may 10th 2002 - the sun

Here's a great article I thought I'd better share in full with you - another 2 hour stint at the keyboard. Littlejohn gives his summary to the government's plans for regional devolution. It's nice to see someone in the main stream media with the guts to say it. Anyway here's the article. Nice one Richard.

Carved-up, stitched-up… Labours plan for England

Its difficult to take seriously a promise of "joined up" government from a man who can't manage joined up sentences. By getting Two Jags to announce plans for regional assemblies in England, Blair obviously thought he was making us an offer we couldn't understand. Because, for all the nonsense about extending democracy and accountability, the new bureaucracies are not what they seem.

As I pointed out on Tuesday, they are specifically designed to break up England into administrative units in preparation for our absorption into a federal Europe. The regional assemblies correspond exactly with a map drawn up by Brussels for the government of a fully integrated European Union.

Stage one was devolution in Scotland, Northern Island and Wales. This is stage two. Stage three is the abolition of the English counties. Stage four is the abolition of England. To draw parallels with what has happened in Scotland and Wales is deliberately misleading.

These were countries with their own cultures and own identities being handed back limited powers. If Labour was sincere it would have established an English Parliament at the same time. But Labour hates England and the English. While pandering to Scottish nationalism, Welsh nationalism and blood stained Irish nationalism; Labour has ruthlessly set about eradicating English identity and undermining our institutions and traditions.

The English are caricatured as a bunch of wicked, backward racists in speeches by ministers and supporting editorials in the fascist Left press. Instead of bringing communities together, multi-culturalism has been used as a battering ram to drive wedges between us.

When David Blunkett sensibly suggested that all immigrants learn to speak English and floated the idea of an American-style pledge of allegiance for new citizens he was howled down by the Guardianistas as if he had made the Nuremburg Address. But then Blunkett is a rare animal among Labour politicians in that he is prepared to challenge the orthodoxy. Most of them are careerists prepared to go along with the whole agenda.

Top of that agenda is a policy of divide and rule intended to fragment widespread English resistance to the ultimate goal of full European integration and scrapping the pound in favour of the euro. Splitting the nation into artificial regions is all part of the game. It's about the Balkanisation of Britain. Not so much joined up, as broken up government.

Hostility towards England and the whole idea of Great Britain has increased north of the border since devolution. Now Labour plans to whip up hatred of London to persuade Geordies, Scousers and Brummies to cut the ties that bind. Next up will be generous bribes (sorry, regional development grants) from Brussels, priced in euros, natch.

The aim is to convince people living in the regions that they don't need Westminster, they don't need England and they don't need the Pound because their future lies in a brave new Europe. It's not being sold like that, of course, You'll hear a lot of guff about accountability, bringing decision-making closer to the people, strong regional identity. Oh yes and joined up government.

It's nothing of the sort, unless you count the real aim of these plans - getting us joined up to the euro and a country called Europe.

WATE's comment: Labour started devolution without thinking it through. While devolution remains incomplete, we the English are left swinging in the wind. I for one am not prepared to be fobbed off with regional government which is an insult to our intelligence when Blair simply cannot be straight about his intentions.

I heard someone from the Campaign for the Regions (whoever they are) being interviewed the other day saying that the people of the North East have totally different issues affecting their lives compared to the people of the South East. Rubbish; the working class people of Newcastle have exactly the same concerns as the working class people of London - education, health and housing, none of which will be improved by regional assemblies.

Only an English Parliament can properly address these issues. These assemblies will only ensure that we are unable to speak with one voice and unable serve the best interests of the people of England. We do not want to be tossed the scraps left over from the rest of the UK and have to fight amongst ourselves for the tastiest bits.