national links

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England

“England is also entitled to its own cultural and political identity. The cultural identity of the English has been submerged by a history of dominating the United Kingdom and the world, such that the common people of England have been persuaded that in return for status as subjects of a King or Queen-Emperor, they somehow shared the glory of that Empire. In fact England, like Scotland and Wales is the colony that never secured its own liberation from that monarchical power.” - Tony Benn

The Campaign for an English Parliament ~ “An English Parliament will re-establish the national identity of the people of England, will devolve power democratically to the people of England, will give them the constitutional right and opportunity to discuss and decide matters which affect England and will bring government closer and make it more accountable to the People of England.”

Communist Party of Britain ~ “for peace and socialism”. The official Communist Party in the UK, being the successor to the CPGB. The CPB’s manifesto, Britain’s Road to Socialism, is supportive of Scottish and Welsh devolution - calling for greater economic powers - and is supportive of a Cornish Assembly. The latest edition of the BRS advocates democratically-elected regional assemblies, which have now been rejected as a form of devolution in England, though it is conceded that demands for a national English parliament and a federal republic may arise.

English Claim of Right ~ “We do hereby acknowledge the sovereign right of the English people to determine the form of Government best suited to their needs. We call for the holding of a national English Constitutional Convention to determine the way forward for a revised constitutional settlement for England.” Sign it.

English Constitutional Convention ~ “The purpose of the English Constitutional Convention is to promote the debating and the making of proposals for a just and fair constitutional settlement for all the people of England.” A follow up to the successful Scottish Constitutional Convention, I suppose.

English Democrats Party ~ the most significant English nationalist party; has fraternal ties to the Scottish Nationalist Party. Unlike Celtic nationalism’s tendency towards social democracy, English nationalism is generally rightist; however, though the English Democrats would be described as conservative on social matters, they favour a mixed economy and the nationalisation of industries and utilities of strategic importance to the national economy.

Green Party ~ Quite left-wing these days, supporting strikes and calling for re-nationalisation of the railways and the electricity, gas, and water utilities; still lacking a class perspective, although thanks to the Green Left there is a strong anti-capitalist streak. Note that this is the Green Party of England and Wales, but since there is a “semi-autonomous regional party” in Wales, the reality of devolution means it is effectively the Green Party of England. The Greens support regional assemblies in England, rather than an English parliament.

Independent Working Class Association ~ “has been established to promote and celebrate the political independence of the working class, and to pursue the political and economic interests of that class with no consideration for, and regardless of, the consequences to the existing political and economic structures.” Founded in 1995, the IWCA became an official political party in 2001 and can boast a handful of councillors, despite having a membership of around 300, because of the party’s orientation towards the communities in which members live and work.

Respect Renewal ~ “Respect is a radical political alternative to the rightward march of new Labour and the other establishment parties. Although it grew out of the mass opposition to the war on Iraq, it is far from just an anti-war or social justice party. A vote for Respect is a crucial step towards the creation of a new radical working-class voice that will speak for millions who, through the betrayals of New Labour, have lost their political representation.”

Socialist Labour Party ~“The Socialist Labour Party was launched at its first congress on 1 May 1996. It was initiated by leading trade unionists and campaign activists following the final abandonment by Tony Blair’s New Labour of any commitment to progressive change for socialism in Britain. However, the new Party represents far more than just a reaction to developments in the Labour Party. The SLP aims to build on the heritage of all the movements of resistance to the free-market offensive in Britain over the past two decades. In particular, it is the political heir of the year-long miner’s strike of 1984-5 and the tremendous movement of solidarity it inspired in all sections of British society.”

Socialist Party ~ Formerly the Militant Tendency, back in the days when they pursued entrism in the Labour Party. A member of the Committee for a Workers’ International, an association of Trotskyist parties globally. Like the Greens, this is formally the Socialist Party of England and Wales, but since there is the Socialist Party Wales, the SPEW is effectively the SPE. The Socialist Party is a member of the Stop the War Coalition and heads the Campaign for a New Workers’ Party.

Scotland

Campaign for Socialism ~ “the left organisation of the Scottish Labour Party”.

Scottish Committee of the Communist Party of Britain ~ The Scottish subsidiary of the CPB. Does not advocate independence – yet.

Scottish Green Party ~ Pro-independence; currently in a minority coalition government with the SNP in the Scottish parliament.

Scottish Independence Convention ~ “We exist to further the cause of restoring Scotland’s independence. Our platform draws together all the disparate groups, parties, organisations, politicians and individuals, in Scotland and beyond, who share this one basic, democratic objective.”

Scottish National Party ~ Centre-left and pro-capitalist, the SNP campaigns for independence from the UK government and is currently in power in Scotland.

Scottish Socialist Party ~ Radical anti-capitalist pro-independence party.

Solidarity – the Scottish Socialist Movement ~ The party that emerged out of the SSP split over the Tommy Sheridan libel case.

Young Scots For Independence ~ “a youth organisation set up to campaign for Scottish Independence through the Scottish National Party (SNP). It is independent of, though affiliated to, the SNP. This means YSI policy can sometimes differ from that of the SNP - an internal democracy which the Nationalist movement can be proud of.”

Wales

Plaid Cymru – the Party of Wales ~ Committed to “decentralist socialism” and Welsh self-government.

Socialist Party Wales ~ Former Militant Tendency, now “regional” organisation of the Socialist Party of England and Wales.

Wales Green Party ~ The “semi-autonomous regional party” of the Green Party of England and Wales.

Welsh Communist Party ~ Part of the Communist Party of Britain.

Cornwall

Campaign for a Cornish Assembly – Senedh Kernow ~ website of the Cornish Constitutional Convention. Established in 2000, it is not campaigning for independence, merely devolved government.

The Cornish Democrat ~ “Democracy For One And All”. Philip Hosking’s blog is a useful guide to the cultural, constitutional, and political situation in Cornwall.

Cornish Green Party ~ “Bagas Gwer Kernewek [...] is the umbrella for all the local Green Party groups across Cornwall.”

Mebyon Kernow – The Party for Cornwall ~ “is a progressive political party, campaigning for greater self-government for Cornwall. Our agenda is based around four important cornerstones; we are Cornish, Green, Left-of-centre and decentralist.”

U. ex- of A.

Lakotah

Lakotah Oyate ~ “For a Free & Independent Lakotah Nation”

Republic of Lakotah ~ “We are the freedom loving Lakotah from the Sioux Indian reservations of Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota and Montana who have suffered from cultural and physical genocide in the colonial apartheid system we have been forced to live under. [...] During the week of December 17-19, 2007, we traveled to Washington DC and withdrew from the constitutionally mandated treaties to become a free and independent country. We are alerting the Family of Nations we have now reassumed our freedom and independence with the backing of Natural, International, and United States law.”

Vermont

FreeVermont.Net ~ “is a self-organizing network built of, by, and for Vermonters of all political persuasions interested in advocating Vermont’s peaceable secession from the U.S. Empire through the annual town meeting process.”

The Second Vermont Republic ~ “a nonviolent citizens’ network and think tank opposed to the tyranny of Corporate America and the U.S. government, and committed to the peaceful return of Vermont to its status as an independent republic and more broadly the dissolution of the Union.”