Happy New Year
Partying tonight so I'll wish you a Happy New Year now.
Happy New Year
The World according to Wonko. Warning! May contain naughty words including expletives, common sense and England.
I've had enough of getting spammed by the Labour Party and them ignoring me when I ask them where they got my email addresses from so I've made a complaint with the Information Commissioner.
Please allow us to get away Scot-free
Michael Sissons
A YOUNG Englishman whom I know joined a Scottish arts organisation last year. He was the only Englishman there. He found the atmosphere of hostility poisonous. Worse, his wife, a doctor, took a job nearby at a large NHS hospital. On her first day at work, she was met by a large white card on her desk with the greeting: “F*** off, English bitch.” Outraged letters to the Leader of the Scottish Assembly and to NHS management produced no reply. The couple packed it in and returned to England.
Recently in The Spectator Alan Cochrane commented on the dismal reality of Scottish politics: “So alien does Scotland now appear to the rest of the United Kingdom since devolution.” Too right, and we should address an issue that goes far beyond the West Lothian question.
Britishness was a 19th-century invention, designed to enable the British Empire to function. The contribution of the Scots to the Empire, in terms of talent and manpower, was indispensable. Yet both the Act of Union of 1707 and the Union with Ireland of 1801 were the product of bitter history, and they were never more than marriages of convenience. One marriage foundered with the creation of the Irish Free State in 1922, and I have come to believe that in due course the other may result in divorce.
I was educated to believe in serving an Empire that my generation could see no longer existed. My Yorkshire grandmother, a pillar of the Conservative Party in the East Riding, insisted to me: “Never forget that we are Conservatives first, but always Unionists second.” Until Suez we never questioned the notions of duty and service. Nor until now did I ever question the validity of the Union.
Then, on holiday, I heard an Ulster Protestant couple describe coming to terms with the inevitability of a united Ireland. They just didn’t believe that the cause of the United Kingdom was worth shedding one more drop of blood for.
Has the issue of the Union, thus shorn of the Union Jack, become our emperor’s new clothes? If we hold Britishness to the light, what do we see? July 7 showed with grim clarity how partial a view of British nationality some of our fellow citizens take. Historically we erred in failing to integrate our immigrant population into a British identity as America has done. Insistence on speaking English might have seemed a good start. Now Government strains to deal with this urgent problem. But what sort of Britishness do we want? Do we defuse racial problems by selling the concept of Britain or of England? Are Wayne Rooney and Freddie Flintoff more potent symbols than the Union Jack? The ambivalent resurgence of the Cross of St George suggests that perhaps they are.
A private Bill is to be introduced into the House of Lords by Lord Baker of Dorking proposing a federal Parliament in Westminster to rule the UK, with an English assembly established to determine English matters. The aim of detaching non-English MPs from English business hardly needs spelling out. But this is not just evidence of the frustration that is building in England over the obtrusive influence of Scottish MPs in Westminster. It is also clear that, given the powers that are being devolved to Scotland and Wales, what was unthinkable 20 years ago is now seen to be inevitable.
There are more Tory voters in England than Labour voters. Labour’s majority is propped up by the combination of an unjust distribution of seats and the Strathclyde Labour phalanx. The Scottish mafia within new and old Labour is, I believe, cordially disliked south of the Border. How popular will the prospect of another Scottish prime minister be when this becomes imminent?
To hell with it. I think I’m an English Nationalist. It’s all right to be a Scottish, Welsh, or Irish Nationalist, so why not? Do I face the putative charge of extremism? Yes I’m a paid-up member of the England Fan Club, so that I can get to the World Cup next year. Yes, I love the England cricket team. Yes, Yorkshire is of course God’s Own Country. But neither the UKIP, the BNP nor Little England attract me. I’m moderately pro-European, in favour of an Anglophone pro-American Europe and a reformed United Nations. I want all my fellow citizens to live harmoniously together. Nothing too extreme or yobbish in that, I hope.
So what now ? Europe is full of independent nations of the same size as Scotland and Wales. I would begrudge neither their independence. The dislike and chippiness displayed by the Scots towards the English is deep-seated, no doubt with good reason. It’s palpable, stronger than ever, and deeply tiresome. The seething resentment in Scotland towards non-Scottish land ownership, at the heart of Scottish nationalism, is an odd phenomenon in 21st-century Europe. Scottish football fans would support Outer Mongolia, certainly Trinidad and Tobago, rather than support England against anyone. I hold nothing against Wales, which seems to have little appetite for independence. A Welsh referendum perhaps? But I ’d love to see Scotland choose independence.
