Campaign for an English Parliament
Encyclopedia
The Campaign for an English Parliament (CEP) is a pressure group which seeks the establishment of a devolved English parliament
. Some members of the CEP were instrumental in the formation of the English Democrats Party
in 2002.
and Cyning Meadowcroft. This was in response to the Devolution
acts of that year, which they believed would put the English at a serious political and constitutional disadvantage.
They determined that the CEP would represent all of the people of England
, whatever their ethnicity or how they chose to identify themselves, who were legitimately living in England and paying taxes to the British government.
The first meeting took place in London
in June 1998 and members leafleted the three main British Political parties (Labour
, Liberal Democrat
and Conservative
) at their conferences in the autumn of that year. The campaign was incorporated as a not-for-profit company in September 1998 and is not affiliated to any political party. The CEP have on their National Council members and ex-members of the Labour, Liberal Democrat, United Kingdom Independence Party
(UKIP), English Democrat and Conservative parties.
and UKIP's Nigel Farage
. The "Parliament or Petition" conference was in response to the government's intention to hold referenda on devolution
to Regional Assemblies
. The CEP opposed this on a number of grounds but principally because they believed it would have destroyed the traditional political unity of England as a country; ended the shire
system of local government
and withdrawn power from the English local authorities.
In 2004 the CEP participated in the English Constitutional Convention
, a project which members hoped would encourage debate on the way that England should be governed.
2008 saw the CEP's second major conference "The Future of England", addressed by Simon Lee
, Simon Hughes MP (who stood in for Frank Field
at the last minute) and Canon Kenyon Wright, convener of the Scottish Constitutional Convention
.
In 2009 the CEP co-sponsored a debate at the Convention on Modern Liberty involving Yasmin Alibhai-Brown
, Paul Kingsnorth
, Gerry Hassan and Gareth Young.
In June 2010, the CEP controversially made a complaint to Fife Police about music store, HMV
's "Anyone but England" promotion during the World Cup
. A CEP spokesperson explained that the group's motivation was a desire to avoid the sort of Anglophobic
violence that marred the 2006 World Cup
.
Over the years the CEP have held four meetings in the House of Commons (HoC); they have had letters and articles published in many different media, and appeared on radio and television. Members have addressed schools, political associations and party conferences; they have produced booklets - leafleted to the public in town centres, at county shows and at sporting events - and papers, some of which were sent to every Member of Parliament
and Peer
Mike Knowles
, the CEP's former chairman, has appeared before the HoC Justice Committee
.
Devolved English parliament
A devolved English parliament or assembly, giving separate decision-making powers to representatives for voters in England similar to the representation given by the National Assembly for Wales, Scottish Parliament and the Northern Ireland Assembly, is currently a growing issue in the politics of...
. Some members of the CEP were instrumental in the formation of the English Democrats Party
English Democrats Party
The English Democrats are an English federalist political party, committed to the formation of a devolved English Parliament with at least the same powers as those granted to the Scottish Parliament. Whilst not supporting English Independence, the English Democrats consider themselves the English...
in 2002.
Establishment
It was set up in 1998 by six founder-members: Harry Bottom, Terry Brown, Guy Green, Pearl Linsell, Tony LinsellTony Linsell
Tony Linsell is an English publisher, writer and political activist.Linsell graduated from the London School of Economics. In 1998 he and five others founded the Campaign for an English Parliament....
and Cyning Meadowcroft. This was in response to the Devolution
Devolution
Devolution is the statutory granting of powers from the central government of a sovereign state to government at a subnational level, such as a regional, local, or state level. Devolution can be mainly financial, e.g. giving areas a budget which was formerly administered by central government...
acts of that year, which they believed would put the English at a serious political and constitutional disadvantage.
They determined that the CEP would represent all of the people of England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, whatever their ethnicity or how they chose to identify themselves, who were legitimately living in England and paying taxes to the British government.
