Wales 'could lose out on £8.5bn' A commission considering the way the assembly government is funded says Wales is losing out by £300m a year.
The commission chair, economist Gerald Holtham, warned the underfunding could reach £8.5bn over the next decade, or £2,900 for everyone living in Wales. (more)
Thursday 9 July 2009 The Guardian
Safraz Manzoor: Bradford reflects on many shades of Englishness It's 75 years since Bradford-born JB Priestley wrote his classic English Journey, a snapshot of his travels around the country chronicling the thoughts of ordinary people. What did it mean to be English? We revisit Bradford - a city transformed by mass immigration, but cited in a recent survey for its essential 'Englishness' - and ask what that means today (more)
Tuesday 7 July 2009 ON A VERY STICKY WICKET...
Ryan Kisiel: It's enough to leave you stumped... England versus Australia with the WELSH anthem! It is a sporting ritual usually performed with patriotic chests puffed out, eyes moist and vocal cords stretched to the maximum.
But when the national anthem is played before England's cricketers take on the Australians tomorrow, don't expect any of our chaps to sing along.
Mainly because the words won't be in English.
For rather than playing God Save The Queen, the sport's blazered bigwigs have decided the ground will reverberate instead to the Welsh national anthem.
Land Of My Fathers will be sung before play starts in Cardiff in an attempt to get the mainly Welsh crowd behind the England team in the first Test match in the Ashes series. (more)...
Tuesday 7 July 2009 The Times
Jenny Hjul: A separatism vote would put Salmond in pole position Most Scots remain unconvinced about independence but, given a referendum, the SNP would do anything to swing the vote its way
You may not have noticed but Scotland is in “a process of independence”, or so the nationalist minister for the constitution said last week. What does he mean?
That a referendum on separation has already been held, the SNP has won it, the people have decided and that’s that?
For many Scots, not particularly attentive towards their parliament’s deliberations, this must come as a shock. Where were they when all this happened? Why weren’t they told? Is the process reversible? What did Gordon Brown have to say about it? (more)...
Thursday 25 June 2009 Birmingham Post
Minister admits fairer distribution of cash would cause row by J. Walker Ending the unfair funding system which takes money away from English regions such as the West Midlands carries “political risks”, Treasury Minister Liam Byrne has admitted.
Mr Byrne, the MP for Birmingham Hodge Hill and Chief Secretary to the Treasury, said the Government was reluctant to reform arrangements which pump money into Scotland, partly because it would provoke a row.
He was giving evidence to an inquiry into the Barnett Formula, the controversial mechanism used by the Treasury to determine how cash is shared out between the nations of the United Kingdom.(more)
Thursday 25 June 2009 Yorkshire Post
Beware of the future in a Disunited Kingdom by Andrew Mycock FOR most public, high-profile relationships, there is plenty of advice around when rumours of a rocky patch surface. So it is with that most celebrated political marriage: the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
Intense debate has raged about its imminent break-up or whether Britishness can be "re-forged". Those who suggest that the UK is in its death throes often draw attention to the decline of ascription to British identity and the institutions by which iADVERTISEMENTt is defined. They point to the concurrent growth in identification with the historical nations of the UK or other ethno-religious identities.(more)
Thursday 25 June 2009 New Statesman
Breaking Up Britain: Four Nations by Mark Perryman In the 1997 edition of his pamphlet Why Scots Should Rule Scotland, the wonderful curmudgeon Alasdair Gray begins his “carnaptious history of Britain from the Roman times until now” with two clarifying points. He defines “Scots” as “everyone in Scotland who is able to vote”, and argues for independence not “on differences of race, language or religion but geology” – the natural divisions created by seas and mountain ranges. (Writing for a Scots audience, he doesn’t bother to explain that “carnaptious” means bad-tempered.) “But no national barrier can contain human curiosity, greed and desperation, so invasions and migrations have kept national boundaries expanding and contracting like concertinas,” he notes, launching into a chronicle-rant spanning from the Roman invasion to New Labour’s “increasing Toryism”, and his fear that the Scottish Assembly would only be “a big London firm’s branch office where local complaints get stifled by the locally complacent”. (more)
Tuesday 16 June 2009 The Times
A More Perfect Union - The Calman Commission is a prospectus for the next stage of devolution It is often the fate of commissions that they enter a world very different from the one in which they were conceived. The Calman Commission on Devolution was established by Scotland's Unionist parties, to a chorus of scepticism, as a response to the rise of the SNP. But its report has seen the light of day at the precise moment when the three party leaders in London are, unexpectedly, trying to outbid one another to be the chief constitutional radical.
