13 January 2009
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England is a nation within the United Kingdom. The Union comprises England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. The Government believes that the Union benefits all parts of the United Kingdom. Within the framework of the Union, devolution allows different policies to develop in different parts of the UK, meeting the democratically expressed preferences of the people, adapting to specific circumstances and issues, and allowing public services to meet needs more effectively. All parts of the United Kingdom benefit from a strong economy and share critical common interests, in respect of national integrity and security, in facing global challenges which are played out on an international stage. People in the UK share common citizenship rights, which express in political, legal and social terms what it means to be from the UK. The rights and freedoms that are associated with our citizenship, expectations of mutual support and solidarity, and common institutions and cultural ties, bind us together and continue to unite us. The Government believes that we are stronger together, and weaker apart.
Compared to his predecessor's description of Scotland as a "proud historic nation" this isn't exactly a ringing endorsement. It seems like England is merely a sort of sub-nation. But it is perhaps worth fisking the damn thing sentence by sentence:England is a nation within the United Kingdom.
In other words as I said above, a sub nation. Indeed what with the EU having national tendencies this seems to make England more of a sub-sub-nation. Let it be noted for the record that the capital of the UK is also the capital of England. This is not a coincidence.The Union comprises England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
So? What has this statement of the obvious got to do with anything?The Government believes that the Union benefits all parts of the United Kingdom.
And this may well be true. But I'm pretty sure that some parts benefit more than others.Within the framework of the Union, devolution allows different policies to develop in different parts of the UK, meeting the democratically expressed preferences of the people, adapting to specific circumstances and issues, and allowing public services to meet needs more effectively.
Now we get to the weasel bit. There has never been a way for the English to democratically express a preference for devolution. Ever. And if "devolution allows ... public services to meet needs more effectively" how come there sin't any for England? Just asking.All parts of the United Kingdom benefit from a strong economy and share critical common interests, in respect of national integrity and security, in facing global challenges which are played out on an international stage.
More statement of the bleeding obvious. Note that even though "all parts ... share critical common interests" they may also have other equally critical different interests e.g. when facing local challenges played out on a national stage.People in the UK share common citizenship rights, which express in political, legal and social terms what it means to be from the UK.
Another line which is somewhat economical with the actualité. One common citizenship right is the right to vote. It is true that throughout the UK citizens may vote for local councilors, MPs and MEPs. However in Wales they also have the chance to vote for Assembly Members, in Scotland for MSPs and in N Ireland for MLAs. Only in England do we not have a chance to vote for representatives to a "sub-nation" assembly or parliament. And note that while referenda were held in Wales and Scotland to see if people wanted such a beast no such option was given to the English.The rights and freedoms that are associated with our citizenship, expectations of mutual support and solidarity, and common institutions and cultural ties, bind us together and continue to unite us.
That's nice. Our common institutions bind us together. So therefore by implication the institutions that are non common - e.g. the Welsh & N Irish Assemblies and the Scotch Parliament do not bind us together. If we want the UK to be bound together perhaps we should remove these bodies then?The Government believes that we are stronger together, and weaker apart.
And finally a lovely duck-billed platitude to round this off. No mention of motherhood, apple pie or the union jack but equally meaningless.