Gordon Brown Feared St George's Day Backlash in Scotland
Yesterday John Denham addressed the Fabians on the question of how Labour should speak to England.
Denham revealed that Gordon Brown vetoed his proposal for state funding of a St George's Day celebration.
The shadow communities secretary also discloses that shortly before the election Downing Street vetoed his plans for state funding for an official St George's Day celebration of Englishness. No 10 told Denham it feared there would be a counter-reaction in Scotland.
Seriously? Are we really expected to believe that! Why would the Scots object to the Government funding a celebration of England's national day?
The answer is that the Scots wouldn't object to state funding of St George's Day. The 'counter-reaction' from Scotland that Gordon Brown fears is a heightening of the perception that the UK Government is the government of England. Brown is fearful of distancing the Scots further from Westminster by acting in England's national interest, even when acting in England's national interest does not in any way harm Scotland. It is a political problem that stems from the fact that England has no government of its own. The fact that the UK Government cannot act in England's interests without worrying about what the Scots will make of it tells you a lot about the unsatisfactory governance of England.
At least we now know why Gordon Brown refused to participate in any public debate on St George's Day.
I ask you all to write to the Labour leadership candidates to ask them whether they support a national holiday in England on St George's Day.
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Ed Balls on St George's Day
from Toque on Tue, 06/15/2010 - 13:00Recently I suggested that you should all write to the Labour leadership candidates to ask for their position on St George's Day. Naturally I don't ask people to do anything that I don't do myself; so here's the first reply I received back:
Thank you for
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It does seem a far stretch to
It does seem a far stretch to suggest that there will be a Scottish backlash if we celebrate St.Georges day with backing from Westminster.
I heard today that David Cameron is now negotiating whether the nations should receive more money under the Barnett Formula for the expenditure on the Olympic Games. Defies belief that the people of Scotland and Wales will get more money for public services in Scotland and Wales. The Benefit to most of England of the Games will be almost zero. The revenues it does generate will be put into a pool and be divided under the Barnett Formula anyway.
The British government does not add one thing to England. It is just a leech sucking out it is blood.
"Special Relationships" are a matter of give and take.
Any "Special Relationship" England has seems to be one of give and take; we give and they take. They cost England dear and should be given up immediately!
I am not expecting David Cameron to do anything for England within the Union despite it being England only who elected the Conservatives. Most likely, he won't do much about "Avaricious Europe" either.
It used to be that foreign invaders had to go to war to facilitate pillaging and plundering; now we/they just give it all away.
I heard that David Cameron said that he would ensure that there would be no cost to the taxpayer of flying the Cross of St. George at 10 Downing Street. What cost could be involved...unless there isn't one at 10 Downing Street and DC needs to go out and buy one with his own money?