At our Conference and AGM on the 21st September 2013 in Leicester the English Democrats will be debating the following resolution:-

“The English Democrats believe that England should again be an independent nation state and we will campaign to that end.
The English Democrats demand that a referendum be held for the People of England to decide whether England should become independent again and cede from the United Kingdom and the European Union.”

Here is the accompanying paper in support. What do you think?

The case for a policy of Independence for England

By Derek Hilling and Leon Martin 

After more than a decade since the advent of devolution within the United Kingdom, the British government refuses to recognise the legitimate concerns of the people of England regarding the unfairness of the devolution settlement. In that period nothing whatsoever has been done to address the concerns of the English, who believe that they are paying for yet receiving none of the benefits of devolution. The main political parties refuse to even discuss these concerns and some of their leaders even deny the very existence of England as a separate nation. In light of this outright intransigence the English Democrats believe that the time has come to promote the cause and principles of English Independence. This means that England should break-away from the United Kingdom, and once again become an independent nation state.

The English Democrats are calling for a referendum on this matter so that the people of England may be given a choice to determine their own future.

The English Democrats start from the basic principle that the English Nation is entitled to self-determination and its people are entitled to citizenship of that nation. England’s membership of the United Kingdom denies us expression of these entitlements.

The leaders of all the main political parties conspired to create devolution for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, but did nothing to offer the same rights to the people of England.

The consequence of devolution has been that the people of England now suffer from unfair distribution of the resources of the United Kingdom. We pay more than our fair share of taxes but receive less than our fair share of the resources. It is clear that this injustice will never be righted until the people of England break-free from the shackles of the United Kingdom.

The benefits of England becoming are independent country are that:

An immediate cessation of England’s membership of the European Union , saving £billions in contributions;

English business would be free from the E.U.’s bureaucratic red tape;

England would regain control over our own borders, ending the unchecked immigration that the E.U. has fostered;

English People would be able to promote their historic culture and identity which has been denied them by the British state;

We would promote an English cultural renaissance and give our people a sense of pride in who they are and what they have achieved;

English customs and manners are valued as part and parcel of the fabric of our culture and could be promoted as the public culture of England;

England would be free from the need to subsidise both the rest of the UK as well as large parts of Europe;

England could broaden its trading relations with all countries, especially the emerging economies in Latin America and Asia; we have become too reliant on Europe which is in the grip of economic paralysis.

If the people of England decide that we should become independent, then an English Government would be formed so as to conduct negotiations with the Scottish Government and the Welsh and Northern Irish Assemblies, as to the division of the debts of the United Kingdom. England cannot be expected to go on forever subsidising those who cannot pay their own way.

We believe that the best way for the people of England to improve their living standards and achieve the national unity and social cohesion that we all want is for England to become an independent nation. The English Democrats are convinced that a free and independent England will be able to rid itself of the scourge of debt and release the talents of its people to create a strong and vibrant economy.