ten years ago I was a staunch unionist! What a turnaround.
July 4th, 2009 at 9:39 amThey talk about the West Lothian question, then straight away ask a Welsh effort to pronounce on the constitutional position of England. I thought Michael Knowles countered well.
The next time an opinionated Brit declaims that there is no enthusiasm in England for an English parliament, I would like to see them challenged to put their money where their mouth is and give us a referendum on the subject.
July 4th, 2009 at 2:21 pmMike had the last word and his last word was ‘nationhood’.
July 8th, 2009 at 9:54 amCan I express my opinion on the video with Mr knowles.
I appreciate that he has done Stirling work for the CEP over many years, and deserves our thanks but feel that it is time for a new younger spokesperson to take the helm.
I have in the past not always agreed with Mr Knowles direction for the campaign.
He is still talking in terms of an English Parliament being established in some obscure city elsewhere in England.
This is the same argument that he adopted some 2 or 3 years ago when he spoke at a select committee, chaired by Alan Beith, (and incidentally, with that Welsh moron Alun Micheal on the committee) on devolution for England, or more accurately the West Lothian question, I had my reservation then and I certainly have them now!.
To go down that road will..
A) have all our opponents screaming about the cost.
B) Make it no more than a local council on a par with the rejected regions, and certainly not a Nation we can be proud of.
C) leave us having to wait for a hand out for our own cash through the Barnett formula, calculated by the Scottish Raj,
…Thanks, but No Thanks !!!!!!.
What could be easier and more cost effective than ejecting all Celts from Westminster, they have their own parliaments already.
Westminster, London was the English parliament for centuries before the act of union, it is the rightful place for an English parliament now.
The only solution to this anti English mess is total independence for all 4 nations, the union is a dead duck, RIP.
“I won’t even mention the cricket test match in Cardiff”
July 8th, 2009 at 6:33 pmLBB – nail, head, hit.
July 9th, 2009 at 11:57 amThe policy of the CEP is that the English Parliament, when re-established, should choose whether or not to use the Palace of Westminster or to be established elsewhere in England. Indeed there is scope for the necessarily much reduced UK Parliament, which would then only be required to deal with reserved matters, to re-establish itself elsewhere. Another scenario is for an elected upper house to be responsible for reserved matters.
July 10th, 2009 at 10:13 amI think Mike was pushed into the corner a bit with that question and seemed to give his own opinion which is fair enough – it is extremely difficult to be able to reel off CEP policy like that when you are put on the spot by national media.
I plugged the CEP on ‘Any Answers’ on one occasion, and the Conservatives policy was thrown at me then, of course there are 101 different ways I could have responded differently and better, but the main points were put accross I hope.
I think Mike did a great job, and especially liked the way he answered the question on the Barnett Formula. He dealt with an emotive matter in a calm and intellegent way. Thanks Mike.
July 10th, 2009 at 6:42 pmScilla.
So what you are in fact saying is that the CEP favors a federal solution, it appears to me that it’s time to ballot the membership to clarify precisely what the aims are, so everyone is singing from the same hymn sheet.
Matt
“I think Mike was pushed into the corner a bit with that question and seemed to give his own opinion which is fair enough”.
Sorry to disagree with you Matt but that isn’t fair enough, Mr Knowles is the spokesperson for the CEP and his comments should reflect that, his own opinion is immaterial, indeed if that is the case I refer you to my opening remarks in my last post.
July 11th, 2009 at 8:52 amThe CEP policy is that England should be granted what Scotland has been granted-no more and no less.
with regard to the location of an EP-there are strong feelings among members both for and against the palace of Westminster. It is not the intention of the CEP national council to divide members on this issue.
July 11th, 2009 at 10:20 amScilla
Thank you for your response.
Why should we only accept what Scotland has got, to me it’s Scotland calling the tune, the tail wagging the dog, Tony Blair wasn’t so considerate when he flatly refused to give England any say or participation in Devolution.
It’s pay back time.
That’s the trouble with the English we have to be so damned patronising, can’t upset the neighbours can we, to hell with the neighbours.
It may not be the intention of the national council to divide the membership, that is as it should be, and I am not implying any such thing, nor would I, but from what I have read in the posts here over a number of years it is precisely what the situation appears to be, and with a softly softly attitude we shall all still be blogging here ten years from now having got precisely nowhere.
July 11th, 2009 at 11:27 amDoes this not concern you?.
Good debate by all, but why should England have “no more” than what Scotland has?
Raise the bar a bit, surely Scilla it’s what is appropriate for England, and I say that as a Scot.
Why should your aspirations by tied to Scotland, or Wales or NI?
