Devolution is a one way street and Scotland's Tories are pressing on the accelerator

Its true that having spending power without responsibility for raising the money is a recipe for left wing adolescent ( the Scottish and Welsh devolution experiments prove this point overwhelmingly ).

But it is also a political fact of life that devolution is the road to separation. The more devolution you have ( the more 'powers') the less of a Union you have. Like the European Union - powers only ever transfer in one direction.

Between the EU and the anti-English devolution settlement created by Blair and the deeply sectarian anti-English Labour party to slowly but surely dissolve the UK whilst preventing England ever having national political identity.

Who knows if the Scottish Tories had this sacrifice more of the Union for votes idea themselves or were told to read it out to help David Cameron and George Osborne's political careers last a little longer. What we can be sure of is that no one who cares about the UK was involved in the process.

Let us not forget that Tax varying powers already exist in the devolved powers. They haven't been used for two good reasons;

1) it would be hellishly difficult and expensive to administer;
2) given that Scotland receives extra bribe money from English tax payers by way of spending that's denied people of equal need in the English part of the United kingdom how would anyone tell if Scotland was really paying for more Socialist failure schemes or just bleeding the needy of England a little bit more ?

This is just another bodge on the road to separation by a political party that once campaigned to save the Union.

All the Conservative party seems to be about these days is a few individuals with a high sense of entitlement's political careers.

PS If you don't believe me just look at the spin that's already been put out to argue that Cameron shouldn't have to resign if he loses Scotland ...

Appeasement just makes the beast hungry

You'd think this message would have been burnt into the minds of our politicians.

Its one of the earliest lessons of English history. Paying the Danegeld just gets you more Danes with menaces back in a few years.

Sacrificing Czechoslovakia doesn't buy peace, it guarantees war.

For a while the democracies learnt this lesson and Lady Thatcher and President Regan faced down the evil empire of socialism and freed half of Europe.

But with Scottish separatism the lesson was forgotten.

The SNP aren't to blame here - though the swamp of Scottish nationalism has some unpleasant undercurrents, creatures, pools of Anglophobia and views in it.

It was Labour and the Lib Dems who thought playing with the Union would let them get back at Thatcher. So for narrow partisan advantage they played up to the separatism and broke the Union with the rabidly anti-English devolution betrayal of the Union. ( Yes it was Labour that brought this to pass - but the Lib Dems where key partners in crime here ). They thought they could rule Scotland for ever and that appeasing the nationalist beast would stop it in its tracks.

How misguided they were. ( Though lets face it since Labour has been wrong about almost every major decision in politics its not a surprise ).

Now a SNP Scottish Executive ( which the government lacks the guts to call it its legal name ) plays up on grievances, and plans an emotional referendum and Westminster has suddenly realised perhaps they could lose it. ( Though of course no one is offering Scotland independence, but really Greek style rule from Brussels ).

Appeasement has been a disaster - again.

But also the mold of the UK has been broken. As I have said on other forums before only a federal UK can be stable and that requires an English Parliament that contains an English Executive.

Nothing else can prevent the inevitable break up of the UK under the unjust partisan botched job that Labour created when they started the break up of the Union with devolution.

Though perhaps the break up of the UK and its hated citizens with their conservative values was Labour and Lib Dems idea all along, to deliver the home nations in bite sized chunks to the EU.

How to spend England's money in Wales

A bit busy this week, but here's a diverting suggestion. If you happen not to live in Wales, but you do pay taxes then this week edition of "Dragon's Eye" is worth a half hours watch.

WARNING - Do not watch whilst eating cornflakes as you may choke.

Some of our usual theme's are present - Tory hatred as pushed by the BBC, unopposed assertions at the end of reports ( remember the Welsh NHS is a car crash of socialist neglect and vested interests which makes the English NHS look great - quite an achievement ).

The Welsh Conservative members put up for interview are depressing, and there's no solution to anything that doesn't involve English funded state spending.

