THE FUTURE OF ENGLAND?

THE FUTURE OF ENGLAND?



A MAJOR CONFERENCE BEING HELD BY THE CEP TAKING PLACE IN ROOM 10 IN THE HOUSE OF COMMONS. WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 18TH 5pm to 7pm (SAME DAY AS THE OPENING OF PARLIAMENT) WITH FOUR DISTINGUISHED WRITERS AND CAMPAIGNERS.

George Monbiot (Guardian newspaper and environment campaigner)
Peter Facey (Director: Unlock Democracy)
Paul Kingsnorth (author of 'Real England: The Battle against the Bland')
David Wildgoose (vice-chairman The Campaign for an English Parliament)
Chair: Scilla Cullen
It is eleven years since the 1998 devolution legislation. Scotland and Wales now have their own Scottish Parliament and Welsh Assembly. They have forged ahead since, re-creating and expanding their own distinct national identities and achieving major benefits and advantages for their peoples. But England has got nothing from devolution. Why should English students pay tuition fees and emerge from university laden with debt while Scottish students don't? Why should Welsh people pay no prescription charges while English people do? England still has no constitutional existence of its own and no national institution of any kind as 'a forum where the concerns of the nation can be debated' (the Welsh White paper). England is disadvantaged. The situation is gravely unjust to the people of England. Scottish MPs can now take part in legislation that concerns England only, can even be ministers of departments which deal only with England, without being accountable to any electorate. The Union is dangerously unbalanced. There are massive cultural, environmental and political issues involved. From many angles the people of England are being left out and overlooked. It is a situation that cannot continue. Nor should it. The Union should be a Union of equals or it is no Union.'

We are looking for an open debate. We want your contribution.
Anyone wishing to attend please phone Scilla Cullen (CEP ChaIrman) on: 01438 833155 or email: scilla.cullen@dsl.pipex.com