Manifesto for England

**MANIFESTO for ENGLAND**

1. Preamble

[1.1] The Daughters of Frya propose a series of constitutional reforms for England inspired by the Oera Linda Book, the historical and mythological chronicle of the Anglo-Frisian peoples. The Angles, Saxons and Jutes, the forebears of the English nation, are three of the ten Frisian tribes described therein, whose traditions these reforms adapt and revive.

[1.2] The reforms shall be instituted by an Act, or Acts, of Parliament, remaining subject to further change, either through subsequent Acts or the operation of Common Law.

[1.3] While recognising that fifteen hundred years, and more, of Christianity have left an indelible mark on English culture, these reforms seek to reclaim England’s pre-Christian heritage. The Church of England and its clergy shall no longer enjoy an established status, which shall instead belong to a female-only Order of Priestesses.

[1.4] England’s new flag shall be the Yule Flag, with a six-spoked Frisian Yule Wheel representing the turning of the year. On a field 3:5, divided in a gyronny of six, blue (#012169) and red (#C8102E), a white saltire (½) and white pale (½), overall on a white roundel (2¾), a black Yule Wheel (2½), comprising a rim (¼) and six spokes (¼).

[1.5] Freedom of expression and belief shall be guaranteed to all citizens, excluding any ideology promoting terrorism, or similarly egregious crimes against society, adherents of which shall be considered guilty of treason and prosecuted accordingly.

2. Counties & Parliament

[2.1] The sovereign unit of governance shall be the County, each, outside the Greater London area, representing one of England’s 38 historic shires, excluding Middlesex. The chief city or town of a County shall be known as the County Borough, where a Citadel shall be built to house an eternally burning flame.

[2.2] An artificial island in the form of a Yule Wheel, 60 miles in diameter, shall be built on the shallowest portion of the Dogger Bank in the North Sea, within England’s Exclusive Economic Zone, to secure economic independence through enhanced food and energy production. As a highly restricted area it shall not be part of any County.

[2.3] Each County shall have an annually elected High Sheriff and a 21-member County Council, responsible for most of the duties of local government. The three Ridings of Yorkshire: West, East and North, shall each have their own High Sheriff and 21-member County Council.

[2.4] Each County or Riding shall elect one or more Members of Parliament (MPs), according to its population, to the House of Commons, with 400 MPs in total. General Elections shall be held every seven years, following which MPs shall elect a Prime Minister from among themselves to form a government, and a Speaker to preside. There shall be no political parties.

[2.5] The Isle of Man and the 13 Counties of Wales shall be governed in a similar fashion to Counties in England, but shall not elect any MPs to the English House of Commons. Wales shall have its own Assembly and First Minister, subject to the English Parliament.

[2.6] The above arrangements shall not apply to Greater London, the boundaries of which shall be extended to the M25 motorway, surrounded by a security barrier. The area enclosed, including Heathrow Airport, shall be designated an international city, governed by a Commissioner appointed by Parliament, and shall not elect any officials or MPs.

3. Priestesses & Judiciary

[3.1] Each County or Riding shall select four young women a year, aged 18, to enter the Order of Priestesses, by means of physical competition. The annual competitions shall take place at the end of School Year 13 (Upper Sixth).

[3.2] Priestesses shall take up residence at the Citadel in their County Borough, wearing only the distinctive white tunics of their Order, and kneeling in worship before its eternal flame for six hours a day, in two watches of three hours each. They shall take vows of vegetarianism, sexual abstinence and the avoidance of all intoxicants.

[3.3] At 25, after serving seven years at their Citadel, Priestesses shall become Elder Priestesses, forming the judiciary of England, and shall also administer the education system. After a seven-year transition period all judges in England shall be Elder Priestesses.

[3.4] Elder Priestesses shall not be restricted to their own County in any of their duties, and those of at least one year’s standing shall be eligible for appointment as High Priestess of any County or Riding. This appointment shall be made by the Folk Mother, the most senior of the High Priestesses and head of the Order.

[3.5] The Folk Mother shall serve as High Priestess of the North Riding of Yorkshire. Her Citadel, with its eternal flame, shall be in York, at the medieval keep known as Clifford’s Tower, which she shall share with the High Priestesses of the West and East Ridings, as her deputies.

[3.6] North Sea Island shall be under the direct supervision of the Folk Mother, and only Priestesses and their support staff shall be allowed there. As the site of Atland, the homeland of the Frisian peoples, the island shall be considered holy ground.

[3.7] The Folk Mother shall preside over the upper chamber of Parliament, known as the House of High Priestesses, which, including the Folk Mother, shall comprise the 40 High Priestesses of England, replacing the current House of Lords and Supreme Court. Welsh High Priestesses shall meet in their own Assembly, subject to the Folk Mother.

