Mr Miliband thinks that the poor English have been neglected by politicians and wants it put right. He blames the last Labour government for neglecting the largest nation in the United Kingdom.
Like many a politician before him he hopes to get some political advantage by tapping into the euphoria created by the Jubilee celebrations and use it to counter the SNP and their quest for independence.
Young Ed reckons that the whole of the United Kingdom need to be involved in the debate over Scotland's potential independence. His view is that the SNP have too "narrow view of identity". He accuses Alex Salmond are offering a "false choice" between being Scottish or British.
His view is that Britain is a country where it is always possible to have more than one identity. More than one place in mind when you talk of home.
Labour had been "nervous" to talk about English identity in the past while pressing ahead with constitutional change in other parts of the UK according to Miliband.
Whilst acknowledging that the Labour government put in place the devolved institutions in Edinburgh, Cardiff and Belfast, he feels the party failed to engage with English identity.
"But somehow while there is romanticism in parts of the Left about Welsh identity (and) Scottish identity, English identity has tended to be a closed book of late.
"For too long people have believed that to express English identity is to undermine the Union. At the same time we have rightly helped express Scottish identity within the Union. This does not make sense. You can be proudly Scottish and British. And you can be proudly English and British, as I am.
"Now more than ever, as we make the case for the United Kingdom throughout the United Kingdom, we must talk about England.”
The thought that somehow England has been forgotten in the devolution settlement is disingenuous.
The reason that devolution gained currency at all was the disadvantage that countries like Wales suffered in a centralist state that was dominated by one country - England.
On most economic indicators Wales is bottom of the league. Wales benefitted little from being part of one of the most centralist states in Europe. Yet, somehow Miliband feels sorry for England. Poor things.
If he’s so concerned why isn’t he pushing alongside Carwyn Jones for a Federal Kingdom on these islands. Then the English can have their own parliament. And all would be right with the world, wouldn’t they Ed.
No, Miliband’s speech is simply that of a politician trying to get on the patriotic bandwagon created by the Jubilee and the Olympics. No substance, no proposals.
Beware of politicians that wrap themselves in the Union flag I say.
'On most economic indicators Wales is bottom of the league'. Quite so. And we can thank the Welsh Assembly for this.
ReplyDeleteEd is looking to Wales for UK Labour's benefit nothing else and let him wrap himself in the Union Jack it has no relevance to Wales as were not represented on it.
ReplyDeleteAs for letting England have a Parliament, they already have one it's called Westminster, the needs of the Welsh and Scottish have only been addressed when we got uppity with the English, democracy is the UK's best export shame it doesn't work at home.
KP, the problem is not the Senedd itself but who runs the Senedd.
ReplyDeleteLabour is the problem in Wales and only when Wales has a real nationalist party like they do up in Scotland will someone break the strangle hold Labour has over Wales.
Ed also made a comment today about how Scottish independence was too big a decision for the Jocks and that the English should be a part of it. Unfortunately for him the English lost all say on Scotlands future the moment they elected the SNP into government. And until we in Wales wake up and do something similar we will always be under the control of Mr Milliband as he grinds away on his organ and Carwyn Jones dances in the Senedd.
"On most economic indicators Wales is bottom of the league'. Quite so. And we can thank the Welsh Assembly for this."
ReplyDeleteYeah, before 1999 we were richer than Norway.
Idiot.
Lyndon, 'richer than Norway', I'm not so sure. But certainly better educated!
ReplyDeleteWNB, quite agree, it is the poor calibre of our politicians that has cost us. And it is these same daft politicians who have totally ruined our education system.
En masse, they should be tried by the Courts for treason!
England has a genuine call for attention. The so-called west Lothian question is a travesty. Ignoring England is dangerous and mistaken. Wales has some serious problems, but somehow blaming the English makes them appear so much worse.
ReplyDelete"Lyndon, 'richer than Norway', I'm not so sure. But certainly better educated!"
ReplyDeleteThis is rubbish. Educational attainment in Wales has improved- we are better educated than in 1999.
We are not however as well educated as England. Let's debate that and be honest about that, but not through lying.