The Striking Out of England (again)

So, my shabby little Englander mates, the voting is over. But for the moment let us forget about the FPTP/AV referendum and the local elections. We need to remember that, for some of us, there were some other far more important elections.

These were parliamentary elections in Northern Ireland, Wales and Scotland.

I know I may be just an ugly, narrow, sour faced little Englishman but I get an uncomforable feeling that in all these elections there is something missing.

So, I would like to ask my fellow non too bright little Englanders a question.

We know there was an election for a parliament in Northern Ireland
We know there was an election for a parliament in Scotland
We know there was an election for an assembly in Wales.

The question to you, my grubby little Englanders is this:

Can you spot the deliberate ommission?

Which country is missing? Which country didn't get to elect its own parliament? In fact which country doesn't even have a parliament, or an Assembly. Or even a small tin shed for that matter.

Take a look at the bastions of democracy at the BBC Here. Notice how there is a heavy duty section on the politics and political make up of  each of the three countries that have had elections. But the non country of England merely gets an "Around England" section.  All you get here is  local election results and a set of regional blogs.

Regionalism was John Prescotts attempt to dismember the non country of England and so confirm its non existence. Unfortunately for portly John, some time back, the good people of the North East told him where to get off. But obviously nobody told the oligarchs at the BBC.

Of course Billothewisp must do his part and support our noble leaders by helping to erase the non country of England. Previous posts on this Here and then Here have explained the only thing Billothewisp can do is strike out every reference to England and the English. That is until this injustice is addressed and we grubby, sour faced little Englanders get own own parliament, just like everyone else in these islands.

You know it makes sense.

2 comments:

Unknown said...

There should only be a single election, a single government, a single country even ... politics obviously saw an advantage in division ... a big mistake. Or was devolution perceived as little more than large county councils whose job was to micro manage some of the finances.

It is time the question was asked of all, are you in or out, and if you want out, sling your hook and sling it now.

BilloTheWisp said...

I think devolution was a dirty little fix dreamed up to try and paper over the discontent thrown up years of central government neglect.

There was a time when central government paid next to no attention to the needs of anywhere other than English regions in political heartland areas.

So some of the nationalist angst is justified.

We have the SNP triumphant. I cannot now see a way the devolution genie can be put back in the bottle. So if the countries within these islands are to progress together, each must have equivalent structures, and that includes England.

Otherwise there will be (is) a rising tide of resentment in England. Especially as English taxes (without representation) are seen as funding Scottish and Welsh largesse, while England goes without (student fees, prescription charges etc).

As the Chinese say in potentially catastrophic circumstances: We live in interesting times.