Campaign to 'claw back' democracy for Monmouthshire » Local Government » 24dash.com

The English Democrats are starting their campaign to claw back democracy for the people of Monmouthshire.

They will be starting a mass leafleting campaign to tell the electorate what they should have been democratically consulted about 34 years ago.

Fred Bishop, one of the campaign organisers for the English Democrats, said: "The people of Monmouthshire were robbed and for 34 years the self-interest of all the British national parties has denied Monmouthshire its right of self-determination.

"Of the 50% in Monmouthshire who voiced their opinion in 1997, 68% voted against the setting up of a Welsh Assembly.  In other words 82% either voted against or were not convinced that Wales should devolve from England.

"!So, despite intense political and media pressure, less than 1 in 6 were convinced by the unequal argument to say yes.

"The English Democrats take the view that this is because large numbers of people in Monmouthshire still think of themselves as being English."

He also said: "In 1974, when Monmouthshire was secretly and undemocratically ceded to Wales the electorate were deliberately kept in ignorance. Those involved recognised that, had the word gone out, there would have been such massive protest that their ambitions would have been dashed and Monmouthshire would have remained in England.

"The people of Monmouthshire were callously dismissed from the decision making process and justice now demands that they have the democratic opportunity of righting that wrong?

Robin Tilbrook, Chairman of the English Democrats, added: "The English Democrats will be putting up candidates in the coming Welsh Assembly elections in May. 

"Our campaign is for a referendum for the people of the traditional County of Monmouthshire to be able democratically to vote on the question of whether they wish their nationality to be Welsh or English?"

Under the Local Government Act 1972, the use of Monmouthshire for local government and ceremonial purposes ended on April 1, 1974, although it remains in use as a general geographic area and for other purposes, such as a vice county for biological recording.

A local government principal area named Monmouthshire was created on April 1, 1996, covering the eastern 60% of the historic county.