A WEEK or so ago we published an article Building Our Media Infrastructure which noted that the National Liberal Party has several key strategies. Our article – http://nationalliberal.org/building-our-media-infrastructure – looked at one of these objectives: building the infrastructure of an alternative mass media of news, information and entertainment.
We know that all of our publications generate enthusiasm and a positive response. However, we want to build a much larger audience for our media – therefore, we announced that we’d be featuring the lead articles from each of our publications to date. The idea is that when these articles appear, NLP members and supporters would viral them out via social media.
We also stated that (although the articles will be dated to some extent) we’d appreciate any comments, observations or suggestions – good bad or indifferent.
As we’re rapidly approaching St. George’s Day we thought that it would be appropriate to kick off with the lead article from issue 1 of English Voice. This is voice of the NLP in England.
We’re aware of two reviews of EV1 here http://nationalliberal.org/review-of-english-voice and here http://countercultureuk.com/tag/national-liberal-party/ However, we’d like to hear from any other folks who’d be willing to produce a review of it or who’d be able to produce articles for future issues. Similarly, we want to hear from anyone who can suggest subjects for future EV e-posters. Our first one was produced in support of the NHS – http://nationalliberal.org/english-voice-says-defend-the-nhs – but what else should EV be highlighting?
To submit your ideas, simply e-mail us natliberal@aol.com or look out for this article on the National Liberals Facebook site https://www.facebook.com/groups/52739504313/?fref=nf and have your say in the comments section.
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Devo-Max For The English!
To get your FREE pdf copy of issue 1 of English Voice simply e-mail natliberal@aol.com
DISCRIMINATION! That’s the only way to describe the way the Westminster establishment treats England and the English people.
One of the main reasons England is discriminated against is because every other nation in Britain has some form of self-government. But England has none!
The Scottish Parliament sits at Holyrood, Ulster has Stormont and the Welsh have the National Assembly for Wales. The only people who don’t have a say in the running of their own country are the English!
The English are also discriminated against in Westminster itself!
This discrimination takes the form of the West Lothian Question. Here, Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish MPs at Westminster can vote on policies that only affect England. Additionally, if non-English MPs become UK ministers they can push through controversial England-only measures, even as their devolved government rejects them.
This is an absolute outrage. It’s also blatant discrimination. The English are not asking to be treated differently – we just want to have the same democratic rights they do in Scotland, Ulster and Wales.
That’s why the National Liberal Party supports the idea of Devo-Max for the English.
Devo-Max is a form of ‘unity through diversity’. It acknowledges the various ties – historical, social, economic and family – between the different nations of Britain. Yet it allows each nation the freedom to run its own affairs. For instance, under Devo-Max, the English will be able to establish a parliament and government for England. This will have the power to raise and spend its own money.
Never again will the English be discriminated against via the Barnett Formula. This is a mechanism used by Her Majesty’s Treasury to automatically adjust the amounts of public expenditure allocated to Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales, to reflect changes in spending levels allocated to public services in England, or Great Britain.
In layman’s terms the Barnett Formula ensures that England gets a raw deal when it comes to the money spent on public services.
The National Liberal Party’s idea of Devo-Max means that Westminster will only look after ‘UK wide’ services like defence and foreign affairs. Devo-Max also means that we can redress the balance in the UK and in doing so transform Britain into a federation of free and equal nations.
The English are not asking to be treated as a special case. All we’re asking for is to be treated the same as the rest of Britain – in fact it’s looking likely that people will actually be able to vote for Devo-Max in the forthcoming Scottish referendum. That’s why English Voice says:
Devo-Max for the English!