The first meeting took place in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
in June 1998 and members leafleted the three main British Political parties (Labour
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
, Liberal Democrat
Liberal Democrats
The Liberal Democrats are a social liberal political party in the United Kingdom which supports constitutional and electoral reform, progressive taxation, wealth taxation, human rights laws, cultural liberalism, banking reform and civil liberties .The party was formed in 1988 by a merger of the...
and Conservative
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
) at their conferences in the autumn of that year. The campaign was incorporated as a not-for-profit company in September 1998 and is not affiliated to any political party. The CEP have on their National Council members and ex-members of the Labour, Liberal Democrat, United Kingdom Independence Party
United Kingdom Independence Party
The United Kingdom Independence Party is a eurosceptic and right-wing populist political party in the United Kingdom. Whilst its primary goal is the UK's withdrawal from the European Union, the party has expanded beyond its single-issue image to develop a more comprehensive party platform.UKIP...
(UKIP), English Democrat and Conservative parties.
History
The quarterly members' newsletter, "Think of England", was started in summer 1999 and, in June 2000, about 50 members lobbied their MPs at the Houses of Parliament. In the autumn of 2003, the CEP mounted a "Parliament or Partition" conference in London which was attended by about 300 people and was addressed by Simon Hughes MPSimon Hughes
Simon Henry Ward Hughes is a British politician and Deputy Leader of the Liberal Democrats. He is Member of Parliament for the constituency of Bermondsey and Old Southwark. Until 2008 he was President of the Liberal Democrats...
and UKIP's Nigel Farage
Nigel Farage
Nigel Paul Farage MEP , a position he previously held from September 2006 to November 2009. He is a current Member of the European Parliament for South East England and co-chairs the Eurosceptic Europe of Freedom and Democracy group....
. The "Parliament or Petition" conference was in response to the government's intention to hold referenda on devolution
Devolution
Devolution is the statutory granting of powers from the central government of a sovereign state to government at a subnational level, such as a regional, local, or state level. Devolution can be mainly financial, e.g. giving areas a budget which was formerly administered by central government...
to Regional Assemblies
Regional assemblies
Regional assembly can refer to:*ARMM Regional Legislative Assembly, Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, Philippines, see Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao#Politics...
. The CEP opposed this on a number of grounds but principally because they believed it would have destroyed the traditional political unity of England as a country; ended the shire
Shire
A shire is a traditional term for a division of land, found in the United Kingdom and in Australia. In parts of Australia, a shire is an administrative unit, but it is not synonymous with "county" there, which is a land registration unit. Individually, or as a suffix in Scotland and in the far...
system of local government
Local government
Local government refers collectively to administrative authorities over areas that are smaller than a state.The term is used to contrast with offices at nation-state level, which are referred to as the central government, national government, or federal government...
and withdrawn power from the English local authorities.
In 2004 the CEP participated in the English Constitutional Convention
English Constitutional Convention
The English Constitutional Convention is a pressure group lobbying for a devolved English Parliament.The English Constitutional Convention aims to bring about the same constitutional changes achieved by the Scottish Constitutional Convention which ultimately secured a devolved Parliament and...
, a project which members hoped would encourage debate on the way that England should be governed.
2008 saw the CEP's second major conference "The Future of England", addressed by Simon Lee
Simon Lee
Simon Lee, is a conductor and musical supervisor and is a longtime associate of Andrew Lloyd Webber.Lee served in June and July, 2008, as the How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria? judge on the Canadian version of the television reality show, and was responsible for the musical aspects of the...
, Simon Hughes MP (who stood in for Frank Field
Frank Field
Francis or Frank Field may refer to:*Frank Field *Frank Field *Frank Field - English cricketer who took over 1,000 first-class wickets...
at the last minute) and Canon Kenyon Wright, convener of the Scottish Constitutional Convention
Scottish Constitutional Convention
The Scottish Constitutional Convention was an association of Scottish political parties, churches and other civic groups, that developed a framework for a Scottish devolution. It is credited as having paved the way for the establishment of the Scottish Parliament in 1999.The Convention was...
.
