English Parliament

According to the Encyclopedia Britannica - see here https://www.britannica.com/place/England - "Outside the British Isles, England is often erroneously considered synonymous with the island of Great Britain (England, Scotland, and Wales) and even with the entire United Kingdom. Despite the political, economic, and cultural legacy that has secured the perpetuation of its name, England no longer officially exists as a governmental or political unit—unlike Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland, which all have varying degrees of self-government in domestic affairs. It is rare for institutions to operate for England alone."

We are the only country in the United Kingdom that doesn't have a devolved administration to handle affairs solely our own, and the system we currently have, English Votes on English Laws (or EVEL) will not answer the English Question for the following reasons.

1. It is a procedural device, without the force of legislation, which can be reversed at any time.

2. The votes of English MPs can still be overturned as seen when English voting for extended Sunday trading was overturned by the votes of Scottish MPs in the Westminster Parliament.

3. It does not restrict the ability of a government at Westminster to appoint Ministers for English affairs from other countries of the UK

4. A British Government still proposes English laws and revised and scrutinised by a House of Lords, containing members from across the UK, whereas the laws passed by the devolved administrations are not subject to scrutiny by the Upper House.

5. There is no committee devoted to English affairs, and membership of select committees for English matters include members of the SNP, who can influence decisions on policy for England

6. It does not address the lack of representation of England per se either within the UK or internationally as in the EU or the British/Irish Council.

The reasons as to why we need our parliament are vast and necessary.

We need an English Parliament to rebalance the Union.

We need an English Parliament to ensure the future existence of England( to prevent destruction by regionalism/localism).

We need an English Parliament to ensure an equal voice in Westminster (No Secretary of State for England, no representation to the British government).

We need an English Parliament to ensure an equal voice internationally in the European Union and the British/Irish Council.

We need an English Parliament to ensure all citizens of the UK have equal representation and enfranchisement (separate elections).

We need an English Parliament to represent us when laws are imposed upon us by the Scottish Parliament (Legislation by the SP on the river Till, a tributary of the River Tweed, but wholly in England.

We need an English Parliament to ensure the accountability of MPs responsible for English affairs (West Lothian Question).

We need an English Parliament to assure equality of funding (Barnett formula).

We need an English Parliament to guarantee equitable taxation (Taxes imposed on England only by regulation such as parking taxes and bin taxes).

We need an English Parliament to allow us to control our assets (British government selling off English woodlands, bridges and other assets in England).

We need an English Parliament to deliver government for England that is appropriate for England and of equal value to that of the rest of the UK in Education, Welfare, Health, Transport and Economic Development.

We need an English Parliament to support and protect English culture (there is no British Department dedicated to supporting English Culture or Heritage).

We need an English Parliament to prevent the submersion of England into Britain and to separate an English identity from a British identity.

We need an English Parliament to avoid conflict and to discourage discrimination on the grounds of nationhood.

We need an English Parliament because all polls show the people of England want self-government.

We need an English Parliament because other proposals for England’s future do not answer all the questions arising from the current imbalance.