The Scottish government can currently alter the rate of income tax by plus or minus 3p in the pound. Calman recommends that the Scottish government be free to cut income tax up to a maximum of 10p in the pound, with a commensurate reduction in the block grant, and that there should be no limits on how high income tax can be raised. He also proposes the devolution of stamp duty on house purchases, air passenger duty, a landfill tax, a tax on mineral extraction and, importantly, a proposal to extend a Scottish government's borrowing powers. (more)
Tuesday 16 June 2009 The Scotsman
Labour promises to deliver Calman reform in 10 months SCOTLAND'S place within the UK could be transformed in as little as ten months following radical constitutional changes proposed in a landmark report.writes David Maddox.
Senior Labour figures told The Scotsman that they hoped to push through many of the Calman Commission's far-reaching proposals before a general election, as part of revolutionary changes to the devolution settlement (more)
Thursday 11 June 2009 The Times
Spending cuts start to bite as hospitals (in England) lose £500 million Funding of £500 million for hospital building and refurbishment is being withheld by the Government in the first sign of the severe cuts likely to be forced on the NHS in the recession by Sam Lister, Health Editor.
A letter between health chiefs, seen by The Times, suggests that “the Treasury is unlikely to agree further releases of funding” for the building of a new generation of community hospitals, announced to much fanfare three years ago. (more)
Wednesday 10 June 2009 Daily Mail
Brown pledges to rebuild Britain's democracy and signals end to 'first-past-the-post' polls Gordon Brown will today open the door to dramatic reform of the voting system as he seeks to relaunch his troubled premiership.
After seeing off a concerted attempt to force him out of Number 10, the Prime Minister will promise to clean up politics and rebuild trust in democracy (writes James Chapman).
Most dramatically, the first-past-the-post voting system could be abandoned and replaced with proportional representation as part of a review of constitutional reform. (more)
Wednesday 10 June 2009 BBC web pages
(ENGLISH) NHS 'faces huge budget shortfall' The health service will face the most severe and sustained financial shortfall in its history after 2011, a report by NHS managers warns. (writes Branwen Jeffreys)
The NHS Confederation report says the health service in England will not survive unchanged, the BBC has learned.
Managers at its conference will be told they face an "extremely challenging" financial outlook. (more)
Monday 8 June 2009 Yorkshire Post
More reactions to Peter Davies win in Doncaster.. Doncaster residents sent an overwhelmingly clear message to the Government yesterday – replacing 40 years of Labour rule with a maverick authoritarian pledging to slash "politically correct" council services. writes Tim Smithard(more)
And a reader of the Yorkshire Post has responded to the opening paragraph of the piece with this heartfelt message -
'Could you please explain the justification for the use of the word "authoritarian" because there is absolutely none in the article. All the policies mentioned were mainstream in this country a generation ago, when this country's democracy was far stronger than it is now.
It is the three major parties that are insufficiently democratic, as they don't offer a real choice on fundamental issues, since they all follow the metropolitan liberal agenda, which only seems mainstream because it is constantly preached by the BBC. And it is the NuLabour government that is drifting into authoritarianism, turning the country into a police state, and restricting freedom of speech to people who support the politically correct agenda of the metropolitan establishment.
Some of us want England to go back to true mainstream values - the values that were mainstream in this country until recently, and still are in more successful countries: patriotism, individual liberty, personal responsibility, and law and order'.
Monday 8 June 2009 BBC web pages....
English Democrats votes doubled in Euro elections The English Democrats have more than doubled their share of the vote in the European Parliament elections.
The party received a total of 279,801 votes, a 2.0% share - up from 130,000 votes and 0.8% share in 2004.