How Scotland's media is driving 'inevitable' seperation

I have lived in Scotland for a number of years, in Lossiemouth -as a boy, and more recently Edinburgh and Aberdeen, I travel there once or twice a year to visit my wife's family and I have one key observation on the slow relentless drive to break the Union from North of the Border. It is this:

Separation has been significantly driven by the Scottish media.

In an almost a fit of jealousy the Scots papers resented the key news occurring down south in Westminster. Add to that the ugly current of anglophobia that runs through a vocal minority of Scots society and you have the motivation and means to drive separation. After all how much easier it would be for these journalists if they had their own government to report on - allowing them to succeeded in their own careers and be as self important as they think they should be.

Hence the drive for devolution had the volatile fuel of Scots media self interest to ignite.

It is almost a 180 degree reversal of the New Labour project where a political elite has driven and bullied the media, to a case where the media has dragged unthinking politicians (except the SNP who know full well what they are doing - and are in that sense have a far higher degree of integrity ). Lets face it its now clear Labour had no idea what they were doing with devolution or even in many cases why they wanted it.

This week's visit to Scotland certainly did not disappoint on this score with the newspapers.

Take for example The Glasgow Herald.

Their report of the Crewe and Nantwich bye-election was limited to a corner on David Cameron saying New Labour is dead.
Get to the centre pages and the vitriol starts, see this article by Ian Bell - "Is the drift playing into Nationalist hands?".
First note the sympathetic photo of Gordon Brown, but the up nose shot of David Cameron - the hint is he's a snooty Englishman.

How is the result at Crewe and Nantwich described ? Answer - as "English". Even suggesting that the Liberals (who weren't standing at the election - the Lib Dems were ) couldn't draw "the poison".

"The boy Dave "( no idea David Miliband was there) is how Mr Bell describes Cameron. Surely he knows we call him "call me Dave" when we're having a go ?

The Conservatives are described as an English Party (if only that was the case - or at least the Conservative party had an English section as it does Welsh, Northern Irish and Scottish ), and the big news is that the SNP under Alex Salmond stand to benefit from a future English dominated Conservative Government ( hampered by not having such great political figures as Alistair Darling and Gordon Brown - no less ) will make Alex's job of getting his divorce much easier. Its implied the Scots hate the English Tories - just see the article title which assumes the failure of Labour will lead to the end of the Union, as Scotland can't have any part in a centre right government.

See this quote from the article by Mr Bell (catch the reader comments also):

"It suits him, too, that there are no Scottish complications, if you like, within Team Cameron. This is, beyond argument, an English Tory party charting a route to power. There is no Brown, or Browne, or Darling, or Alexander to distract voters from the contrast between "Scotland's party" and those whom the good people of England now appear to favour."
... ..

When talk turns to saving the Union, nevertheless, could someone ask a basic question: from whom?

David Cameron talks of sacrificing the English on the alter of Unionism (not that the Scots give him any credit for that - a fact he should clearly understand). He should first check if it can conceivably to do any good, given the media make up north of the boarder. He should also insist, if it isn't already done, on getting some of his own research done in Scotland separate from the Scottish Conservative party. Finally he should read The Herald, regularly.

Its going to take more than a reheated devolution settlement with some weird committee structure to cheat the English to stop the drifting apart of the Union. The dynamics of the central belt based Scottish media need to be taken into account and countered. ( Alex Salmond knows how this plays which is why he's so keen to break off the Scottish arm of the BBC ).

Update: See the campaign to get a Scottish Six O'Clock news as reported by Alan Cochrane. If this happens then the effect I have described will intensify in magnitude. It is far more significant that offering a vote on independence, as it helps ensure that such a vote will be won sometime int he future.

The hypocrisy of Gordon Brown and his anti-English (and Irish) plans

Gordon Brown is trying to save his own skin by rapping himself in the Union flag - see today's Telegraph here. Frankly the hypocrisy of the man who has done more than almost any other to destroy the Union to now try to claim to be its champion is almost beyond belief.