The new sovereign nation north of Hadrian’s Wall could join the EU. It would be welcome to its oil. England would save itself an awful lot of money. We should empower the Scots to take matters into their own hands, and in doing so empower England and the English. Wishful thinking?
The Daily Press have received so many letters about England, devolution and the constant shafting from the British government that they have run a front page story on it.
Next summer, St George's flags will be everywhere when World Cup fever grips England. But while our Celtic cousins might be supporting Trinidad when it takes on Beckham and co, TRISTAN CORK discovered that in reality they have more to celebrate, because the English are about to become Britain's secondclass citizens IT was Labour leader Neil Kinnock who famously warned the nation not to grow old, be ill, young or poor as the Tories maintained their grip on power during the 1980s.
But were he speaking now, the European Union Commissioner would be better warning 21st-century voters not to be English.
Next year, more than ever before, it will pay to be Scottish or Welsh. And the year after that, as the full weight of legislation passed in Cardiff and Edinburgh takes effect, the English will find themselves second-class citizens in Britain.
Whether you're a student, a patient, a pensioner, a schoolchild, a teacher, a taxpayer, an international cyclist, a fisherman or a farmer, the chances are you'd be better off - both financially and physically - if you come from Scotland or Wales, and worse off if you're this side of the Severn Bridge or Hadrian's Wall.
That's the claim of a marginal group in British politics - Campaign for an English Parliament (CEP). But it says that, as the English wake up to the inequalities of life in 21st-century Britain, its call for self-government for DDemocratic deficit England will become a powerful force.
The process to initiate Scottish and Welsh devolution began within months of Tony Blair's 1997 landslide election win.
While the Scots voted with a fair majority for their parliament, only a quarter of Welsh electors backed their assembly and 14 per cent said no.
Since then, Scottish MSPs have grasped power with both hands, raising taxes and subsidies from the UK Government to fund a better life for their citizens.
Welsh Assembly members weren't given the same powers initially, but in 2006 London will hand over greater responsibility, and the Welsh are already using cash from the British Gover nment.
Meanwhile, here in England, people are ruled by a British government - and that is at the heart of the problem, both in terms of a democratic deficit and the extra benefits our Celtic cousins will receive over the English.
For the English have no second tier of rulers. While the decisions on education, health, social care, planning and the elderly in England are made by MPs from England, Scotland, Wales and Ulster, those decisions in Scotland and Wales are largely made solely by the national assemblies.
Perhaps the most stark difference is the situation facing university students, with Scottish MSPs creating a two-tier system the CEP claim is akin to South African apartheid. Scottish students have their tuition fees paid for by the Scottish Government, whether they go to university in Swindon or St Andrews.
But a student from England daring to cross the border to study in Scotland has no such subsidy and has to pay full tuition fees. Not only that, but Scottish students only repay £2,000 of their student loan - English students are saddled with debts of more than £25,000. And to complete the bizarre anti-English system, students from France, Poland or any other EU country attending Scottish universities also have their fees paid for.
The CEP is planning a legal challenge to this system.
The second, most glaring, anomaly comes in a hospital ward example. Take two patients with the same form of blood cancer in neighbouring beds in an English hospital.
The one living in Scotland receives drugs the English patient does not. If the hospital was in Scotland, the situation would still apply. The advantages of not being English vex West MP and proud Scot James Gray, and in a report to the new Tory hierarchy he blames the democratic deficit and comes up with a solution.
"If Scotland andWales want to pay their students' tuition fees then that is fine and I have no problem with that, " said Mr Gray, who this year famously lasted less than a week in a new job as Shadow Scottish Secretary after questioning the power of the Scottish Parliament. His Scottish Conservative colleagues, although a minority in Edinburgh, didn't like that.
"What I do have a problem with is that Scotland can only afford to do that because they are heavily subsidised by English taxpayers. The solution is England only votes on English matters, " he added. "Half of Westminster's time every week should be devoted to England, and only English MPs should vote. It is patently absurd for the Scottish Parliament to pay tuition fees for Scottish students and then for Scottish MPs in Westminster to stop English students enjoying the same privilege.
"It is an unbalanced system that is unsustainable and inevitably there are growing inequalities as a result."
