Campaign for the English Regions

This email was sent out to all CfER supporters.

Subject: CFER-POWER 2010

To CFER Supporters and Contacts.

More than ever we need a New Politics.We have to to keep working for devolution as part of a new UK wide Constitution. Of particular concern is what is emerging and what could result from the the so called Power 2010 project. See www.power2010.org.uk/vote.

This is a fully funded and led Rowntree Reform Trust initiative which purports to be seeking to identify through a deliberative public consultation process what should be a top five list of measures to "Change UK Democracy.Its immediate goal is to get as many as possible of newly elected MP,s to sign up to the five measures which it intends to put on a pledge card.Also we understand Rowntree will use results to determine its priorities for future funding and constitutional reform initiatives.

CFER has a number of concerns with the process and the way it is going.A number of measures proposed by CFER officers have been included while others have been excluded from the list on which voting is taking place and it is possible voting is being highly influenced by anti devolution interests.

We are however very concerned that there is a real possibility English Votes for English Laws will get into the top five which we believe would further undermine any new initiative to devolve power to the English Regions and the very Local.This needs to be headed off.

Please not to vote for this.We need you to back the call for a new written Constitution, proportional voting and an all elected Regionally based second Chamber.A written constitution would give us the opportunity to establish what are the functions and make up of Westminster, Regional and Local Government and give the English Regions and local communities a fairer deal.

We need to vote in a way that is pro devolution and knock the English Votes on English Laws out of the top five.Please therefore vote for "A fully elected second Chamber" which is not currently in the top five,but would require some electoral system which treats the English Regions on an equal basis to Scotland , Wales and N.Ireland.

Please encourage others to do likewise.

It should be noted that the Campaign for the English Regions was funded by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation and Unison. They are/were not the 'grassroots' organisation as stated on their now defunct website. As soon as the funding dried up their website vanished.

Vote for English Votes on English Laws here.