July 11th, 2009 at 7:40 pmLike many here I was a Unionist and have been worn down over my lifetime (I’m 60 soon). It now seems that the English are being attacked by all other “nationalities” in the “British Isles”. All being led by the Irish who along with the Scots and Welsh think that they are part of the Celtic master race. We all now know that there is a Celtic language but there is quite definitely not an ancient Celtic nation. Even if there were I would not want to be part of it. When I read the nonsense that these people talk about in order to solve todays problems, Owen Glyndwr, The great Norman/Englishman from Essex Robert the Bruce (sic) and whoever the Irish want to invoke it makes me so happy to be English and to have been taught tolerance and patience instead of the hatred taught by the other three occupants. Well the Irish/Welsh and Scottish ethnic cleansing can now end. We the English have at last had enough of their wingeing lets do all we can to get an English parliament in London. If we want to have regional assemblies then that is our choice not that of the others or the EU for that matter. I can’t wait to get my English passport. On the first day I will go to the border and gloat whilst the other shower are refused entry into England. GB is dead, long live England.
July 12th, 2009 at 4:41 pmIt is not a case of ‘raising the bar’ it is a matter of addressing asymmetrical devolution. There is no reason why the aspirations of wales and scotland should not be tied to the aspirations of the UK as a whole, and likewise for England. The current state of the UK may not be desirable but that is not to say that the only way forward is to dismantle it completely. We live on one island (most of us that is) and there seems little point to me in seperating on national division lines other than to endulge ourselves – and that of course is just not very English.
I have just finished writing an essay and am now going to bed!
July 13th, 2009 at 1:01 amI cannot find this interview on BBC Iplayer, can somebody link me too it?
September 9th, 2009 at 8:08 pmSorry George, I can’t really help there, I guess you’ll have to search for it by program and date?
LBB
“with a softly softly attitude we shall all still be blogging here ten years from now having got precisely nowhere”.
10 years ago the CEP would never have been interviewed by the BBC on TV and Radio. As a campaign we are now able to give a legitmiate English voice and perspective on UK politics on national media – something other ‘English’ groups have not been able to achieve in the same way.
Our ’softly softly approach’ as you call it keeps things moving steadily and most importantly in the right direction. Sudden bursts of energy and enthusiasm rarely have the same impact in the longer term – with such an approach we would more likely be seen as strange eccentrics to be written off or worse – not something our country or the CEP needs.
We English are not going anywhere and we don’t need to shout and scream about the fact – England is our country we want a parliament that represents our people. Remember we are not campaigning for a change or amendment in the law – but a change in the very fabric of our political system.
Look at how public opinion has changed over the past 10 years towards recognising England as distinct from the UK and Britain. There is change, yes it is gradual but it is in the right direction. We are a small number of campaigners but are making significant progress. It is no small feat that Mike was intervewed by the BBC for national television and Radio – Let’s not forget it! Keep going!
September 10th, 2009 at 10:03 amIf we take to the streets of Birmingham and get into a mass brawl with left wing fascists like the English & Welsh Defence League then the media, politicians and academics aren’t going to touch us with a barge pole. Many of us would love to be more direct in our approach (I’m all for a Cromwelian eviction from Westminster personally) but we can’t burn all our bridges. That doesn’t prevent anyone from taking individual action of course but as a campaign, we are by far and away the most moderate voice of Engliah nationalism, especially set against the likes of the English & Welsh Defence League, the England First Party and the various other militant ethnic nationalists that the British suppresion of Englishness has spawned.
September 10th, 2009 at 10:19 amI think wonkotsane has a point. Moderate English nationalism is the only way forward, although I do support the full breakup of the UK.
What really annoys me at the moment is that several moderate English nationlist groupings exist, but are COMPETING against each other for votes ie a split nationalist vote. Can all reasonable nationalist movements work together so as not to undue good work done by another grouping?
There will be no place for left wing fascists in an independent England. Kick anti-English racists out of England.
September 10th, 2009 at 10:53 amDear Sir , I have to say that an English Parliament will not happen while the couintry is in the grip of the Scots and the Brussels Junta. So get the country out of Europe and let the Scots take their Independence, and England will be a self governing Nation again, un till that happens these people are not going to GIVE us our Independence, They will just carry on using English tax payers money- as they are now doing- to support there own ends and we are all-The English- left to be made fools of.
September 11th, 2009 at 8:29 pmWhen Scotland finally gets its vote on independence it will be obvious that the Union is dead. RIP. England should get a referendum to decide its fate.
September 30th, 2009 at 3:52 pmMy vote would be for full independence from everybody.
We will deal, trade, assist or hinder whoever we like without requiring permission from anybody.
Cry God for England and St George.