Daily Press File:
PENSIONERS: SCOTLAND
Free care in residential homes Free screening for bowel cancer for people aged 50 to 74 Free bus travel across Scotland Free insulation and central heating programmes
WALES
Free home care for disabled Free bus travel across Wales Free use of swimming pools
ENGLAND
Pensioners pay an increasing amount for personal care in residential homes Free screening for bowel cancer for people aged 60 to 69 Free bus travel only across their local authority area Means-tested insulation and central heating programme Means-tested home care for the disabled
STUDENTS: SCOTLAND Students repay just £2,000 of their loan after graduation Students get tuition fees paid at English and Scottish universities
ENGLAND Students receive no subsidy of £25,000 student debts Students have to pay tuition fees, even at Scottish universities
SCHOOLS: SCOTLAND Teachers receive more pay and work fewer hours Government spends an average of £1 on each school meal
ENGLAND Teachers work longer hours Government spends an average of 37p on school meals
HEALTH: SCOTLAND
No two-tier hospital system Breast cancer drugs fast-tracked Patients routinely screened for malnutrition Specialist blood cancer drugs available Drugs and treatments available only in Scotland are also available to Scottish patients in English hospital beds
WALES
Patients routinely screened for malnutrition Prescription charges cut to £4 Free for under-25s
ENGLAND
Prescription charges only free for under-18s and pensioners
Dental check-ups to cost £12 No screening for malnutrition
TAXPAYERS
UK Government spends per head each year: Scotland, £7,346; Wales, £6,901; Northern Ireland, £7,945; England, £5,940 TOURISM English Tourist Board abolished.
Scottish and Welsh tourism promoted by national tourist boards and UK Tourist Board.
Spending on tourism: Scotland, £3.77 per head; Wales, £4.03 per head; England, 20p per head
SPORT
In the Tour of Britain cycle race, there was a Scottish team, a Welsh team and a British team, but no English team
Gareth at the CEP points us in the direction of Boots' history page.
Source: The England Project
"With cultural and political strength in the devolved assemblies in Parliament in Scotland, we really do need to reinforce the Englishness of the English but in a comprehensive and open way as part of Britishness," Mr Blunkett said.Would someone with a degree in spin and bullshit please explain to me what David Blunkett is trying to say?
Source: BBC News
The Chief Constable of West Mercia Police will continue to oppose the merger of the West Mercia force into a West Midlands superforce.
This year Santa bought me ...
This is my last post for a few days while I take a break for the festive period.
The British government have put forward the Winter Festival Bill in preparation for next years Winter Festival.
Please submit your nominations for the Twat of the Year award using the contact form.
FLAG ROW
ROBIN Brooks's letter (HAS, Dec 20) about Wear Valley Council flying the EU flag is bizarre, to say the least.
His criticism of Neil Herron's campaign to have the English flag, the flag of our country, flown over council buildings instead of the EU flag is something one would expect to hear from the Scottish Raj in Westminster.
The EU is not a territorial entity as Mr Brooks contends - it is a political project.
He asks how the political pressure Neil Herron mentions to fly the flag is different to the pressure he and his fellow campaigners have applied to have the flag removed. The political pressure to fly the flag comes from the British Government whereas the pressure not to comes from ordinary people.
Finally, how has the removal of the EU flag in favour of the English flag advanced Wear Valley's drive to become the best district council in England? How can a council that chooses to fly the flag of a corrupt political project based in Belgium instead of the flag of England possibly claim to be English?
To fly the English flag is an expression of patriotism. To remove it and fly the EU flag in its place is a display of treachery. At least we now know the price of Wear Valley's loyalty - two members on the EU Committee of the Regions. -
Stuart Parr, Telford (Euro-region of the West Midlands)
We should fly the flag of England
I would like to thank Councillor John Smart for his reply to my question “When was the last time your local council did anything to promote St George’s Day?”
I wasn’t aware that Hadley & Leegomery commemorated St George’s Day last year and I thank him for the information.
It is a sad fact that they are, as Councillor Smart said, in the minority.
The three flag poles on top of the Telford & Wrekin Council offices sport a council, British and European flag instead of the flag of England.
It is a shame when public servants decide to promote a corrupt and undemocratic European Union by flying their flag over our public buildings rather than showing some respect and patriotism for our own country.
I wrote to the council asking them to fly the English flag instead of the European flag a while ago and eventually received a rather confusing reply from the chief executive.
He told me that there are three tiers of government in England — local, British and European.
He then went on to counter my argument that spending public money to promote the EU is not lawful (Local Authority Guidelines on Advertising) by claiming that the EU is not political.
Is it possible to be any more political than a government?
To fly the European flag, the council has to spend taxpayers’ money obtaining planning permission because the law says that it is advertising.
The council does not, however, require permission to fly the English flag.
