24 DECEMBER 1977, Page 17

Independence for England

Sir: Ferdinand Mount (26 November) is wrong in saying that the English don't care about devolution. In fact most of those I have spoken to are enthusiastic about the idea of an English assembly or even an independent England. The difficulty is getting any discussion about the possibilities on the Celt-dominated media. Always devolution for England is discussed as being simply the slicing up of the country into 'regions' like a salami sausage. Naturally there is no enthusiasm for this at all.

The obsession with class and black-white relations in the 'British' media can also be attributed to this. They are just red herrings to distract attention from the real point — the fears of the many white settlers in the English homeland, Celts and others as to what would happen to them should the English once more gain control of their own homeland.

The debris of a collapsed Empire may be thick on the ground in England but the English are still here and will not remain under it for ever.

Victor Redford 42 Long Ridge House, West Wood Hill, London SE26