Wessex Constitutional Convention
Encyclopedia
The Wessex Constitutional Convention is an all-party pressure group, in the United Kingdom
, devoted to pursuing a degree of self-government for Wessex
. It has the following stated aims:
The Convention was formed in Exeter
, on 19 May 2001, in response to the perceived failure of the South West Constitutional Convention, meeting earlier that day, to allow genuine dialogue on the issue of regional boundaries. From then until the start of 2005 it published a quarterly newsletter, Wessex Voice, and led the production of The Case for Wessex, the joint response of the Wessex movement to the regional governance White Paper, Your Region, Your Choice.
From 2003-2005, the Convention actively participated in the Continuing Commission on the South, set up by the political think-tank "Devolve!" and chaired by former regions minister Dr. Alan Whitehead
, MP
. More recently, it has again taken an independent line in presenting evidence to the House of Commons ODPM Select Committee and the Examination in Public into the draft Regional Spatial Strategy for the South West.
In 2007 the organisation called for Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex
to support a proposal to change the name of the Second Severn Crossing
to the "Earl of Wessex Bridge".
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, devoted to pursuing a degree of self-government for Wessex
Wessex
The Kingdom of Wessex or Kingdom of the West Saxons was an Anglo-Saxon kingdom of the West Saxons, in South West England, from the 6th century, until the emergence of a united English state in the 10th century, under the Wessex dynasty. It was to be an earldom after Canute the Great's conquest...
. It has the following stated aims:
- To achieve the broadest consensus on the form of self-government appropriate for Wessex.
- To campaign for the implementation of that consensus at the earliest possible opportunity.
- To oppose the continuing partition of Wessex between the 'South-West' and 'South-East' regions.
- To promote as Wessex the area comprising the eight traditional counties of Berkshire, Devon, Dorset, Hampshire, Oxfordshire, Gloucestershire, Somerset and Wiltshire, subject to addition or subtraction according to popular wish.
The Convention was formed in Exeter
Exeter
Exeter is a historic city in Devon, England. It lies within the ceremonial county of Devon, of which it is the county town as well as the home of Devon County Council. Currently the administrative area has the status of a non-metropolitan district, and is therefore under the administration of the...
, on 19 May 2001, in response to the perceived failure of the South West Constitutional Convention, meeting earlier that day, to allow genuine dialogue on the issue of regional boundaries. From then until the start of 2005 it published a quarterly newsletter, Wessex Voice, and led the production of The Case for Wessex, the joint response of the Wessex movement to the regional governance White Paper, Your Region, Your Choice.
From 2003-2005, the Convention actively participated in the Continuing Commission on the South, set up by the political think-tank "Devolve!" and chaired by former regions minister Dr. Alan Whitehead
Alan Whitehead
Alan Patrick Vincent Whitehead is a British Labour Party politician who has been the Member of Parliament for Southampton Test since 1997.-Early life:...
, MP
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
. More recently, it has again taken an independent line in presenting evidence to the House of Commons ODPM Select Committee and the Examination in Public into the draft Regional Spatial Strategy for the South West.
In 2007 the organisation called for Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex
Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex
Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex KG GCVO is the third son and fourth child of Elizabeth II and The Duke of Edinburgh...
to support a proposal to change the name of the Second Severn Crossing
Second Severn Crossing
The Second Severn Crossing is a bridge which carries the M4 motorway over the River Severn between England and Wales, inaugurated on 5 June 1996 by HRH The Prince of Wales to augment the traffic capacity of the original Severn Bridge built in 1966...
to the "Earl of Wessex Bridge".