I wonder if Telford & Wrekin Council will have the nerve to defy Labour Party policy and fly the English flag in place of the European one?
Stuart Parr,
Telford
The latest winner of the ever more inaccurately named Twat of the Week award (sorry, I keep forgetting to do it) is ... Charles Clarke.
Charles Clarke gave 43 police forces instructions to submit plans for merging into regional forces.
I noticed my inbox looked a bit light last night so I had a quick shufty at the junk mail folder and found a bunch of them lurking there.
The first legal gay marriage took place at 8am today between two women in Brighton.
An English woman is taking her local health authority to the high court today over its refusal to provide her with the cancer drug Herceptin.
Source: The CEP
I'd like to welcome Grocer Jack to the Witanagemot Club.
Source: BBC News
See Also:
Blues and Two's
Why can't England have a full smoking ban like they are having in Scotland?
See Also:
Not Proud of Britain
Source: Neil Herron
According to the CEP, the Adam Smith Institute is critical of the economic aspect of the asymetrical devolution in the UK.
Worried about the potential fallout from wishing someone a merry christmas or passing on seasons greetings? Worry no more!
I don't very often post good news so I couldn't pass up the opportunity to blog about some fantastic news.
Why are Christmas songs so popular? Let's face it, most of them are just cheesy naffness with a catchy tune. They don't even make sense!
Gareth has done some sterling work with the Witanagemot homepage. It's looking very tiday and professional and even has an aggregator for member blogs.
Last time I checked, we had one of the best education systems in the world and we were turning out some world-class high achievers.
I were a failure in t'11-plus. It were a load of shite where some of the kids did alright an' some of 'em were bloody useless. Tony's plans are fit for nowt but wipin' me fat arse. Pass the vol-au-vents love.A Downing Street press officer later released a formal version ...
Since I was an 11-plus failure, since I do believe that produced a 'first-class/second-class' education system, I fear this is a framework that may do the same. I'm somewhat critical of it.
See Also:
English Democrats
What could you do with £281? Buy extra Christmas presents? Pay off your credit card bill? Take the ball and chain away for a dirty weekend?
404 Parliament not Found.
Yellow Swordfish has posted up the latest of his very funny Dear Tony letters.
I've added Tesco to the Anti-English Hit List at the request of Christopher Reeves (I don't think it was Superman).
I don't support the campaign to abolish the BBC although I would like to see them lose most, if not all, of the licence fee and take in money from advertising.
The LA Times have a Travel article about Edinburgh and the Scottish Parliament.
Hi,
Your article on Edinburgh and the Scottish Parliament is inaccurate. Substantially so in fact.
The Act of Union 1707 did not bring Scotland under English rule. It abolished both the English and Scottish Parliaments and created a British Parliament with representatives from both countries (and Wales). It did not, in any way, make Scotland English.
The Act of Union 1707 was not a hostile piece of legislation. It was passed in a rather underhand way in Scotland but that was the fault of the Scots, it was their country and their sovereign government. The Scots didn't do too badly out of it - before the Act of Union 1707 the country was bankrupt with massive national debts. The debts were paid by England and a large sum of money was given to Scotland for distribution to the needy. Once again, the Scots in power screwed their people over and stole the money. Again, this is the fault of the Scots and not the English.
Also, the Scottish Parliament was not the first parliament in the British Isles. The Tynwald is the parliament of the Isle of Man and is the oldest parliament in the world.
Finally, Tony Bliar (intentional typo) did not promise a parliament to Scotland - it was promised by his predecesor, John Smith. There was opposition in the top ranks of the Labour Party to devolution but it got pushed through because Tony Bliar is Scottish (born in Edinburgh).
I'm sure the t-shirts you saw were lovely. I have my own on sale - "England: Sponsoring Scotland since 1707".
Word on the street (well, BBC News anyway) is that Traitor Blair has offered up £1bn of (mostly English) taxpayers money to get a deal on the EU budget.
A group called Scottish Tories have singed a contact with Scotland. Bit of a publicity stunt I think.
From Toque ...
Good King Tony he looked out on the Feast of Stephen,
When the snow lay round about, deep and crisp and even.
Brightly shone the moon that night, though the frost was cruel,
When an English pensioner came in sight, gathering winter fuel.
“Hither, Gordon, and stand by me, if you know it, telling,
Yonder peasant, who is he? Where and what his dwelling?”
“Sire, he is an Sassenach, living here in England,
They do not get the benefits that we bestow on Scotland.”
“Bring me haggis and bring me scotch, bring me pine logs hither,
You and I will now dine, it's long since we were t'gither.”
