low graphics version | feedback | help
Assemblies campaign stepped up
Newcastle could be the seat of a north-east assembly
A campaign which aims to establish regional assemblies all over England has been officially launched at Westminster.
The Campaign for the English Regions (CFER) draws together those from around England who want their own assemblies similar to the Welsh assembly or the one being set up in London.
The Campaign for the English Regions (CFER) draws together those from around England who want their own assemblies similar to the Welsh assembly or the one being set up in London.
The new constitutional arrangements are dangerously out of balance  |
The Campaign for the English Regions
|
They are seeking a manifesto commitment from the government for legislation to allow referendums to trigger regional assemblies soon after the next election.
In a policy statement, the CFER warned the English regions had been left behind by other parts of the UK following the creation of the Scottish parliament and the Welsh assembly.
"Individual citizens in English regions have less democratic rights simply because of where they happen to live in the UK - and that is neither just nor sustainable in a modern democracy," it said.
"The new constitutional arrangements are dangerously out of balance.
'Xenophobic'
"The current situation is unstable with a growth in tension between the English regions and the rest."
It added that more devolution to the English regions was needed to avoid "bitter resentment" which "could turn into a narrow and xenophobic English nationalism."
Prime Minister Tony Blair has said he is in favour of more devolution to the English regions if there is proven support for it.
He has denied getting cold feet about the whole idea in the light of Labour's difficulties over devolution in London and Wales.
Conservative leader William Hague said he believed the government would not now go ahead with regional assemblies, saying that he believed said people did not want another layer of government.
But a spokesman for the Leader of the House Margaret Beckett said that the government remained committed to bringing a standing committee on regional affairs to the Commons in the near future - though a specific date has not been set.
In a policy statement, the CFER warned the English regions had been left behind by other parts of the UK following the creation of the Scottish parliament and the Welsh assembly.
"Individual citizens in English regions have less democratic rights simply because of where they happen to live in the UK - and that is neither just nor sustainable in a modern democracy," it said.
"The new constitutional arrangements are dangerously out of balance.
'Xenophobic'
"The current situation is unstable with a growth in tension between the English regions and the rest."
It added that more devolution to the English regions was needed to avoid "bitter resentment" which "could turn into a narrow and xenophobic English nationalism."
Prime Minister Tony Blair has said he is in favour of more devolution to the English regions if there is proven support for it.
He has denied getting cold feet about the whole idea in the light of Labour's difficulties over devolution in London and Wales.
Conservative leader William Hague said he believed the government would not now go ahead with regional assemblies, saying that he believed said people did not want another layer of government.
But a spokesman for the Leader of the House Margaret Beckett said that the government remained committed to bringing a standing committee on regional affairs to the Commons in the near future - though a specific date has not been set.
|
Search BBC News Online |
|
|
 Advanced search options | |
| |
 | |
 | |
| |
 | BBC RADIO NEWS |
| |
| |
 | BBC ONE TV NEWS |
| |
| |
| WORLD NEWS SUMMARY |
| |
| |
| |
| |
 | PROGRAMMES GUIDE |
See also:
Internet links:
The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites
Links to other UK Politics stories are at the foot of the page.
E-mail this story to a friend
~RS~a~RS~international~RS~q~RS~~RS~z~RS~41~RS~)