Not that I don't have anything else to do - but I had to fisk his article. Go on a read the comments its received and utter fury from other English people.

Man in a Shed is in favour of the Union - but will accept with good grace the wish of any of the other nations to leave and would wish them well. He is married to a Scot and has lived there for years - its a great place with wonderful people (except some of their self serving politicians ).

But Labour trying to politicise the idea of the Union will doom it to destruction, a process they started with their anti-English devolution settlement. Personally I believe it was fuelled by a desire to have fiefdoms for the Labour party where no Conservative government could ever interfere and still be able to win more than their share of UK elections.

Gordon Brown is the greatest Enemy of the United Kingdom - as his signing of the Scottish Claim of Right confirms.

Note also an indication that Labour are going to again try to balkanise England for their own political advantage.

Anyway - on with the Fisk of his article !

More than a year ago I argued that a debate about the future of the United Kingdom was long overdue as people have finally rumbled the anti-English devolution settlement and my being an unelected Scot head of a defacto government of England were we didn't even win the most votes in a general election with a poor turnout.

I suggested that, unless we start to focus more on what unites us than we do on what divides us like you being PM perhaps ?, there is a real risk that one day people will wake up and find that the benefits of the Union like the English paying for everyone else- which they had taken for granted for so long - had disappeared.


I was accused of crying wolf - no you were accused of being a hypocrite - just as you accused John Major of crying Wolf when he said we had 24 hrs to save the Union before you came into power and broke it. But when secessionist forces are loudly at work it is not the time for silence and passivity - but you haven't been - your the one who made the problem in the first place !!!!. We must be resolute in defending the Union and argue against those who put it at risk the only way you could do this is by resigning.


In these islands we have, over centuries, created the world's most successful multinational state because we celebrate and respect the multiple identities that enrich us all. I am Scottish and proud of it, but I am no less proud to be British - just as there are millions who are proud to be Welsh and British and English and British too - any seen the Irish ?.

In recognition of this, 10 years ago we embarked on devolution fantastic bear face lie direct to our face - ensuring that the smaller nations that are part of the UK have more control over their own affairs can you see some sort of why England could never be allowed to be Tory have its own Parliament argument building up here ?. Devolution simply acknowledges the dual identities: Welsh and British, Scottish and British too What about the English !!! Are you so bigoted that you can't get the word out ?.

Yet if, as I believe, the Union is a multiplier for good that too often and for too long has been taken for granted, then it is time now to explain how the Union can benefit all of us, and not at the expense of each other - its mostly at the expense of the English - you've made it into an abusive relationship.

There is no Scotland-only, Wales-only, England-only solution to transnational challenges that range from terrorism to foot and mouth disease, and from avian flu to security and climate change. So for these islands an environmental Union, a security Union and a Union for defence is to the benefit of all This is really an argument as much for the EU as the UK - I'm sure Scots Nats would happily subscribe and suggest they can get all this from the EU - you must think you are talking to ignorant children.

But what matters even more are the common values we share across the United
Kingdom: values we have developed together over the years (300 of them - England on the other hand is over 1000 years old ) that are rooted in liberty, in fairness and tolerance, in enterprise, in civic initiative and internationalism Again mainly English virtues.

These values live in the popularity of our common institutions from the NHS there are 4 NHS's - the least money per head being spent on the English one, the BBC the BBC has national units for everyone except England - just like its socialist pay masters, to the Queen - and even more recently in UK-wide support for the Olympics where every other part of the UK complains about London, Children in Need, Comic Relief, Make Poverty History that politics - and stupidity and
action on climate change again politics and stupidity.

We know also that we are stronger together because again and again each part of our country has benefited from innovations with origins in only one: the NHS founded by a Welshman; universal education with many of its earliest roots in Scotland; and universal suffrage championed by radicals in England. ( And how was the UK important here - I'm just asking as you make these points ? )

In all these, and in many other instances, we did not lose because we worked together, but gained something greater than we could have achieved separately.