The English Democrats are campaigning for a parliament and first minister for England to redress what it calls the democratic imbalance from devolution. (more....)
Friday 5 June 2009 The Times
Calman Commission says no to devolution of North Sea oil revenues. Devolution of North Sea oil taxes has been ruled out as a way of giving more fiscal power to the Scottish government by the expert group of economists advising the Calman Commission. However, the group is expected to recommend that Holyrood should be given powers to borrow money which would greatly extend its flexibility in implementing policy writes Peter Jones
The commission, headed by Sir Kenneth Calman, which is examining ways to improve how devolution works, is today publishing the recommendations of its financial advisers. They are understood to believe that some taxation powers should be devolved north of the Border.... (more)
Wednesday 3 June 2009 The Scotsman
Grant Scotland an overdraft and scrap Barnett – Calman HOLYROOD will be allowed to run up debts and the controversial Barnett Formula will be consigned to history in dramatic recommendations by the commission set up to review Home Rule in Scotland, The Scotsman can reveal. (By David Maddox, Scottish Political Correspondent )
In a long-awaited report, the Calman Commission will call for a new financial set-up which will make MSPs more accountable – but could see Scotland's budget severely reduced. The commission also believes the Scottish Government should be granted limited borrowing powers which would be wide-ranging enough to raise £2 billion for a new Forth Road Bridge. (more)
Tuesday 2 June 2009 The Portsmouth News
Father and son keep politics in the family A father and son are standing against each other for different parties in this week's local elections, writes Alex Forsythe
Paul and Chris Pritchard are going head-to-head in the hope of becoming Hampshire county councillor for Hayling Island this Thursday.
Dad Paul, 61, is standing for the Lib Dems after around 20 years in the party. But his 29-year-old son Chris is standing for the English Democrats.....(more)
Monday 1 June 2009 The Sunday Herald
Flower of Scotland is ‘embarrassing’ ONE OF the greatest players Scottish rugby has ever produced has said the stadium song Flower of Scotland has become an embarrassing anti-English rant and should be ditched as the nation's sporting anthem. writes Alasdair Reid
Finlay Calder, captain of the British Lions in Australia in 1989 and one of the heroes of the Scotland Grand Slam side the following year, made the contentious claim in a wide-ranging interview with the Sunday Herald, claiming that it is time for Scotland to "grow up" and adopt a more mature approach to its rugby rivalry with England.
"It's embarrassing, the lack of respect," he said. "The anti-English stuff has got to stop. I think it's appalling the way we host our English competitors. Before we can go forward we've got to start to grow up a bit."(more)
Friday 29 May 2009 The Swindon Advertiser
Party wants to put the English first by James Wallin A PARTY that is fighting for an English parliament, a national holiday on St George’s Day and a complete withdrawal from the European Union, wants your vote.
The English Democrats are fielding six candidates for the election on June 4 and are aiming to take their place alongside other euro-sceptic parties in the EU parliament...... (more)
Thursday 28 May 2009 DAILY MAIL
Nine in ten migrants to the UK settle in England. More than nine out of every ten migrants entering Britain over the past two decades have settled in England, according to figures released to MPs.(writes Steve Doughty)
The total is 20 times more than the number who have gone to live in Scotland.
The level of net migration - the number of those settling in the UK minus those leaving - amounted to 2,149,000 for England for the years between 1991 and 2007, the Office for National Statistics said. This equates to 92 per cent of all UK immigrants.
Over the same period net immigration into Scotland amounted to just 105,000 - fewer than half the number currently moving into England in a single year. Immigration added 56,000 to the population of Wales and 27,000 in Northern Ireland. MPs said the imbalance delivered a warning to parliamentarians from Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland not to interfere with debates on immigration. (more)
Wednesday 27 May 2009 The Independent
Campaign for democracy: Brown vs Cameron vs Clegg... Gordon Brown, Prime Minister: "I'll consider anything that makes the political elite accountable to citizens
Revelations about the unacceptable practices in MPs' expenses have angered and appalled me. They have shown that the British people want to be proud of our democracy and are furious when it is undermined.
