The Time Party Lands Proposal
Outline reasoning for a new regional structure
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a sovereign nation state comprising four constituent countries: England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. The Time Party is committed to preserving the Union.
However constitutionally power exists in “silos” and it must be brought closer to the people. At present, there is a national UK parliament at Westminster, a devolved regional Scottish parliament at Holyrood, a devolved regionalWelsh Assembly at Cardiff, and a devolved regional Northern Ireland Assembly at Stormont.
The lack of a regional structure for England is an anomaly which must be addressed.
The Time Party seeks to further devolve power from the opaque and archane beast that is “Westminster”, and the civil service dynaasty known collectively as “Whitehall”, by re-empowering the people of the varying and differing parts of the UK via a change in the constitutional structure, not just an English Parliament as some propose.
The issues facing Birmigham, Newcastle, Plymouth and Dover, to pick just a few examples, are very different, and need local bodies with enough power, close to the people they represent, to tackle the specific challenges they each face.
The Time Party’s Lands proposal will bring government closer to the people and increase engagement, transparency and the ability of local representatives to improve their regions.
You can read how these ‘federal’ regions might work here.
You can see how we currently propose Lands to be structured on the individual Lands pages in the menu or sidebar.
The rationale is rational :
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There are numerous countries in the world, including the USA, Germany, Australia, India, Austria, Canada and Malaysia, already using a similar structure.
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Berlin, Bavaria and Saxony are states of Germany, but few would claim that Berliners, Bavarians or Saxons are not Germans. Queensland and Tasmania are states of Australia but few would claim that Queenslanders or Tasmanians are not Australians.
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Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have a considerable degree of autonomy already as a result of devolution. However, England has not. The Time Party acknowledges that this anomaly should now be addressed.
The Time Party believes that far too much decision-making power and influence rests with Westminster and Whitehall and that the UK should be rearranged into autonomous territories, called “Lands”.
The Lands will have tax-raising powers and control over many of the responsibilities held at present by Westminster and Whitehall. This will increase local accountability, empower the people of the United Kingdom and bring employment to all parts of the UK.
One of the many responsibilities of the Lands would be to develop Land-owned banks, regulated by the Bank of England, with the potential for offices in all major towns and cities within the confines of their Land borders. These will offer long-term loans, of up to 30 years' duration, to reputable and expanding local industrial and commercial enterprises. These banks will be prohibited from making investments, either directly or indirectly, in unsafe or disreputable markets.