Tony and Gordon, drank and ate, scheme and plot thickened,
Their evil designs for Eng-er-land, at a pace they quickened.
“Sire, the English are resurgent now, and West Lothian stronger,
Fails my heart, I know not how; I can go no longer.”
“Follow my lead, my good Gordon, you simply should ignore them,
You should not let English rage bother your decorum.”
And in Tony's footsteps he will tread, doing as Tony has hinted;
Prejudiciously spending every note that Eng-er-land has minted.
So my fellow English men, be sure, wealth or rank possessing,
That with your ballot slip this time, a Scot you will not be a blessing.
The New Local Government Network has released its recommendations for the reorgansiation of local government based on its City Regions Commission, the report includes a call for government to pass greater power and strategic responsibilities to new local authority alliances, based on England's city regions.
Source: BBC News
I wrote to David Wright MP (Telford) and asked him to confirm that he would not be supporting the new Welsh Government Bill which will give more power to Wales and prevent English MP's from interfering in more Welsh matters.
What would we do without the Scotsman? The English national newspapers (not that they ever call themselves English) would never publish a story exposing the criminal amount of money diverted from English taxes to Scotland but the Scotsman is quite happy to do so.
Nope, it's not a foreign swear word, it's the name of a company that prints Decoupage sets for card making.
Tim over at An Englishman's Castle has done some more digging and found that the Valuation Office can prosecute you for obstructing them.
A local councillor has replied to one of my recent letters in the Shropshire Star.
Patriotic authority
Stuart Parr asks "When was the last time your local council did anything to promote St George’s Day?" (Starmail, December 7).
Could I point out that Hadley & Leegomery Parish Council put up display bunting on that day and flew the flag of St George at its offices in Hadley.
Since taking control of the parish council from the Labour Party at the last election, the Residents’ Association, along with some independents, resolved to erect a flag pole outside its offices in Hadley and has since flown the Union Flag permanently except for April 23, when the Cross of St George is flown.
I realise we are in the minority.
Cllr John Smart
Hadley
L'Ombre de l'Olivier has a funny modern-day take on the story of Nelson.
Thanks to An Englishman's Castle for clearing up the confusion over whether Valuation Officers have the right to fine you for refusing them entry to your home.
Another edumacated Welsh blogger complaining about English imperialism and the English overlords.
Source: Waking Hereward
Gareth at the CEP has corrected one of Gordon Brown's press releases.
The CEP would like to know if you think devolution has strengthened the UK.
Snafu over at Not Proud of Britain points us to a BBC News article about the penalty for refusing entry to a Valuation Officer.
Source: The Telegraph & An Englishman's Castle
Children should be protected from "terrifying" Father Christmas, shielded from "alarming" pantomimes and encouraged not to send wasteful Christmas cards, a Government website has advised teachers.
When arranging Christmas parties in schools, teachers should also avoid arranging games of a competitive nature so that no child feels they have "underperformed", the website said.
Parents' groups said yesterday that if schools followed the advice then children would experience a pale imitation of Christmas.
The advice, on the Teachernet website developed by the Department of Education as a resource for teachers, covered all aspects of arranging a festive party in school.
It said: "For very young children, Father Christmas can be terrifying, and if you are planning a visit from Santa, you'll need to make sure that fearful children are near an exit. Trips to the pantomime can cause alarm, so the same planning applies."
In separate advice on Christmas giving, teachers are told that children should be discouraged from sending Christmas cards to fellow pupils because they are a waste of paper.
"If you have access to the internet then why not try sending electronic Christmas cards?" the advice read.
Children should give their families "experience" presents, like breakfast in bed, as opposed to wrapped presents. "These gifts can appear much more personal, as they have far more meaning and don't come surrounded by useless packaging," it said.
The advice suggested that head teachers hold school assemblies, called "The aftermath of Christmas", in which children act out opening presents and advent calendars and then throw the packaging on the floor to highlight the waste of paper at Christmas.
The site also suggested a list of non-competitive games to replace traditional games like pass-the-parcel, which it said can cause "anxieties" in the children who do not win.
"If you do have games with winners, make sure that all children are given an opportunity to succeed where possible," the advice read.
Margaret Morrissey, from the National Confederation of Parent Teacher Associations, condemned the advice.
"It is so sad that we have become so politically correct that we are trying to remove the magic of Christmas," she said. "For the majority of young children Christmas is magical. I think it is wicked if schools should try to deprive children of that."
