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Fresh call for English Parliament Fresh call for English Parliament
(about 3 hours later)
A campaign to set up a separate English Parliament is being backed by one of the architects of Scottish devolution. English people have a "sovereign right" to a Parliament of their own if they want one, the architect of Scottish devolution has said.
Canon Kenyon Wright wants to see "a strong English Parliament" and a strengthened Welsh legislature. Canon Kenyon Wright said it was "undemocratic" that Scottish MPs could vote on England-only issues but not vice versa.
The English Constitutional Convention is meeting for the first time, at Westminster on Tuesday. He said he wanted to see "a strong English Parliament" and a strengthened Welsh legislature.
Canon Wright called it "undemocratic" that Scottish MPs could vote on England-only issues but not vice-versa. Opponents say they fear a UK break-up. Opponents say they fear the break-up of the United Kingdom.
But Canon Wright said creating an English Parliament would strengthen the union and "may well save it".
He said he had changed his mind on the issue after English regional assemblies - originally planned to correct the power vacuum created by Welsh and Scottish devolution - had been overwhelmingly rejected by voters in the North East.
"I have become convinced that England has a growing sense of national identity, every bit as strong as ours, and there should be an English parliament if people want it.
"It is as much our right as it is yours," he told a meeting of the English Constitutional Convention (ECC) in Westminster.
'Bizarre'
He said it was "quite irrational" for those MPs who in the early 1990s had signed a document claiming the right of Scotland to its own parliament to "now deny that same sovereign right to the English".
England has a growing sense of national identity as strong as ours Canon Dr Kenyon Wright
ECC chairman Michael Knowles said the devolution in Scotland and Wales had led to a "constitutionally and politically bizarre, inflammatory and divisive" situation.
It had created many injustices in health and education policy, where there was a more generous deal for Scots in particular, he added.
"We don't want to take anything away from Scotland and Wales, we just want the same thing for people in England," he told the meeting.
But he said it would not be enough just to make the case for constitutional reform in isolation, it had to be relevant to people's lives and needed cross-party support.
'Weak' government
He urged MPs on all sides to campaign for an English Parliament and against the planned abolition of English counties in favour of "city regions".
The government was "weak" at the moment, he argued, and "the moment they get a whiff of opposition they will run scared".
An Ipsos Mori poll carried out in July suggested 41% of people wanted "England as a whole to have its own national Parliament with similar law-making powers to the Scottish Parliament".
Mark Gill, head of political research at Ipsos Mori, told the meeting this was a 10% swing in favour of an English Parliament, compared to previous polls, although the question had been made more detailed.
'Change of view''Change of view'
The English Constitutional Convention (the ECC) was set up by the English Democrats and the Campaign for an English Parliament. The ECC was set up by the English Democrats and the Campaign for an English Parliament.
Its name echoes the Scottish Constitutional Convention, a cross-party unofficial body chaired by Canon Wright in the 1980s.Its name echoes the Scottish Constitutional Convention, a cross-party unofficial body chaired by Canon Wright in the 1980s.
England has a growing sense of national identity as strong as ours Canon Dr Kenyon Wright
Its blueprint for Scottish devolution formed the basis of the system Labour implemented following a referendum in 1997.Its blueprint for Scottish devolution formed the basis of the system Labour implemented following a referendum in 1997.
Canon Wright said a suggested policy of simply banning Scottish MPs from voting at Westminster on English issues would create more problems than it would solve.Canon Wright said a suggested policy of simply banning Scottish MPs from voting at Westminster on English issues would create more problems than it would solve.
"Two things have changed my personal view," he said."Two things have changed my personal view," he said.
"The first was the 2004 referendum on regional government for north-east England, which showed regional government in England was a non-starter."The first was the 2004 referendum on regional government for north-east England, which showed regional government in England was a non-starter.
"Second, I have become convinced that England has a growing sense of national identity as strong as ours and therefore that an English parliament, if the people want it, is as much your right as we claimed it to be ours." "Second, I have become convinced that England has a growing sense of national identity as strong as ours and therefore that an English Parliament, if the people want it, is as much your right as we claimed it to be ours."
UK break-up fearsUK break-up fears
But Campbell Christie, who sat on the Scottish convention, told BBC Radio 4's The World at One: "The consequence of creating a parliament of nine tenths of the UK is that it would almost definitely lead to the break-up of the UK.But Campbell Christie, who sat on the Scottish convention, told BBC Radio 4's The World at One: "The consequence of creating a parliament of nine tenths of the UK is that it would almost definitely lead to the break-up of the UK.
"That parliament would not be content with just the powers that the Scottish Parliament has."That parliament would not be content with just the powers that the Scottish Parliament has.
"It would want to handle foreign affairs, taxation and the economic affairs.""It would want to handle foreign affairs, taxation and the economic affairs."
Earlier this year the idea of an English Parliament was rejected by Lord Chancellor Lord Falconer. Earlier this year the idea of an English Parliament was rejected by the Lord Chancellor Lord Falconer.
He also said it would lead to the break-up of the UK.He also said it would lead to the break-up of the UK.
The Conservatives have backed the idea of England-only votes at Westminster.
Conservative MP Mark Pritchard told Tuesday's meeting he backed the "laudable" aims of the ECC but thought they were "playing into the hands" of people who wanted to break up the UK and create a "Europe of the regions".