Article from the Workers of England Union

Yesterday Chuka Umunna, Labour MP, backed the establishment of an English Parliament.

Since our formation the Workers of England Union have been calling for a fair deal for England and her workforce. A deal that puts the English Taxpayer on an equal footing with Scottish and Welsh Taxpayers. We have tirelessly campaigned for an English Parliament, an English First Minister, and English Government departments along with the abolition of the unfair Barnett formula.

At times the Workers of England have been attacked by Trade Unions affiliated to the Labour party for promoting this view, a view which would bring equality to England’s workforce within the United Kingdom.

Now more and more Labour MPs have come to realise that their own party not only needs an “English Labour Party” branch but also realise that England should have its own Parliament to give it equality with Scotland and Wales.

Chucka Umunna is the latest Labour MP to call for the creation of an English Parliament and confirming the Workers of England Unions views.

The other question is “Where does this leave other unions like Unite who have attacked the very thought of an English Parliament, Unite who fund the Labour party yet more and more Labour MPs support the formation of an English Parliament”

Chuka Umunna backs more federal UK structure with a new English Parliament

13:51Wednesday 22 July 2015

An English Parliament must be introduced to deal with the “the end of British electoral politics as we know it”, Chuka Umunna is to say.

The shadow business secretary, who made a shock exit from the Labour leadership race blaming media intrusion, is warning that the links between politics in the nations that make up the UK have broken.

Chuka Umunna has warned that the links between politics in the nations that make up the UK have broken

He will argue that giving more autonomy to the parts of the union is key to holding it together, and Labour should reflect the new reality with a similarly “federal” structure.

The comments, in a speech to the Progressive Policy Institute in Washington DC, contrast with Ed Miliband’s rejection of an English parliament before the election.

Mr Umunna is expected to say: “What we are witnessing – as the psephologist who came closest to predicting the UK result, Professor John Curtis of Strathclyde University, has said – is the end of British electoral politics as we know it.

“He argues that the first break came in the 1970s when the links between Northern Ireland’s politics and the rest of the UK’s were broken; he argues we have just witnessed the second break where Scotland’s politics takes on a different character to that of the rest of UK, powered by issues of national belonging and cultural identity.

“I think we can maintain the union but we should embrace people’s natural desire in our different nations to have more autonomy over their own affairs and give voice to the different cultural identities in the UK, whilst maintaining the benefits that the pooling and sharing of resources across the constituent parts of the UK brings.

“This is why I believe we need a more federal structure for the nations of the UK with a new English Parliament to sit alongside bodies in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

“We need a federal Labour Party too which recognises the unique character of each nation.

“With a federal UK structure no nation will feel left out; each nation’s voice can be properly heard whilst maintaining a UK parliament that will be stronger as a result.

“To facilitate this we should establish a Constitutional Convention with all elements of political and civil society willing to participate, to settle this issue this Parliament.

“This is bread and butter for you here where the constitution takes pride of place. It would represent radical but much-needed change in our country.

“It would be constructive of our renewal – government of the people, by the people, for the people perhaps.”

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