A spokesman for the Department of Education, which hosts the website but says it is not responsible for its content, said yesterday: "We fully support the traditional British Christmas.
"This is not Government policy and was not produced by the department as the disclaimer on the site makes clear. We have withdrawn it as it does not reflect our views."
Source: icWales & CEP
Welsh stars such as Man United winger Ryan Giggs, rugby player Colin Charvis, soccer boss John Toshack and rugby coach Mike Ruddock are backing the Kick Racism Out scheme, which will attempt, among other things, to wipe out the tradition of whistling England's national anthem in sporting fixtures.
The CEP reports that an English man is denied a cancer treatment that is available in every other country in the UK and Europe.
The Commonwealth Games Council for England has decided on the anthem for England during the games.
The Scottish NHS is suffering from a major funding shortfall and is expected to end the financial year with a deficit of £183m.
Source: BBC News
The tyrant Mugabe is clamping down on that pesky democracy again.
I wasn't going to blog about this because I didn't really think it was such a big issue.
Source: Not Proud of Britain
Clarke has contempt for public
I wonder if Home Secretary Charles Clarke knows of a different definition of democracy to the rest of us?
He instructed West Mercia Police to draw up plans for a merger with West Midlands Police without consulting the public or the police forces involved.
When faced with the fact that 88 per cent of people in Weat Mercia are opposed to the merger of the police forces, you would imagine that the plans would be scrapped. This is a democracy after all.
But no, rather than remembering that his job is to serve the people, the Home Secretary said he would wait until he received the results of the police consultation "before deciding how to proceed".
I understand that this is a major blow to the Government's drive to firmly establish regionalisation in England, but how can the Home Secretary even contemplate going ahead with the merger when 88 per cent of the people in West Mercia are opposed to it?
This just shows the utter contempt our so-called elected representatives have for the people they are elected to serve and for the democracy that this country was once so famous for.
Stuart Parr
Telford
England's world cup group has been drawn and we've struck lucky. We've drawn Trinidad & Tobago, Sweden and Paraguay.
Snafu makes a very good point on the Government of Wales Bill - why should an English MP give up their right to interfere in Welsh politics when they won't do the same for England?
Trustees of the George Orwell estate yesterday announced that they intend to sue the British government over copyright breeches relating to the George Orwell novel '1984', a novel about a futuristic police state.
The Democracy Movement is inviting concerned citizens to take part in their virtual march on 10 Downing Street over Traitor Blair's efforts to give away the rebate.
The stage school that one of my kids goes to have recorded the AFC Telford United anthem and have been selling the single through Virgin Megastore in Telford.
I had to read this a few times to make sure I hadn't misunderstood it.
Rhodri and I and Welsh Labour are not in the business of calling referendums we are going to lose.
Source: BBC News
Police have made the first successful prosecution of a citizen for protesting within 1km of the British parliament.
Source: CEP
Why can’t we have a special day for saint?
Earlier this year a pub landlord in Norfolk applied for a late licence to allow his regulars to celebrate St George’s Day. For the second time in two years he was refused a late licence on the grounds that it is not a special day in England.
When he made his first application two years ago, he was told to come back this year with evidence that St George’s Day is a special occasion. So he did.
He turned up at the magistrates court with a large group of supporters, hundreds of letters and assorted reporters and TV crews.
The magistrate still said no, so he appealed to the High Court. A High Court judge refused the appeal on the grounds that he was also of the opinion that St George’s Day is not a special day and the magistrate was right to refuse the late licence.
One of the reasons given for it not being a special day was the lack of national celebrations like those seen on St Patrick’s Day.
Ask yourself this: When was the last time your local council or the Government did anything to promote St George’s Day?
They are happy to hold festivals for Diwali, Eid, St Patrick’s Day, Chinese New Year — anything except St George’s Day.
Anything, as long as the English are denied the right to celebrate their culture, history or nationality.
What are they so afraid of? Why do the Government go out of their way to offend 50 million people?
Perhaps David Wright MP can explain why his party is intent on denying the English their national identity whilst spending billions on ensuring the rest of the UK can promote theirs?
When I asked him why he was opposed to an English parliament when it was plainly obvious that England was being discriminated against he simply refused to answer me and any subsequent correspondence from me doesn’t even prompt an acknowledgement.
Stuart Parr
Telford
Join battle for English parliament
Leaked reports suggest that the Scottish-led UK Government is now looking to abolish the 1000-year-old English shires.
This is yet another deliberate attempt by the anti-English, Scottish-controlled Labour Party to erase England, its history and its people from the map.
