Letter published in the Oxford Mail, 21 June 2007

SCOTTISH TAIL

The tail is wagging the dog and no one seems to care - no-one in a position of power, at any rate.
As Tom Waterhouse pointed out (Oxford Mail, June 13), there is growing resentment among English people about the way they are being treated by the British Parliament (led almost exclusively by Scots).

Now, in the last few days, since Mr Waterhouse's letter, two more iniquities have been dumped on us from on high.

Scottish university students - with students from every other EU country studying in Scotland - no longer have to pay fees, whereas English students, even those attending Scottish universities, are saddled with thousands of pounds of debts, whether they graduate or not.
Secondly, we are now told that the drug Macugen, which could save the sight of up to 26,000 people a year in the UK, is not to be available on the NHS in England, while it is still free in Scotland.

Add this to the growing number of drugs that the Scots get free but the English don't - Aricept, Reminyl, Exelon, for Alzheimer's; Velcade, for bone and marrow cancer; Gliadel, for brain tumours; Alimta, for mesothelioma; Tarceva, for lung cancer; Bonviva, Fosavance, for osteoporosis; Erbitux, for head and neck cancer.

Is this not grossly inequitable, not to say iniquitous?

How are they getting away with it? Because England has no representation, as Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland do.

Without our own Parliament, the English are being wagged more and more by the Scottish tail.
You can't really blame them - they are allowed to get away with it, Scot free!
Surely it's time to demand an English Parliament? We are the only country in Europe - or anywhere else in the West - that doesn't have one.

I suggest getting in touch with the Campaign for an English Parliament at www.thecep.org.uk and the English Democrats at www.englishdemocrats.org.uk

ALAN MYNALL, Radley