England, an emerging political force in Europe The emergence of constitutional issues A combination of events, largely related to the poor handling of constitutional questions in the European Union and within the United Kingdom, has provided an impetus for a resurgence of a more open and less traditional view of politics. The more traditional political parties in Britain are still hanging on to their so-called core values whereas the debate of real issues of concern, the questioning of party priorities and the setting on new agendas has moved away from their grasp. The failure of the process of ratification of the draft European constitution focused people’s attention on the lack of participation by the people of Europe in the drafting process. The whole status of the document rapidly eroded as more people acknowledged that it was a rushed job by enthusiasts keen to come to closure on a constitutional agreement. People have now recognized that it was more concerned with institutional status and relationships than with bringing a more participatory democracy to Europe. This sense of disappointment has resulted in matters of constitution being raised within the context of the needs of people as opposed to those of institutions, governments and, for that matter, political parties. The question of nation states Tracing through the impacts of Europe within the United Kingdom the European regions neatly classified under the EU NUTS regions are being perceived under the New Labour government’s clumsy efforts at devolution to be dismembering England as a country.  Increasing numbers of people in England have realized that, unless action is taken, the country will be obliterated, not as the result of a war, but as a result of manipulations by the jaundiced hands of faceless bureaucrats and wily ministers of state. Ministers who, it is being realized, place the status of their political party over that of country.The Blair government failed to respond to a question raised in the 1970s as to the fairness of Scottish MPs being able to vote in the Scottish Parliament and the Westminster Parliament and thereby influencing Scottish and English affairs whilst the English MPs did not have the same freedom. Several recent changes in the law were forced through by Scottish and Welsh Labour MPs so as to impact England which they did not force through in Scotland or Wales. The English population provides financial subsidies to the populations of Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales directly and yet the English themselves receive far lower direct government transfers. The English becoming tired of being marginalised It is paradoxical that within the United Kingdom the majority segment of the population, the English, is being proactively marginlised. In continental Europe, the current name of the game is for minorities to be marginalized. This imbalance in approach, this lack of fairness does not say much either for the European Treaties nor does it conjure up confidence in any Guardianship of the Treaties. The resurgence in English politics Under the circumstances it is to be expected that political movements with an English accent are developing rapidly. All will no doubt reject any further consolidation of a political European Union and could indeed, move to reverse this evolution. For example, the English Democrats (EDP) are a relatively new party which favours European co-operation and trade but not a European political entity which it considers to undermine the independence, sovereignty, and democratic institutions of European states. Along with other English constitutionalists the EDP see the Union to have been a largely Franco-German exercise which has successfully, so far, enmeshed the states of Europe in an economic, political and military union from which they could not break free. They consider this goal to have been and still to be considered more important than the democratic nicety of explaining the goal to the electorate and seeking its approval. The EU under attack The English Democrats, based on the English experience, do not consider that the states of the EU can be successfully run as either an economic or social whole. They consider their economic and cultural circumstances are very different with each needing to be governed in a way which accords not only with material needs but also with the democratic, cultural and other traditions of the indigenous nations. The EDP rejects the one-size-fits-all approach of EU institutions, considering it to be a recipe for disaster and so far, English experience confirms this. The EDP considers the EU to be part of the problem and not the solution to such issues as the need for  the people of Europe and their unique cultures to be protected by democratic nation-states from the excesses of global corporations, global institutions and the global economy. The EU is considered to have become a top heavy and outdated bureaucratic hulk which is unsuited to modern requirements. The EDP favours a fundamental re-negotiation to bring the European Union organisation back to the trading organisation which the 1975 UK referendum authorized. The EDP will seek a referendum authorisation from the people of England on withdrawal from the EU if no satisfactory re-negotiation can be achieved. Why the EDP should be taken seriously The difference between the EDP and other British political parties, including the UKIP, is that it is focused on the English who make up majority of the population of the UK. It addresses the evolving and real issues which face the English in particular, without being distracted by Irish, Welsh or Scottish questions. The Conservatives, a Unionist party, has its hands tied by its own dogma, the Labour Party has done most damage to the English and the Liberal democrats have not understood the full significance of the emerging sense of injustice felt by the English. Observers and commentators expect the EDP to gain strength rapidly. European Options has a sister site which deals exclusively with English-specific constitutional issues which can be accessed here: http://www.realnews-online.com  European Options and Real News Online are both members of the independent media group Agence Presse Européenne whose global media portal can be accessed here: http://www.apeurope.org.