Celebrating 'Little Englanders' and a 'working class hero'

"We may be proud that England is the ancient country of Parliaments. With scarcely any intervening period, Parliaments have met constantly for 600 years, and there was something of a Parliament before the Conquest. England is the mother of Parliaments." - John Bright

Just sitting down researching some source material for an article I want to write on the term 'Little Englander'.

I can tell you already that the article I'm researching will be a reclaiming article - one where being a 'Little Englander' is something to be proud of rather than a fair phrase of insult.

The given definition of the term is as follows:

"someone who thinks that people in England should concentrate on English affairs and that foreign countries should not be allowed to influence what happens in England."

Nothing in that which offends me... all sounds rather sensible.

So, just roaming through a few articles on 19th century politics - and at this juncture, I'll break away from anticipating that which is not yet written.

I was most interested to find that, in late-2008, the Conservative MPs Bill Cash and Richard Shepherd were to visit Birmingham together to pay tribute to and make celebration of the radical politician John Bright.

As Bill Cash explains: "[John Bright] was the author of modern democracy and parliamentary reform, now undermined by our subservience to domination by European legislation and the refusal of a Referendum and the unbridled irresponsible use of the whip system in every nook and cranny of the palace of Westminster. He would never have tolerated any of this."

That Bill Cash and Richard Shepherd should have wished to honour John Bright does not come as any great surprise. Those who read Hansard or who watch proceedings in Parliament on TV or over the internet will note that both Cash and Shepherd are incredible orators; both understand the important part of our Parliament; both have very important things to say about democracy.

When I have the pleasure of listening to Bill Cash or Richard Shepherd speak - two great Statesmen for whom I would not hesitate in voting - I feel very strongly that, while I may not agree with them on everything and nor should I feel that I may, they do appreciate those very great concerns that a humble and frustrated member of the public feels about having no democratic voice while an overbearing State increasingly oppresses free speech and liberty.

In that, one must look to the reforms that John Bright was instrumental in bringing about.

Perhaps the most important is summarised by The Stirrer, which notes:

"He successfully campaigned to extend the vote to skilled working men in towns. In the middle of the 19th Century only a limited number of men (and no women) had the vote. John Bright wanted all men to vote because only in this way did he feel that we would get a government which was responsive to the needs and wishes of the people. The result was the Reform Act of 1867 passed by Disraeli which gave the vote to skilled working men in the towns."

That the circle has turned should be a cause for concern. And in that, a period of 'Little Englander' mentality - sorting out our own house - might be a very sensible thing indeed.