Campaign for an English Parliament

Day 26 Oxford;

The Battlebus was in Oxford today and again we were able discuss the need for an English Parliament with a wide range of people. The Campaign would like to highlight that when the media supports objective debate and informs the public about serious issues then the public responds in a positive manner and is very willing to discuss even on the streets, serious issues. BBC Radio in Oxford really showed up the other BBC offices in the country because they made a serious subject entertaining and reported what actually was happening in oxford. I can only pour shame on BBC Bristol who preferred to discuss how old you have to be to eat a pickled egg rather than report real events of the day. The campaign would also like to thank Richard for blessing the campaign for an English Parliament because he showed that our community leaders can take the lead and show that St Georges day should be a family day. Thank you, Richard.

Our last call was to David Cameron’s office in Witney. First we blasted past with “there’ll always be an England” then we parked opposite and rang the bell. Apparently there were faces at the windows of his constituency office. We were let in and asked after him. Apparently he was not there (hiding in the lavatory more like). We left some leaflets with the girl in the office (the sacrificial anode) asked if he was going to produce a manifesto for England as they did for S and W in 2005 and requested that when he talked about this country with regard to devolved matters he made it clear it applied only to England. She was not able to answer any of our questions. A lot of innocent fun we had.

We would like to also thank Scilla and John for their support.

You can listen again to the BBC Radio Oxford programme on the BBC iPlayer.  The CEP are mentioned at 1hr 09 mins 50 secs: 1hr 20 mins 50 secs: 1hr 22 mins 37 secs: 1hr 24 mins 00 secs: 1 hr 33 mins 20 secs: 2hrs 31 mins 35secs (just slide the bar along).

Oxford Mail: Campaign for English parliament rolls in

CAMPAIGNERS for a separate parliament for England rolled into Oxford city centre today as part of a whistle stop tour of the country.

The Campaign for an English Parliament battle bus parked up in Broad Street for an official ‘blessing’ by Father Richard Martin, formerly a chaplain of Magdalen College School.

The action group, which was at the end of a four-week tour of England, is calling for a separate parliament, similar to those in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

While the UK parliament sits at Westminster, in London, it consists of MPs from all four countries, but English MPs are not permitted to sit at the Welsh Assembly, Scottish Parliament, or Stormont, in Northern Ireland.

Campaign spokesman Eddie Bone said: “Our communities need people who are accountable to them, people who know what’s going on.”

The group also drove to Conservative leader David Cameron’s constituency office in Witney to deliver a letter outlining their views.

Day 25 Reading & Windsor;

Another day of successful campaigning and its interesting to see the range of people who are aware of the injustices occurring within the UK at this present time. The public in Reading on numerous occasions thanked us for giving them the opportunity to express their anger at the injustices they face and they mentioned the extra costs they are forced to pay. Two conversations that I will particularly remember from today will be from an elderly lady who stated that she was concerned that all of us in England had forgotten to stand up, and protect democracy and straight afterwards a teenager stopped and stated the same. Our politicians really need to listen to these concerns because both spoke with passion. Yet again the MP constituency office staff appear to scared to express any opinion. Come on, find some courage and remember why you entered into politics, it used to be about beliefs and convictions. It saddens me to think that we, the English taxpayer is getting such a poor deal.

We also went to Windsor Castle and blasted it with the sound system, you never know a member of the royal family might have been listening. We can only hope.

Day 24 Maidstone & Kent;

A successful day visiting constituency offices and we were able to see how weak the defence of English votes on English laws truly is. It gives the campaign hope that the public will start to demand sensible solutions to the inequalities that are happening within the United Kingdom . We know that an English Parliament is the only answer to equal devolution and the English public are continually expressing how aggrieved they are feeling about subsidising the rest of the United Kingdom . The Campaign for an English Parliament urges all MP’s to reply to the concerns raised by the public with workable solutions not party line answers. The people in the towns visited during the tour expressed on numerous occasions that they had many questions that remained unanswered. They stated that they had lost respect for the UK Parliament because it failed to treat everyone equally. In Maidstone a 82 year old labour supporter clearly wanted our politicians to take the lead but realised they needed accountability as well. Then immediately afterwards a student discussed her increasing debt and continually expressed her annoyance that Scottish students didn’t have her level of debt because she had to pay tuition fees.