The fact is, the Union is more like a covenant founded on shared values that have created bonds
of belonging that make us all feel part of a wider Britain. Out of these bonds of belonging we have created not just the rights and responsibilities of a political citizenship but also of a social and
economic citizenship too. But for the English who must be oppressed and bleed dry by punitive taxation, unfair distribution of resource and vindictive political spending against areas that don't vote Celtic Labour.

So today, wherever and whoever you are in any part of the United Kingdom, you enjoy not only
the right to liberty within the law but also the right to education, to healthcare, to help when unemployed and to a state pension and soon, for everyone, an occupational pension too. It is through such social insurance that all parts of the UK share risks and resources to provide
security for each of us. ( Warning to the Scots - vote SNP and the English won't be there to bail out you socialist utopia and public sector run economy when the oil runs out )


It is precisely because these shared values are so important and continue to flourish that it
is possible to reconcile English, Scottish and Welsh pride with the progress of the Union - because the Union succeeds in combining recognition of separate national identities with the ideals and common values that reflect our wider Brutishness like the anti-English constitutional arrangement eh ?.

Today Jack Straw the cabinet's token English person, Secretary for Justice, is consulting throughout the country on a statement of values that define British citizenship and on the
case for a full British bill of rights and duties setting out rights and obligations for all citizens. He will of course not ask those who disagree with him - the English have never needed such a statement and certainly don't trust Labour to come up with it.

The theme of the next stage of constitutional reform will be the empowerment of people ie the fudging of the issue- at local, regional WARNING - THIS IS LABOUR's next anti-English plan - destroy England with the British regions !!!! and national levels. So it makes sense also to look at the relationship between the nations and regions you can see what coming right ?and whether it strikes the right balance as we strive to meet and master new global challenges.

The discussion about the future of Britain will succeed best if it is based on our shared values, and rooted in the hopes and aspirations for the future of people in every part of our country. So why are the English not asked - insulted and marginalised - is it because we don't vote for your party Mr Brown in large enough numbers ?

There is a modern case for the Union, and it must be heard there was a case for the Union you broke Mr Brown - but you ignored it: it is not about partnership at the expense of pride, or about pride that can be satisfied only by sacrificing partnership ( you know what this means England and the English sacrifice - everyone one else cleans up ). Instead, it is to ensure that each region and nation of the United Kingdom flourishes within a covenant and in a partnership of equals for the benefit of all except of course England and the English.




PS Anyone know what happened to http://www.toque.co.uk/witan today ?

Apparently Gordon is just planning on recycling the English ! ( Body snatchers part II)

It has been pointed out that Gordon Brown's plan for taking your organs just after your dead applies only to the English. Yes its apparently a devolved matter.

So perhaps Scots and Welsh will benefit from all those spare English body parts ?

Yet again Gordon Brown finds a way to benefit his Scottish constituents by depriving the English of their assets.

Hat tip to Tom Paine - The Last Ditch for spotting the angle.

See earlier post on Gordon Brown's body snatching here ....

Unstoppable momentum now behind the disaggregation of the UK

So says Iain Macwhirter in today's Guardian.

That shoudl be a real wake up call to the flat earthers on the left who have been trying to deny the results of their unbalanced devolution botched job for the constitution. ( Lib Dems this means you too ! )

They saw devolution as a clever trick to keep the Tories out of power forever in large areas of the UK ( remember they wanted regional assemblies also to box the Conservatives into the South of England only ), but they really lit the blue touch paper to the Union's destruction.

The only solution is equality of respect amonsgt the nations of the United Kingdom - and that means an English Parliament with a federal UK.

It will be a great loss if the Union is finally destroyed by Gordon Brown and New Labour (they're harking on about Britishness fools no one).

Save England and save the Union. Repress England and you will lose it all. The danger is that the British political establishment is too isolated to see what is going on and will act too late.

Labour should replace Gordon Brown if they want to save the UK with a man or woman who can save the country. Or even better call a general election so a more talented party can sort this mess out.

