Wessex Regionalist Party

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The Wessex Regionalist Party is a minor English political party that seeks some degree of legislative and administrative home rule for the area known as Wessex, in the south-west of England.

The party has contested Wessex-area constituencies in most elections since they were established, but with little success. In the 2005 general election, the party contested one seat, Dorset South, and received 83 votes.

According to its Electoral Commission records it is led by John Banks, and had income of £100 (including £95 subscriptions), and expenditure of £35.52, for the year 2004, in which it contested no elections. In the year 2005, it had an income of £96, and an expenditure of £25. [link]

Goals

The party was formed by Alexander Thynn in 1974 in response to growing demands for home rule in both Scotland and Wales. The party argues that if power is devolved in those two parts of the United Kingdom, then the royal government should become a federal system that devolves power to the English regions as well.

After a number of years' informal existence, the party organisation was constituted in 1981.

The 1982 constitutional policy document, The Statute of Wessex, details those powers which the party believes should be devolved to a Wessex parliament or "witan", with between 150 and 230 members. The list, reproduced below, is modelled largely on the powers which were exercised by the devolved administration in Northern Ireland between 1922 and 1974. Current policy is that the powers devolved should be "broadly" those of the Scottish Parliament, though the list below remains the only comprehensive statement.

The party has actively participated in the Wessex Constitutional Convention since its establishment. The party's political ambitions are roughly equivalent to those of Mebyon Kernow's proposals for the future of Cornwall.

The party opposes abandoned plans by the British government to give South West England some form of assembly along the lines of the London Assembly because the proposed Eastern boundary of the region would leave out the heart of Wessex, Hampshire, including its traditional capital, Winchester as well as bisect the Cotswolds Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The plans would have also divided two major transport corridors, the M4 corridor and the South Coast Metropole, which the party argues would have adverse economic effects.

Powers which the Wessex Regionalists would devolve to a Wessex Parliament

Legislative and executive powers which would be devolved

1. Local government: designation of boundaries, allocation of functions, financial provisions
2. Health*
3. Housing and environmental services
4. Social welfare
5. Education, culture and sport
6. Roads and road transport*
7. Planning Inspectorate functions
8. Tourism
9. The Fire Service
10. Agriculture, forestry and food*
11. Police*
12. Magistrates and county courts
13. Administrative tribunals*
14. Correctional facilities

• = Asterisked items would involve some cooperation with central government and/or other regions

Executive powers which would be devolved while legislative powers remained with central government

15. Trade and industry
16. Rail, air and water transport
17. Employment services, including vocational training
18. Fisheries and exploitation of Continental Shelf
19. Radio and television
20. Civil defence

Legislative and executive powers which would remain with central government

21. Defence, except for civil defence
22. Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs
23. Appointment of judges and administration of superior courts of law
24. Citizenship and nationality
25. Posts and telecommunications
26. Currency and banking
27. Weights and measures, Highway Code and other national and international standards
28. Trade Union and company law, regulation of chartered and incorporated bodies
29. Funding of Research Associations
30. Social Security benefits and pensions

How the party defines Wessex

The party currently uses Thomas Hardy's definition of Wessex as consisting of the traditional counties of Berkshire, Devon, Dorset, Hampshire (which includes the Isle of Wight), Somerset and Wiltshire. The party is currently considering a proposal to add Gloucestershire and Oxfordshire to this list, which would bring their definition into line with that used by the Wessex Constitutional Convention and the Wessex Society.

UK General Election candidates

Election
Candidate
Constituency
Votes


1974 (Feb)
Alexander Thynn
Westbury
521


1979
Colin Bex
Windsor & Maidenhead
251



Henrietta Rous
Devon North
50



Gwendoline Ewen
Dorset West
192



Michael Mahoney
Winchester
392



Alexander Thynn
Wells
155



Anthony Mockler
Devizes
142



Tom Thatcher
Westbury
1905


1983
Anthony Mockler
Wantage
183



Colin Bex
Windsor & Maidenhead
68



Henrietta Rous
Devon West & Torridge
113



David Fox
Dorset North
294



Simon Winkworth
Winchester
155



Adam Stout
Wansdyke
213



David Robins
Woodspring
177



Gwendoline Ewen
Devizes
234



Maya Kemp
Salisbury
182



John Banks
Westbury
131


1997
Colin Bex
Portsmouth North
72


2001
Colin Bex
Wells
167



Henrietta Rous
Winchester
66


2005
Colin Bex
Dorset South
83

European Election candidates

Election	Candidate	Constituency	Votes
1979	Alexander Thynn	Wessex	1706
1984	Henrietta Rous	Devon	659
1989	Gwendoline Ewen	Bristol	1017
	Henrietta Rous	Devon	385
	Anthony Mockler	Somerset & Dorset West	930

External link

• [Wessex Regionalists Website]

 

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