They will say it is only reform of local government but unless they are stopped we will soon merely be West Midlanders run by an unelected regional assembly operating out of Birmingham.
The Campaign for an English Parliament is trying to get fair treatment for England, with a parliament along the lines already given to Scotland.
Because the English are so easy going, the majority of the people in England are unlikely to do anything to save their country — they’ll wait till it happens and then moan.
Edward Higginbottom
Shropshire Branch of the Campaign for an English Parliament
Shrewsbury
Tricky choice this week, so many twats and so little time.
West Mercia Police have been running a survey on their website to find out what people want to happen to West Mercia Police.
Situation unfair for pensioners
The recent cold snap and the threatened had winter has highlighted the dangers to the elderly, in particular, many of whom still live in poorly heated homes.
For those pensioners living in Scotland they are, of course, better off. The Scottish Parliament is providing them with free installation of central heating. This is possible because the taxpayers in England generously subsidise Scotland to the tune of £8 billion per year.
That equates to more than £1,300 extra per person being spent on everybody in Scotland compared to those in England.
The Scottish-led UK Parliament sees nothing wrong in this invidious situation.
Isn't it time England was treated equally with Scotland instead of like a third class citizen within the United Kingdom and given its own Parliament?
The Campaign for an English Parliament is trying to do just that. Help us fight the injustice by joining us today
Edward Higginbottom
Co-ordinator, Shropshire Branch of the Campaign for an English Parliament
Shrewsbury
Remember, "we have to be understanding" ...
Girl sent home for wearing a crucifix
A school has defended its decision to exclude a pupil after she refused to take off her crucifix necklace.
Sam Morris, 16, was told to remove her cross and chain on Thursday by deputy headteacher Howard Jones at Sinfin Community School in Derby.
When theyear-11 student refused she was told not to return until today and without the item of jewellery.
The 1,070-student comprehensive has a strict policy which bans most jewellery being worn.
Items can be worn out of view or if they are part of religious beliefs, such as the Kara, a bracelet worn by Sikhs.
But the policy has been described as "unfair" by Sam's mother, Debra Saunders.
Mr Jones said her daughter's one-day exclusion had been a "last resort" after a 30-minute conversation failed to persuade her to take it off.
Mr Jones said the strict jewellery policy was to avoid accidents. He added: "As a Christian I don't have to wear a crucifix but Sikhs don't have that option and we have to be understanding."
Mrs Saundera, of Thackeray Street, Sinfin, said: "Sam thinks it is very unfair when other people are allowed to wear religious symbols and it just ends up creating a divide between the pupils when everyone is told they should be living in unity."
Another public figure has decided that the English flag is racist.
A WAR of words has broken out between soccer club bosses after a fan unfurled a St Georges flag with the words "Born in England Live in England Die in England ."
Brentford manager Martin Allen said he felt the words on the flag were racially offensive.
He spoke out after his side's FA cup match against Oldham Athletic at Boundary Park . Two weeks ago the same flag was flown when Oldham played Brentford in a league match at Griffin Park and police ordered it be taken down.
The flag has now been banned from the ground while an investigation takes place.
Mr Allen explained the London club has a number of black players in the squad who took great offence at the message.
Complaint
He said: "Sadly, very sadly, that flag has racist undertones and we made a complaint about it then.
"Although it was removed it came back out again near the end of the game and nothing was done about it.
"It made it a difficult afternoon.
"If we see it again at our ground I will find the person responsible and burn it in front of him.
"There is no room for it in society or in football."
Following its reappearance in Oldham he complained to club officials who promised to look into the situation.
But Oldham manager Ronnie Moore, said: "How can that be racist? Maybe if it was being flown at a match in Wales or Scotland it could be considered racist but I can't see how that it is racist here - I don't know what he's going on about.
"We have foreign and black players on our team and none of them said anything or complained to me."
A spokesman from the Commission for Racial Equality, said: "Flying the St Georges flag is not viewed as racist, but racism in football and racist comments directed against players and fans should not be tolerated."
Should this St George's flag be burned to combat racism? Have your say.
See also:
Campaign for an English Parliament
Not Proud of Britain
Chris over at Telford Live has just posted this.
"One in five children age 7-10 who regularly use the Internet have received a sexual solicitation while online. One in four were unwillingly exposed to images of naked people or people having sex" according to The National Centre for Missing and Exploited Children.
Anyway we've [Bespoke Computing] come to an arrangement with the vendor of some software aimed and protecting kids online. Here's the deal:
Parents buy a copy of MadeSafe Child from a dedicated website at the recommended retail price of £29.99 - link here.
