The more I have read about the Localism Bill the more I am aware of the vast permanent Constitutional changes it will have on our whole of the way of life in United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and also on its Constitution. Most certainly it will bring about the permanent division of the four Countries that make up the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and therefore its Constitution. Should there be a permanent division of Scotland from the rest of the UK, it will also stand a good chance of breaking up the Commonwealth, this through the Act of Settlement that is entrenched in the Treaty and Act of Union.
England seems to have to bear the brunt of the changes for most certainly it does not escape, for England is to be graced with 12 elected Mayors in local authorities or regions. Although this is named as the Localism Bill, to me its seems more like a Centralism Bill because it seems to confer many more power on to the Secretary of State to issue regulations and orders and to interfere in local affairs. On top of that is the worrying proposal of “shadow Mayors”, now where on earth did THEY come from? Once again the Secretary of State will take powers to appoint some one to a political position in an authority, which sets a very dangerous precedent, and what happens if control changes in the period in which the ‘shadow Mayor’ is in Office, would the Secretary of State appoint a new “shadow Mayor” in such unforeseen circumstances? Would the “shadow Mayor” EXPECT to become the “elected mayor”, and if he/she did not turn out to be the one chosen by the people, expect financial compensation?
People are looking in the direction this Government is pointing them to look to-downwards-they think they are going to ‘have a say’. They are not looking what these changes are making to the United Kingdom as a whole and to their way of life.
Can this Country afford another layer of Governance? Can it afford all the proposed Referendums even? If the Local Council wants a referendum, it could hold one. If the twelve authorities wanted to hold referendum, they could hold them, if 5% of the electorate sign a petition they too could have a referendum. This is not localism, for the Secretary of State would be exercising Centralism when there is a mechanism for both the people and the local authority to call a referendum when and if they want. Where is the money coming from for all this? Is it really localism if the Secretary of State can hold 142 powers for him or herself? NO, because that is consistent with turning it into a Centralism Bill.
Rather surprisingly, most regions will probably object very strongly to paying either in full or in part towards any Fine imposed on the United Kingdom by the EU? I read that the London Borough of Hackney opposes the clauses (31-34) which allow for EU fines to be passed on to local authorities. This is like asking your neighbour to pay your fine for speeding etc. The neighbour may not even have a car, never mind speeding, yet would be expected to pay the fine. However, I did cover this in a previous article on the subject of the Localism Bill.
One paragraph in the Bill had me “foxed” for a little while “As amended in the Public Bill Committee, to be considered. (LOCALISM BILL: Queen’s Consent and Prince of Wales’s Consent to be signified on Third Reading.) So this Bill even touches our Monarch.
See Chapter 7, (A rather long Chapter-not all printed here)
119 Powers of the National Assembly for Wales
See “Crown Interests”, belonging to Her Majesty in right of the Crown, in right of the Duchy of Lancaster, or in right of Her Private Estates. Vested in a Government Department or held in trust for Her Majesty for the purposes of a Government department or © belonging to the Duchy of Cornwall.
Also Chapter 120. Application of this part to the Crown
An amendment made by this Part in—
(a) The Town and country Planning Act 1990
(b) The Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990
(c) The Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act or
(d) The Planning Act 2008
Binds the Crown END of Quote
Yet this Bill and everything in its touches the Crown more than that. Her Majesty is also OUR Head of State, and although we-have made the same mistakes time and time again, electing Political Parties (and Governments) since 1972 that want to remain in the EEC/EC/EU-although in our defence, our Politicians have never made that absolutely clear, OTHER-WISE, NOT SO MANY PEOPLE WOULD HAVE VOTED FOR THEM. Some people saw through the Conservatives last year though, because they should have got into power with a land-slide after Labour, but they didn’t and we now have a Coalition for the first time in living memory.
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The idea of Local Self-Governments comes directly from our own Government. The way that our Country is governed therefore, is obviously by the British Political Party WE elect and actually pay them for Governing us.
Wrong! For our Government takes their orders from the European Union, (Oh yes, all wrapped up nicely in a Treaty) an Organisation whose members are mainly from the Continent of Europe, and most have written Constitutions that allow them to change quite easily to suit whatever occasion. Most have fairly new written Constitutions that came into being after World War II. Our Constitution is not so easily changed, for some parts exist from 1215, Magna Carta, and as this is a Treaty between the British Crown and the people, without their permission it has to remain. Neither Party has been asked, so the easiest route seemed to be to simply “ignore it”. And so that is how matters have remained until this point in time. British Governments since the ratification of that first EU Treaty of Rome as ratified by one Edward Heath have all “ignored” our own Common law Constitution. Yet it is still there, and it is still waiting to be used.
