English Parliament?

Robin Tillbrook, leader of the English Democrats, has appeared on Iain Dale's Diary as a guestblog. In his piece he calls for an English Parliament and states that the only way to redress the devolution problem is to give England a parliament similar to that of the Scots.

Fair dos you might say. If the Scots and Welsh have it, why shouldn't the English?

Well, to be honest, I don't think that's an important question. The real question that needs to be asked is, 'Do we want a United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland?'

So far, devolution has weakened the Union, it has allowed a nationalist party to govern Scotland and it has provoked English nationalism. Is that good for the Union?

Evidently, not! So what would further devolution achieve apart from destroying the Union? A sense of pride and satisfaction for English Nationalists, SNP and Plaid Cymru perhaps.

In my opinion, giving England a parliament and extending the powers of Holyrood is a simplistic and indeed dangerous approach to healing the wound of devolution. Instead, tough and robust action is needed.

What action do I propose? The scrapping of the Scottish Parliament and the Welsh Assembly. Some people would say that's impossible. I say difficult.

This Union, which united has achieved so much, is at the brink of death. Nationalism will only serve to say its last rites. Instead of pathetic ideas such as Ken Clarke's, the Conservative and Unionist Party should live up to its name and act swiftly when in government to keep the Union together. That is their duty.

(Posted on Tom Hatton blog by Tom Hatton)