When you order, you nominate the school your child goes to. We'll then give £6 towards the IT spend of that school.
Source: BBC News
Remember my run-in with Books Direct not long ago?
Helen Cannam has written an article for "This is the North East".
We should be proud to fly the EU flag
by Helen Cannam
SO the European Union is a "political project"? At least, that's the view of the people who oppose Wear Valley District Council's right to fly the EU flag outside the Civic Centre in Crook.
Well, yes, it probably is. In the same sort of way as the union of Scotland, Wales, England and Northern Ireland is a "political project", if a rather older one.
They were both set up as a means of pooling the interests of a collection of disparate nations which (in spite of mutual suspicion and many causes of disagreement) yet had many things in common. They both involve sharing sovereignty in the interests of a greater good. They are both ways of giving a stronger voice to smaller nations than any of them would have on their own. And we are after all (like it or not) an integral part of both projects. Shouldn't we then be doing our best to make a success of them?
There's a lot wrong with the way the EU's run. Even the most passionate European would have to admit that. But in my view that's a reason for reforming it and making it work better, rather than turning up our noses and saying we'll have nothing to do with it.
Many years ago we spent a family holiday in a cottage in a village in Alsace in north-east France. The lady who owned the house had lived in that pretty village all her life. When she was born, it was in France. In her girlhood, it was annexed by Germany. Suddenly, they were all made to speak German, to behave as if they'd never been French. Then the war ended and the village became French again.
That lady was the most passionate pro-European I've ever come across. She'd had more than enough of war, of disputes about what land belonged to whom. She just wanted to be allowed to live her life in peace. It was there, in that region of ever-changing borders, that the whole European project made real sense.
We've lately been remembering the dead of two World Wars. We think of the waste of young lives, the terrible suffering, the cruel things that were done, in the names of other nations and (sometimes) of our own.
And most of these things happened in the heart of Europe between the nations of Europe.
No European Project is going to wipe out all our differences. The French will always be French, the Germans, German. We will always be British; just as within the United Kingdom the Scots will always be Scottish, the Welsh, Welsh - and the people of the North-East, North-Easterners, shouting loudly for their region.
But surely it's better that our representatives should sit round a table, however tediously, however unproductively, and try to solve our problems by talking, rather than shouting from the sidelines with a stockpile of weapons at their elbows? Surely in these days of a global economy, global terrorism, global warming, it's a good thing that we work together to give a stronger voice to our nations than we would ever have working alone?
So I like to see the EU flag flying from our flagpoles. It speaks to me of friendship, or working together, of trying to make a better world. We're nowhere near achieving it yet. But it's a hope worth striving for.
The French will always be French, the Germans, German. We will always be British; just as within the United Kingdom the Scots will always be Scottish, the Welsh, Welsh - and the people of the North-East, North-Easterners, shouting loudly for their region.... no mention of the English I see. And what's this about people of the North East being North-Easterners and shouting loudly for their region?
Scientists at the Gordon Brown Institute for Financial Mismanagement have discovered a new strain of the Tax virus and are planning to release it into the water supply unless their demands of utter and abject grovelling subjection of the English nation are met.
Traitor Blair has explained why we have to give up part of the EU rebate.
As if there weren't enough reasons for Traitor Blair to resign, Anoneumouse has found yet another one.
it is of paramount importance that Ministers give accurate and truthful information to Parliament, correcting any inadvertent error at the earliest opportunity. Ministers who knowingly mislead Parliament will be expected to offer their resignation to the Prime Minister;Last time I checked, the Prime Minister was a Minister of the Crown and it's pretty clear that he lied to Parliament. So, when can we expect to see his resignation?
The CEP reports that according to the Telegraph, Labour bigot Terry White has resigned.
Source: BBC News
I first heard this a few years ago and I still laugh every time I hear it.
Yes, I know I'm obsessed with stats but I just can't get over how many visits I'm getting.
Two men have been convicted and jailed for the racist murder of Anthony Walker, a black school kid.
Rumours abound that Labour bigot Terry White has been sacked.
Traitor Blair is prepared to reduce the UK's EU rebate by up to half to make sure the new 7 year budget is agreed upon before Britain passes on the EU presidency.
The Sun followed up on yesterday's story by hoisting a huge Cross of St George opposite Labour Party offices.
I had an email earlier on today and unfortunately I am unable to get at it at the moment because there is a problem with my host's mail server.
L'Ombre de l'Olivier has posted up the 5th edition of the Witanagemot blog roundup.