The NHS is now dead - thanks to devolution

Those of you who travel north of the boarder will have noticed that the health service in Scotland describes itself as the Scottish NHS. The Welsh NHS - with its bone headed Assembly lead commitment to monolithic socialism - performs worse than in England.

We now have different health services for each home nation ( what happened to that term anyway ? ).

In effect there is now an English Health Service. However those words are banned from Gordon Brown's MacLabour government as:

1. The world England is never to be spoken.
2. It would make clear that the health department is in fact a English department of government.
3. It will emphasis the funding inequalities between the Scottish and English health services.

Now in fact I'm not against having a bit of variety in the Health Service. Its good that the failures of the most unrefomed part of the NHS - the Welsh part - can be compared with the English part. Its an idea which should go further.

But it also means the NHS is dead.

Those three letters stop people thinking clearly about what they are talking about. We would have better health care outcomes if we dropped the terms.

I would recommend that an incoming Conservative government rebrand along the lines of:

1) Various English/Welsh/Scots/Irish Health purchase authority's.
2) Various providers - this part already exists as the Trusts.

This could allow for local pay and true flexibility as well as clear comparisons to be made.

What do some Scottish Labour MP have against the English ?

What do some Scottish Labour MP have against the English ?

I ask the question as The Scotsman reports today that some Labour MPs north of Berwick-upon-Tweed are calling for English regional assemblies. ( See here. )

Yet again we have Scottish politicians calculating what must be done to the English for their own political advantage.

Why are they unable to grasp the idea that the English should be able to have the national, legislative and executive forms of government that they choose themselves ?

My guess is because they realise they will lose out through influence and in terms of the tax payer money sent to Scotland once genuine English politics emerges.

MacLabour should remember that they started all this with their unbalanced devolution measures.

PS The whinging about anti-Scottish sentiment is really a bit rich coming from north of the border. The English actually like the Scots. The shock from devolution and the follow up publicity has been the realisation that its not reciprocated. ( See numerous football World cup press articles and the Newsnight car for examples.)

I'll say it again. I like and admire the Scots; I've married one and my children are half Scottish. None of this prevents me from wanting justice for the English nation and wanting to stop the regional balkanisation that the Labour party would like to impose on England.

Incidentally also note what Michael Connarty, the Labour MP for Linlithgow and East Falkirk says:

"One issue which is causing a great deal of unhappiness is the Barnett Formula; we cannot get away from that. In education, the disparity between what some authorities in the south-east of England get and what Scottish authorities get can be as much as £1,500 per pupil."

I hadn't realised it was that bad !

The SNP play the tuition fee card

The SNP are playing the tuition fee card. Singling out, from the entire European Union, only English, Northern Irish and Welsh students as needing to pay fees at Scottish Universities. ( Scottish students get their fees paid by the English ).

This is all paid for out of the supper generous Barnett formula which provides the outstanding subsidy that Scotland wallows in with its soviet style public sector and many flavours of parasitic left wring parties and trade unions.

Now the SNP respond with their economic argument that Scotland is a net contributor. I have 3 initial points on these issues:

1) So what if that's true ( which I think it isn't ). If Scottish nationalism is just a cheque book exercise where they think they can gain personal riches by ditching the Welsh and Northern Irish ( which the UK definitely do subsidise ) then they are despicable rouges who should be thrown out of the Union as the cads they have shown themselves to be. The English have never hesitated to help - now some of them calculate they might gain some temporary advantage in short changing the Union.

2) The Oil is running out - fast - much faster than the SNP is telling people. But see 1 - if Scots are just thinking where to get the largest bung of unearned subsidy from - the sea bed or the English - then they should be thrown out of the Union anyway.

3) Clearly this decision cannot stand along with the Union. What will Gordon Brown do ?

4) David Cameron should stand up for the English.

5) Points 1,3 & 4 are probably exactly the response the SNP were hoping for.

PS This is a major part of Blair's real legacy. He helped destabilise the Union - just for his own personal political glory.