I will not tolerate behaviour that is against everything I believe in" (more)....
Monday 18 May 2009 DONCASTER
Doncaster mayoral battle gets underway.... THE battle to become Doncaster's next elected mayor has kicked off with candidates locking horns for the first time in public.
Doncaster Chamber of Commerce organised a public question time for the borough's business bosses to quiz candidates on their proposals.
The event at Hill House School, Finningley, was attended by Peter Davies, English Democrats; Michael Felse, independent; and councillors Mick Maye, independent, and Jonathan Wood, Conservative.
Labour's Sandra Holland, British National Party representative Dave Owen, and current deputy mayor, Coun Stuart Exelby, Community Group, were unable to attend.
The four candidates were each given 90 seconds to answer a series of probing questions from the invited audience of business people on issues including public transport, local funding and education (more)....
Monday 18 May 2009 RADCLIFFE WEST
Five parties to contest Radcliffe by-election VOTERS will be able to choose from five candidates in next month’s by-election in Radcliffe West.
Last Thursday was the deadline for nominations for the election, which takes place on Thursday, June 4, the same day as the European elections.
The candidates are: Samantha Davies, Conservatives; Mike Halsall, Liberal Democrats; Stephen Morris, English Democrats; Jean Purdy, British National Party; and Rishi Shori, Labour.
The by-election was triggered by the resignation of long-serving councillor Wayne Campbell, who has been appointed maintenance manager for Six Town Housing. (more)....
Thursday 30 April 2009 Blackburn, Lancashire.
BLACKBURN COUNCILLOR JOINS EDP... A BLACKBURN with Darwen councillor is taking on a national role for the English Democrats Party.
Michael Johnson, who has represented the far-right England First Party, the For Darwen Party, and is the Fernhurst ward councillor on Blackburn with Darwen Council, has taken over the role of chairman of the North West English Democrats.
He said he joined the party to stop the British National Party getting a foothold in the area. (more)
Thursday 30 April 2009 Billboard site, Portsmouth.
PARTY POSTER IS VANDALISED A billboard asking if people were English and proud has been was covered in graffiti.
The English Democrats party advertising hoarding was put up in Goldsmith Avenue, Portsmouth, as part of its political campaign ahead of the European elections on June 4.
But just days after it went up it had been vandalised with a giant 'No', and later part of the poster was ripped down... (more)
Tuesday 28 April 2009 English Primary Schools
ANOTHER FINE BALLS UP... Ed Balls was accused of a dereliction of duty yesterday over last summer's SATs marking fiasco.
Under hostile questioning in the Commons, the Schools Secretary admitted he had only one meeting with the national exams watchdog after being warned that disaster was imminent.
More than a million schoolchildren were affected by the fiasco which saw the results of tests taken by 11 and 14-year-olds in English, maths and science delayed because of administrative problems...... (more)
Monday 27 April 2009 La La Land, EU Central
EU judges want Sharia law applied in British courts Judges could be forced to bow to Sharia law in some divorce cases heard in Britain.
An EU plan calls for family courts across Europe to hear cases using the laws of whichever country the couple involved have close links to.
That could mean a court in England handling a case within the French legal framework, or even applying the laws of Saudi Arabia to a husband and wife living in Britain.
The Centre for Social Justice think tank today attacked the so-called Rome III reform as ludicrous. (more)
Thursday 16 April 2009 Horse liniment room, Lord's.....
Flower man gets the nod... ANDY Flower was today handed the job of coaching the England cricket team full-time - and told to start by winning back the Ashes from Australia this summer.
The ex-Zimbabwe batsman, who impressed as stand-in coach during the recent tour to the Caribbean was formally handed the role at Lords this afternoon..... (more)
Thursday 16 April 2009 The Brown Bunker, Number 10...
Gordon Brown - Bela Lugosi isn't dead after all... As the Prime Minister heads to his Cabinet meeting in Glasgow today, he may feel like an actor in a zombie movie. An Easter break in which he spent only two days on the beach with his children was supposed to lead smoothly from a G20 triumph into the Budget build-up. Instead, Mr Brown is haunted by the undead.....(more)
