“’William Barnes, you say? What possible relevance could he have today?’ ‘Well, I suppose people who like Dorset might be interested, or some local historian or Wessex regionalist, but as for me…’. So goes the reasoning of many. It is false reasoning…”Fr Andrew Phillips (2003), in the foreword to a reprint of Barnes’ Views ofContinueContinue reading “Whose Poet?”
Tag Archives: England
Whose England?
Smile at us, pay us, pass us; but do not quite forget.For we are the people of England, that never have spoken yet.G.K. Chesterton, The Secret PeopleTen years ago last month a petition of 50,000 signatures calling for a Cornish Assembly was delivered to Downing Street, to the home of a Prime Minister renowned forContinueContinue reading “Whose England?”
Dancing To Our Own Tune
In yesterday’s Western Daily Press, Veronica Newman of the Campaign for an English Parliament wrote that “One of the arguments often raised against the establishment of an English parliament is that it would be playing into the hands of the European Union… dividing the UK into bite-sized chunks for the delectation of Brussels.” It’s delightfullyContinueContinue reading “Dancing To Our Own Tune”
We & They
Our website currently includes a page of links to movements for autonomy among our neighbours – the Cornish, the Welsh and, within England, the Mercians. Our southern neighbours the Bretons and, within France, the Normans, are not neglected either. In a Wessex-centred perspective, within the Europe of Regions, we have no false loyalties to widerContinueContinue reading “We & They”
The Rotten Parliament
The campaign to allow MPs to continue to represent real communities, shaped by geography, history and culture, has a growing following. It even has its own Facebook page.The so-called ‘Conservative’ Party and its glove-puppet partners remain steadfastly committed to ripping up our history in the name of ‘fairness’. It really is no defence to sayContinueContinue reading “The Rotten Parliament”
England. A.K.A. London?
We do not argue that Wessex is not English but we do argue that there is a debate to be had about the governance of England. A unified England is a centralised England – in many ways still a Norman England – and one that in practice is run largely for London’s benefit, not ours.TakeContinueContinue reading “England. A.K.A. London?”
Cornwall Points the Way
Among all the commentary from the London media about the results from the 4 June elections, it is possible that a few facts about Cornwall may have escaped widespread notice.In the Euro election, Mebyon Kernow – the Party for Cornwall took 7% of the vote across the Cornwall counting area. In many parts of midContinueContinue reading “Cornwall Points the Way”
Free is Cheaper
According to Alan Cochrane in the Daily Telegraph recently, “Alex Salmond is walking on water”. The drive displayed by the SNP administration at Holyrood has in equal measure astonished the Scots and enraged the English. Why can we not have the same standard of public services now available north of the border? Well, we can.ContinueContinue reading “Free is Cheaper”
Happy King Alfred’s Day
Australians are often characterised as having little time for monarchy but there are folk down under who celebrate King Alfred’s Day. If they can do it, why do we in Alfred’s own land pay so little attention to the greatest ruler in our history?King Alfred died on 26th October 899. It’s the one important eventContinueContinue reading “Happy King Alfred’s Day”
Wessex Regionalists 