English parliament?

Scotland and Wales are supping from the goblet of independent nationhood. But where does that leave England? There are those who think that English independence is the answer...

In the dark panelled upstairs room of an ancient pub in Hull, a tightly knit band of politically motivated men are conspiring.

Surrounded by Crosses of St George, they are airing their grievances.

"Gordon Brown has no mandate whatsoever."

"We've been denied our democratic rights."

"At least the people of Sedgefield could vote Blair out. Brown has no English constituents."

Civil change plotted

The room, known as the Plotting Parlour, is not without historic significance. It is claimed that the English Civil War began here at Ye Olde White Hart.

In 1642, the city's governor Sir John Hotham resolved to bar King Charles I from Kingston upon Hull and its valuable arsenal.

The King besieged the city and the rest is history.

Today's plotters do not have violence and bloodshed on their minds, but they do want a revolution. For these are the leaders of the Campaign for an English Parliament.

"This isn't democracy - this is a sham"
David Wildgoose

National Council member David Wildgoose explains: "We need an English parliament as a simple human right, simple democratic right.

"We have MPs in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland deciding for England, when English MPs have no corresponding right to decide on these matters in Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland.

"This isn't democracy - this is a sham."

Poor deal

The campaign claims that taxpayers in other parts of the UK get a much better deal. Elderly people in Scotland, for example, get free personal care.

An opinion poll carried out across England for the campaign claimed 67% support for an English Assembly.

Campaign member Michael Cassidy says: "The people in Yorkshire and Lincolnshire do, or course, have to pay taxes in order to keep the Scottish and Welsh in a higher standard of living than we have ourselves.

"There is no reason why our democratic rights should be sacrificed and we want something doing about it."

UK spend

However, with Gordon Brown keen to promote the concept of Britishness, the government has ruled out calls for a referendum on an English parliament.

Hull MP and Health Secretary Alan Johnson says: "We need to stay together as the United Kingdom, and England needs to accept that with the overwhelming majority of the population.

The latest figures show that annual Government spending per head works out at:

• £9835 in Northern Ireland
• £8623 in Scotland
• £8139 in Wales
• ...and only £7121 in England

"We have to be generous in giving sovereignty to Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland without breaking up the UK."

The campaigning goes on, but perhaps the plotters should cast an eye over their shoulders at the fate of their predecessor Sir John Hotham.

He was declared a traitor and despite a parliamentarian pardon was later executed.

Also on the programme...

We report on the disabled workers at Remploy fighting to keep their jobs;

Talk to the farmers who are still waiting for long-promised cash payouts.

And we see what best-selling author and former school inspector Gervase Phinn thinks of the Government's latest plans for education.

That is the Politics Show for Yorkshire, Lincolnshire and the North Midlands, Sunday 15 July at 12:00 BST on BBC One.

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