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| Campaign for an English Parliament | |
|---|---|
| Name | Campaign for an English Parliament |
| Founded | 1998 |
| Founder | Daniel Hannan? |
| Type | Pressure group |
| Headquarters | London |
| Country | England |
Campaign for an English Parliament is a pressure group advocating for the establishment of a devolved legislative body for England comparable to the Scottish Parliament, the Senedd (formerly National Assembly for Wales), and the Northern Ireland Assembly. It emerged amid debates following the 1997 United Kingdom general election, the Devolution referendum, 1997 (Scotland), and the Devolution referendum, 1997 (Wales), positioning itself within the broad landscape of United Kingdom constitutional reform and regionalism in the United Kingdom. The group interacts with other actors such as UK Independence Party, Conservative Party, Labour Party, and Liberal Democrats over the question of English representation.
The organisation formed in the late 1990s in response to legislative changes enacted by the New Labour government after the 1997 United Kingdom general election. Its genesis relates to debates around the Scotland Act 1998, the Government of Wales Act 1998, and subsequent developments including the House of Commons composition and the West Lothian question. Early activists drew on precedents such as the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament in tactics and on constitutional debates triggered by figures like Tony Blair, Gordon Brown, John Major, and commentators from the Institute for Public Policy Research and the Adam Smith Institute. The group's activity intensified during episodes including the 2007 Scottish Parliament election, the 2014 Scottish independence referendum, and the 2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum.
The group's central objective is creation of an English legislative body with powers paralleling those of the Scottish Parliament and the Senedd, addressing anomalies raised by the West Lothian question and the distribution of representation in the House of Commons. It invokes principles drawn from the Acts of Union 1707 debates, the Barnett formula, and notions of territorial representation exemplified by the Federal Republic of Germany and federations such as the United States and Australia. The organisation argues for democratic legitimacy, electoral accountability, and subsidiarity as articulated in comparative constitutional texts like the Constitution of the United Kingdom (unwritten) and modern codified constitutions of states such as Canada and Ireland.
The group is structured as a membership organisation with local branches and national committees, resembling other UK pressure groups such as Liberty and Greenpeace. Leadership has included activists with backgrounds in civic groups, think tanks like the Centre for Policy Studies, and academia connected to institutions such as University of Oxford, University of Cambridge, London School of Economics, and University of Manchester. Membership draws from across the political spectrum, including individuals associated with Conservative, Labour, UK Independence Party, and non-aligned civic nationalists inspired by movements in Scotland and Wales.
Campaign activities include public demonstrations, submission of proposals to select committees in the House of Commons, and media engagement with outlets such as the BBC, The Guardian, The Daily Telegraph, The Times, and Financial Times. The organisation has published pamphlets and briefing papers echoing analyses from the Institute for Fiscal Studies and the House of Commons Library on the Barnett formula and fiscal devolution. It has organised conferences involving speakers from bodies like the Constitution Unit at University College London, the Hansard Society, and representatives from the Scottish Parliament and Senedd. The campaign has mounted legal and political challenges influenced by constitutional litigation landmarks such as the R (Miller) v Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union case.
Policy proposals include a directly elected English legislature, reform of Westminster procedures to resolve the West Lothian question, and revisions to fiscal arrangements including alternatives to the Barnett formula modeled on fiscal federalism in Germany and Canada. The group has debated options such as an English Parliament with a separate Chancellor of the Exchequer for England, regional assemblies akin to proposals related to the Regional assemblies in England referendums, and alignment or contrast with devolved competences in areas like health and education as implemented by the Scottish Government and Welsh Government. It has also engaged with discussions about reforming the House of Lords and the role of First Past the Post versus proportional representation systems.
Reactions have been mixed. Supporters from organisations like English Democrats and some Conservative figures argue the proposal addresses perceived democratic deficits highlighted by commentators from outlets such as The Spectator and scholars at the Institute of Economic Affairs. Critics including members of Labour, Liberal Democrats, and constitutional scholars at institutions like the Constitution Unit contend that an English legislative body could complicate intergovernmental relations and risk asymmetric devolution akin to debates surrounding the Barnett formula and 2014 referendum. Commentators in the House of Lords and academics in University of Edinburgh and University of Glasgow have questioned feasibility, citing comparative examples from Spain and Belgium where territorial arrangements have produced tensions.
While not achieving its primary objective, the organisation influenced public debate on English governance, contributing to policy discussions that informed measures such as the Calman Commission on Scottish devolution, proposals during the 2010 United Kingdom general election coalition talks, and later reviews of intergovernmental relations including the Joint Ministerial Committee. Its campaigning intersected with legislative developments like the Wales Act 2014, ongoing scrutiny of the Barnett formula, and renewed consideration of English votes for English laws in the House of Commons implemented as EVEL procedures. The group's activities fed into broader shifts in United Kingdom constitutional reform discourse, alongside developments such as the 2014 Scottish independence referendum and the Brexit referendum, 2016.
Category:Politics of England