In 2009 the CEP co-sponsored a debate at the Convention on Modern Liberty involving Yasmin Alibhai-Brown
Yasmin Alibhai-Brown
Yasmin Alibhai-Brown MBE is a Ugandan-born British journalist and author, who describes herself as a "leftie liberal, anti-racist, feminist, Muslim, part-Pakistani...a very responsible person"...
, Paul Kingsnorth
Paul Kingsnorth
Paul Kingsnorth is an English writer. He lives in Cumbria, England.Kingsnorth attended the Royal Grammar School, High Wycombe from 1985–1991, and then went on to study modern history at Oxford University between 1991 and 1994...
, Gerry Hassan and Gareth Young.
In June 2010, the CEP controversially made a complaint to Fife Police about music store, HMV
HMV
His Master's Voice is a trademark in the music business, and for many years was the name of a large record label. The name was coined in 1899 as the title of a painting of the dog Nipper listening to a wind-up gramophone...
's "Anyone but England" promotion during the World Cup
2010 FIFA World Cup
The 2010 FIFA World Cup was the 19th FIFA World Cup, the world championship for men's national association football teams. It took place in South Africa from 11 June to 11 July 2010...
. A CEP spokesperson explained that the group's motivation was a desire to avoid the sort of Anglophobic
Anglophobia
Anglophobia means hatred or fear of England or the English people. The term is sometimes used more loosely for general Anti-British sentiment...
violence that marred the 2006 World Cup
2006 FIFA World Cup
The 2006 FIFA World Cup was the 18th FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial international football world championship tournament. It was held from 9 June to 9 July 2006 in Germany, which won the right to host the event in July 2000. Teams representing 198 national football associations from all six...
.
Over the years the CEP have held four meetings in the House of Commons (HoC); they have had letters and articles published in many different media, and appeared on radio and television. Members have addressed schools, political associations and party conferences; they have produced booklets - leafleted to the public in town centres, at county shows and at sporting events - and papers, some of which were sent to every Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
and Peer
Peerage (disambiguation)
Peerage is a legal system of largely hereditary titles in the United Kingdom.Peerage may also refer to:* Peerage Act 1963* Jacobite Peerage* Hereditary peer* Life Peer- British Isles :* Peerage of England** Welsh peers* Peerage of Ireland...
Mike Knowles
Mike Knowles
Mike Knowles is a founder member and former chairman of the Campaign for an English Parliament .He is currently the co-ordinator of the Cheshire Branch of the CEP, co-ordinator for the North of England area and runs the CEP's media unit, issuing press releases on behalf of the campaign.-External...
, the CEP's former chairman, has appeared before the HoC Justice Committee
Justice Committee
The Justice Select Committee of the United Kingdom is a select committee of the House of Commons which scrutinizes the policy, administration, and spending of the Ministry of Justice. In addition, the committee examines the work of the Law Officers of the Crown, the Serious Fraud Office , and the...
.
See also
- English nationalismEnglish nationalismEnglish nationalism refers to a nationalist outlook or political stance applied to England. In a general sense, it comprises political and social movements and sentiment inspired by a love for English culture, language and history, and a sense of pride in England and the English people...
- Parliament of EnglandParliament of EnglandThe Parliament of England was the legislature of the Kingdom of England. In 1066, William of Normandy introduced a feudal system, by which he sought the advice of a council of tenants-in-chief and ecclesiastics before making laws...
- Politics of EnglandPolitics of EnglandThe Politics of England forms the major part of the wider politics of the United Kingdom, with England being more populus than all the other countries of the United Kingdom put together. As England is also the largest in terms of area and GDP, its relationship to the UK is somewhat different from...
- St George's Day in EnglandSt George's Day in EnglandSaint George is the patron saint of England and as such is celebrated on his death each 23 April. This is also celebrated as the day of birth and death of William Shakespeare...
- Acts of Union 1536-1543
- Acts of Union 1707Acts of Union 1707The Acts of Union were two Parliamentary Acts - the Union with Scotland Act passed in 1706 by the Parliament of England, and the Union with England Act passed in 1707 by the Parliament of Scotland - which put into effect the terms of the Treaty of Union that had been agreed on 22 July 1706,...