[3.8] The House of Commons and the House of High Priestesses shall meet in York, within the ancient city walls, immediately below the Folk Mother’s Citadel at Clifford’s Tower. The City of York, founded in AD 71, shall therefore be England’s new capital.

[3.9] The Folk Mother shall serve for life, or until she chooses to retire, and shall designate her successor from among the other High Priestesses. Failing this, the High Priestesses shall elect one of their own number.

[3.10] All the constitutional rights and duties currently exercised by the monarch, except those relating to the Church of England, shall be assumed by the Folk Mother as Queen Regnant. The Crown Estate shall remain intact.

[3.11] If the Folk Mother has a name borne by a previous Queen Regnant: Matilda, Jane, Mary (×2), Elizabeth (×2), Anne or Victoria, her ordinal number shall reflect this.

4. Education & Citizenship

[4.1] After primary school, all pupils, from the age of 11, shall attend single-sex selective secondary schools, of four types: practical schools, grammar schools, technical schools and creative schools, until the age of 18, that is, until Year 13 (Upper Sixth).

[4.2] At 18 all young women, except those selected as Priestesses, shall join their County Constabulary, for a period of seven years. In addition to police work, their duties shall include serving in the health and social services, and as teachers. They shall undertake tours of duty on North Sea Island, as support staff to the Priestesses.

[4.3] The Constabulary of each County or Riding shall be under the command of its High Priestess, and ultimately of the Folk Mother, the fount of justice.

[4.4] At 18 all young men shall join their County Militia, for a period of seven years. In addition to their military role, constituting England’s armed forces, their duties shall include serving as emergency responders, and as administrators. They shall undertake tours of duty in Greater London, for its security.

[4.5] The Militia of each County or Riding shall be under the command of its High Sheriff, with the Folk Mother as Commander-in-Chief.

[4.6] All service obligations described above shall be compulsory, organised as part of the education system. Those in service shall receive full bed and board in residential accommodation, vocational training, and state funded college or university courses.

[4.7] At 25 all those in service shall be released and given the right to vote. Subsequrnt access to welfare, health care and all other rights of citizenship shall be dependent on having completed their service, according to their abilities. Those in service shall be able, if they wish, to remain in an appropriate service profession after the age of 25 as part of a properly paid career.

[4.8] On current figures, around four million young people, aged 18 to 25, shall be in service at any time, enough to cover all duties of the state, at both national and local levels, replacing all present state employees after a seven-year transition period.

[4.9] British citizenship shall be replaced with a new English citizenship based on descent. Those ineligible for this shall be granted leave to remain in Greater London, with no service obligations, and financial assistance to return to their places of origin.

[4.10] Citizens with four or more children shall be exempted from paying income tax, and those with six or more shall be exempt from council tax.

5. Miscellaneous

[5.1] The newly constituted English state, to be known simply as England, shall retain full legal continuity with the currently existing United Kingdom of Great Britain & Northern Ireland, and the former United Kingdom of Great Britain & Ireland, Kingdom of Great Britain and Kingdom of England, first established by Æthelstan with the Treaty of Eamont Bridge, 12 July 927.

[5.2] The Channel Islands and existing Overseas Territories shall become Protectorates of the English Parliament, with a status analogous to that of the Isle of Man. Scotland and Northern Ireland shall be invited to adopt the same arrangements as Wales, or receive full independence, with their citizens losing the right to live and work in England.

[5.3] Similar invitations shall be offered to Éire, the states, provinces and territories of the United States of America, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, and the three Frisian-speaking districts of Europe: Friesland, Saterland and Nordfriesland.

[5.4] While maintaining friendly relations with allies, England shall adopt a policy of strict neutrality in world affairs, pursuing a programme of full self sufficiency.

[5.5] Self sufficiency in food shall be achieved by the intensive cultivation of wheat and other produce on the pristine land of North Sea Island. Self sufficiency in energy shall be achieved through combining ancient techniques for raising telluric forces with modern scientific research, plus unlimited use of fossil fuels, renewables and nuclear.

[5.6] The Pound Sterling (£) of 100 pence (p) shall remain England’s currency, its value derived from work undertaken by those in service, at a notional fixed rate. The 50p, 20p, 10p and 5p coins shall be labelled as 10 shillings, 4 shillings, 2 shillings and 1 shilling.

[5.7] Imperial units of measurement shall have full legal protection alongside metric ones, and any citizen shall have the right to use either. Both systems shall be taught in schools.

[5.8] England’s national anthem shall be the much loved Jerusalem, words by William Blake and music by Sir Hubert Parry. The Folk Mother’s anthem shall be God Save the Queen (anon.).