So, the whole idea on Local Governance stems from the European Union. It is certainly all written there in the EU and it does indeed have a “Committee of the Regions” and as the UK is sadly a Member of that Union, it is following its orders that stem from that Union.
Wrong! The EU is also following the Treaties that are laid down in the Council of Europe on Local Governance and a little box is ticked when each country has completed any one of the tasks set for it. So now we have come to understand how it all works, wheels within wheels,
Wrong! For it seems the ones that are masters is the United Nations and yes, there it all is, “Towards a World Charter of local Self Government.” Remember the paragraphs from my previous article on Localism? I place here for you--
“I think perhaps I should mention that registered in the year 2000 in the ‘Statute of the Council of Europe’ on page 29 is this little Gem, “Statutory Resolution (2000)1 relating to the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of Europe. (CLRAE) Adopted by the Committee of Ministers on 15 March 2000 at the 702nd meeting of the Ministers' Deputies) All in keeping with what I am writing about today. All planned then. The UK’s Localism Bill that is going through our Parliament now, in 2011”.
“From the Council of Europe. Article 3 1. The CLRAE shall be composed of representatives holding a local or regional authority electoral mandate or a mandate as a person directly responsible to an elected local or regional body. Delegates shall be appointed according to the criteria and procedure established in the Charter, which will be adopted by the Committee of Ministers, each State ensuring in particular an equitable representation of its various types of local and regional authorities”. End of quotes.
Here now from the United Nations on the subject, under the section “The Precedent of the European Charter of Local Self-Government” is more or less the same paragraph,
“It took, however, until the late 1970s for this call to be answered, with the preparation by the Standing Conference of Local and Regional Authorities of Europe (known as CLRAE), the official representative institution for the local and regional levels of government within the Council of Europe, of a Draft European Charter of Local Self-Government. This text was formulated, following detailed study by a representative committee with the assistance of a group of experts on constitutional law, on the legal basis of a European Convention, and was adopted by the CLRAE in 1981 and referred to the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe for action. Approval of the principle of such a Convention was secured from the 5th Conference of European Ministers responsible for Local Government in 1982, and the text proposed by the CLRAE was then referred to a committee of senior officials of the Member States for detailed scrutiny (with the participation of local government representatives appointed by the CLRAE).End of Quotes.
I do know-without doubt, that if our UK Localism Bill goes through, with its permanency, our way of life as we have known it, will never be the same again. If anyone thinks there is unrest in this Country, divisions now, this is only the beginning of those divisions and sadly brought about by our very own Politicians. And, like Humpty Dumpty when he fell off the Wall, our Country will never ever be put together again. The only question that remains is, did he fall, or was he pushed.
All this has obviously been planned out over many years. Generously we could say that this might have been thought a way of keeping the peace. If that be so, why the secrecy? Why not be straight with the people and tell them what it is all about. Why are our leaders not proud of what they are doing on our behalf? Is it simply because none of this is in keeping with the solemn Oaths of Allegiance they make again when they take their place in those once proud to work in, Houses of Parliament?
Is it perhaps because each country will be bound, permanently bound together and therefore would not fight or make war? Sadly, it does not happen like that at all, we only have to read the daily paper to know that or watch the news on our Televisions to realise that. Every Country’s way of life is different, and those ways should be recognised and respected. Working with each other but never governed by them.
I am from a era that went through the last war when Hitler tried to destroy this Country, yes and, as the saying goes, was "bombed to Hell" because we lived by Barton Bridge over the Manchester Ship Canal and the Great Power Station and Aqueduct. So many, many died in that war, but what for? Now, sadly unless they wake up in time, our own elected Politicians are doing what Hitler wanted to do, but from what I am reading now- that dream has taken another turn for we are looking at World Government and this is just the first step towards it. Many more will have to die long before their time, to complete it.
A Very Concerned British Citizen.
Council of Europe. Signing up to the Localism Bill-=European Charter of Local Self-Government.
http://conventions.coe.int/treaty/Commun/ListeDeclarations.asp?NT=122&CM=&DF=&CL=ENG&VL=1
This is the one with the signatures on UK right at the end.
http://conventions.coe.int/Treaty/Commun/ChercheSig.asp?NT=122&CM=8&DF=8/1/2006&CL=ENG
Full List of Treaties
http://conventions.coe.int/Treaty/Commun/ListeTraites.asp?CM=8&CL=ENG
Remaining orders and notices in Parliament
http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm/cmfbusi/c01.htm
Part referring to the Crown
http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201011/cmbills/161/11161.104-110.html#j810
Habitat-Towards a World Charter of Local Self-Government