We also put our banner up on the White cliffs of Dover as a protest. It’s the English Channel not the British Channel. Please leave it that way!!

Day 23 Brighton;

We put the banners up on Brighton pier only to have them quickly removed (it appears another English icon is privately owned) and all we wanted to show was that Brighton pier is part of England. Tut Tut!!

We have continually experienced overwhelming support from the public but this has also been coupled with establishment denial that the issue of English equality within the United Kingdom needs addressing. Brighton was no exception, what a shame, the words ‘English Parliament’ are not embraced by some and that the staff working for MP’s, may I say, appear too frightened to express any political views. Keep shutting the doors to questions you obviously don’t know the answers to because that’s the way you engage the public in debate…. well isn’t it! I thank the public in Brighton for wanting to discuss the issues, it appears they understand what inequality means.

Day 22 Portsmouth/ Winchester;

Good response from MP’s offices and British Legion today! People as always very supportive. A very busy place and an equally loud voice all shouting for an English Parliament.

A quick trip to Winchester late in the afternoon proved very fruitful too. After we had placed the campaigns banner under King Alfred’s statue hoards of locals came up to enquire what they could do to lend support.

Portsmouth news very kindly gave us a mention too!

Day 21 Isle of Wight;

Went through all the villages and stopped off regularly to chat to locals and also discussed with many pub landlords the importance of how CEP is concerned about preserving communities and what role the public house has within them.

For further details on how to obtain pub booklet please call on 07980 667732.

Nice to see so many English flags flying on the Isle of Wight!

Day 20 Bournemouth,

We started the day at Corfe Castle, well worth a visit…….. stunning! English history at it’s best. How disrespectful of the main parties in Britain breaking up England into regional area’s without consulting the people.

How silly of them to implement and force the people of England that their country no longer exists. Corfe Castle is one example that it does.

Bournemouth was very busy in the town centre and once again we received a very warm welcome. We would urge all MP’s to search their souls and ask the question ‘Are we really representing ENGLAND’s interests’?

Day 19 Plymouth;

Fantastic day and that’s no over statement. Hundreds of people visited the battle bus with many stating a desire to join the campaign. Over and over again the people of Plymouth kept saying the other nations within the UK should not be involved in issues relating to England only.

Please look at the BBC YouTube clip because right across England the BBC appears to be completely indifferent to the people of England’s opinion. Do you think that the BBC might be a government stooge?

Many thanks to both Roger and Brian for their help that day.

Day 18 Lands End; (From Devon)

We decided on a new approach, reverse psychology and played through the Battle Bus speakers the song THE IMPOSSIBLE DREAM. Yet it is far from impossible getting the people of England supporting us.

People still continue to come up and thank Campaign for an English Parliament. Driving into Cornwall you can see that regionalization is failing and the country is fragmenting. The cohesive element of an English Parliament is urgently needed. It’s not only failing but destroying our communities. Although there is support for Cornwall to become independent there is still a strong desire from a lot of people for Cornwall to remain part of England.

Day 17 Exeter;

Started day with visits to main Party offices. All were invited to join the campaign. The staff in the Labour offices seemed to at times be questioning devolution itself!

There continues to be massive support on the streets old and young alike engaged in objective debate. Many stated that the present system is unfair. Hospital parking charges being one hot topic as those in Scotland park for free!

Thanks to Mike Byrne from the Express and Echo for boldly reporting where no BBC will go!!

Campaigners in party office visits

MEMBERS of the Campaign for an English Parliament said they enjoyed a warm welcome during a day-long visit to Exeter on Wednesday

Campaigners visited political party offices and also canvassed passers-by.

Eddie Bone, for the campaign, said: “We have been very pleased with the response in Exeter. People have been genuinely interested in what we are saying and really would like an objective debate. Matters like hospital car parking — which is free in devolved Scotland — is a very hot issue in Exeter and people wonder why it should be different here.”

More details are available on www.thecep.org.uk.