Thank you for your email. I confirm that I shall attend on the 23rd April.

Yours sincerely
Robin Tilbrook,
Chairman,
The English Democrats

In a message dated 17/04/2012 11:48:02 GMT Daylight Time, secretariat writes:

Dear Mr Tilbrook

Thank you for your call just now and for confirming that you can make the 11.30 session on 23 April. I will send the confirmatory details to you later this week.

I can also confirm that your submission was received and that it will be passed to the Commissioners later today.

Yours sincerely
O. D.
The McKay commission Secretariat
17 March 2012

—- OriginalMessage —-
From: secretariat
To: RobinTilbrook
Sent: Mon, Apr 16, 2012, 05:56 PM
Subject: Re: Re: FOR REPLY PLEASE: Commission on the consequences of devolution for the Ho…

Dear Mr Tilbrook

Thank you for your response. Your submission will be passed on to the Commissioners today.

As stated in my telephone message just now, I can confirm that do indeed have a slot available at next week’s evidence session. It will be from 11.30 or so onwards on Monday 23 April, will last for up to 45 minutes and will take place very close to Parliament itself. If you could please confirm your ability to attend this session I will send you a map later this week.

Yours sincerely
O. D.
The McKay Commission Secretariat
16 March 2012

—- OriginalMessage —-
From: RobinTilbrook
To: secretariat
Sent: Fri, Apr 13, 2012, 12:21 PM
Subject: Re: FOR REPLY PLEASE: Commission on the consequences of devolution for the Ho…

Dear Mr D.
Thank you for your email and telephone call. Yes I would be pleased to give oral evidence.

It is our view that the question that the Commission has been set up to examine is properly the “English Question”. Even in its original formulation the “West Lothian Question” is clearly about what the impact of devolution would be on England.

The English Democrats’ view is that the only coherent, fair and democratic resolution to the English Question is an English Parliament, First Minister and Government with at least the same powers as the Scottish ones, within a Federal UK. It is our view that if this is not offered soon the demand within England will move on to Independence; thus failure to address issues properly now will result in the end of the UK.

The suggestion that fairness for England or any useful amelioration of the current unfairness to England and to English National Interests can be achieved by merely tinkering with the internal procedures of the House of Commons is risible and does not even begin to address English nationalist aspersions. If Scotland deserved its own Parliament because, in Tony Blair’s words, “it is a proud and historic Nation”, then so does England.

Turning to the Coalition Government’s proposal to tinker with House of Commons procedure; the English Democrats say, inter alia, as follows:-

1. Their proposal only addresses the limited question of representation within the legislative process of the House of Commons and it fails totally to address the Executive side of the democratic deficit of the English question.
2.It will be almost impossible to sensibly differentiate ‘England only Bills’ for as long as the Barnet Formula means that any spending issues in an ‘England Bill’ means an impact on the budgets of the other Nations of the UK.
3. Whatever Body (e.g. the Speakership) is charged with determining an English Bill that Body will be politicised as that determination may be crucial to the government being able to legislate if there is no majority for its Bill amongst MPs representing English seats.

Yours faithfully
Robin Tilbrook,
Chairman,
The English Democrats

Dear Mr Tilbrook

I am writing further to our telephone call today. As mentioned, the Commission on the consequences of devolution for the House of Commons invites you to give written and oral evidence to the Commission, setting out your view on the issue.

The establishment of this Commission was announced through a Written Ministerial Statement in Parliament on 17 January 2012 (see the Commission’s website – http://tmc.independent.gov.uk/key-documents/written-ministerial-statement-17-january-2012/). A news release sent out following the first meeting of the Commission on 29 February (see http://tmc.independent.gov.uk/news/first-meeting-mckay-commission/) invited comments and submissions from those with an interest in the consequences of devolution for the House of Commons.

The Commission will meet in London on 23-24 April 2012, when evidence will be taken in a public session from relevant experts and interested groups…..

If you wish to accept the invitation to give oral evidence, it would be most helpful if you could let me know as soon as possible, please; and also if you would provide a written submission setting out your views. I would be grateful if the written submission could be provided to the Secretariat, if possible, by Tuesday 17 April 2012.

I would also be very grateful if you could let me know tomorrow Thursday 12 April if you intend to give oral evidence to the Commission.

If you have any questions, please contact me