136-640: The Mayoral Council for England is a political body in England that brings together ministers from the UK Government , the Mayor of London , and combined authority mayors . UK prime minister David Cameron proposed in 2012 that England's directly elected mayors sit within an "English Cabinet of Mayors", giving them the opportunity to share ideas and represent their regions at English national level. This proposed cabinet of mayors would have been chaired by
272-623: A cabinet committee for England including other secretaries of state from departments whose remits mainly apply to England only. Following Labour's victory in the 2024 United Kingdom general election , the new prime minister Keir Starmer informally met England's combined authority mayors and the mayor of London on 9 July. The first formal meeting of the Mayoral Council, chaired by deputy prime minister Angela Rayner , took place on 10 October 2024 in Newcastle-upon-Tyne and
408-471: A "one member, one vote" system. Mass membership would be encouraged by allowing "registered supporters" to join at a low cost, as well as full membership. Members from the trade unions would also have to explicitly "opt in" rather than "opt out" of paying a political levy to Labour. The 2014 Conference was held in Manchester from 21 to 24 September at Manchester Central conference centre. Ed Miliband
544-413: A Labour leader without the use of an autocue , enabling him to walk up and down the stage while maintaining audience eye contact, replicating the style of David Cameron 's Conservative leadership bid in 2005. Miliband also made use of humour in approximately 20% of the speech, more than in his previous speeches. It received an overwhelmingly positive reaction from the press. On 3 October, Miliband led
680-518: A ceremonial county, or be a district tier within a shire county , be a royal or metropolitan borough , have borough or city status , or be a unitary authority . At the community level, much of England is divided into civil parishes with their own councils ; in Greater London only one such parish, Queen's Park , exists as of 2014 after they were abolished in 1965 until legislation allowed their recreation in 2007. From 1994 until
816-512: A geographical frame of reference. Of these, 38 developed gradually since the Middle Ages ; these were reformed to 51 in 1974 and to their current number in 1996. Each has a Lord Lieutenant and High Sheriff ; these posts are used to represent the British monarch locally. Some counties, such as Herefordshire , are only divided further into civil parishes. The royal county of Berkshire and
952-410: A joint session by Labour's Mayor of London , Ken Livingstone and the Mayor of Los Angeles Antonio Villaraigosa on the subject of climate change . Bob Geldof and Monica Naggaga from Oxfam ( Uganda ) spoke together about Africa. The main international guest speaker was the former US President Bill Clinton on 27 September. Another international visitor – but not a speaker to the conference –
1088-403: A lecture to conference on predistribution as an economic goal, which Miliband had mentioned in his 2011 conference speech. He attended at least 30 fringe events on 1 October, including a Friends of Europe event with Eddie Izzard . On 2 October, Miliband made his keynote speech themed around the new One Nation Labour branding. It was the first speech in around twenty years to be delivered by
1224-644: A mayoral combined authority. The role of the council would be to debate issues related to local and regional governance in England, to call ministers and experts to provide evidence and to advise the UK central Government on English affairs. The Existing Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government would be split into a Department for Housing and Communities and an Office for England, which would take on responsibility for oversight of devolved and local governance in England. The Secretary of State for England would chair
1360-610: A motion. CLPs, Trade Unions and Socialist Societies may submit emergency motions for consideration for debate by the Conference Arrangements Committee on urgent matters that have arisen since the deadline for motions. The National Executive Committee leads the conference (although the details of the conference, including what is debated, are managed by the Conference Arrangements Committee) and if it does not agree with
1496-660: A profound and permanent effect on the English language. Subsequently, the House of Plantagenet from Anjou inherited the English throne under Henry II , adding England to the budding Angevin Empire of fiefs the family had inherited in France including Aquitaine . They reigned for three centuries, some noted monarchs being Richard I , Edward I , Edward III and Henry V . The period saw changes in trade and legislation, including
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#17327659239231632-538: A question and answer session for about 3,000 delegates and members. The 2013 Conference took place in Brighton from 22 to 25 September at the Brighton Centre . A special conference was held at ExCeL London on 1 March to approve rule changes arising from former general-secretary Ray Collins review of party reform. The changes included replacing the electoral college system for selecting new leaders with
1768-589: A record 7.5 minute standing ovation. During the speech, he listed Labour's achievements, dismissed a new top rate of income tax , stated that it "wouldn't be fair" if education funding came from the taxpayer, attacked those opposed to foundation hospitals, advocated pluralism in the public sector, and defended his decision to go to war in Iraq. On 1 October, the National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT) attempted to force an emergency vote on
1904-528: A resolution, the committee may put pressure on the backers to withdraw or remit it. Remittance means that the resolution's backers agree to "send back" the resolution to the National Executive so that it can consider the matter in more detail; this is viewed by some as a mere delaying tactic. The resolutions voted upon are normally composites , meaning that they have been compiled by combining several resolutions put forward by different bodies into
2040-528: A single wording agreed beforehand. Alongside the official business of Conference, there is an extensive fringe programme. The programme consists of a range of events including seminars, debates, workshops and receptions across the conference site and the host city. These events are run by different organisations with many differing themes and topics of discussion. Aneurin Bevan made a speech disavowing unilateral nuclear disarmament , claiming that it would send
2176-524: A speech from culture secretary Tessa Jowell . Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott also gave a speech, with The Guardian noting that he "dropped his usual party conference knock-about routine." Blair's speech on 2 October focused mostly upon the fallout of September 11 and plans for the war in Afghanistan , while also paying some focus to a potential referendum on the introduction of the Euro . It
2312-492: A speech stating that Labour would "take the Tories to the cleaners" in the next election, and called William Hague a "drunk in charge of a bandwagon." On 27 September, delegates voted by a majority of nearly three-to-two in favour of a motion calling for the basic state pension to be linked to average earnings. Blair said that the government would not change its pension policies despite the vote. The international guest speaker
2448-450: A struggle for hegemony between Northumbria and Mercia, which in the 8th century gave way to Mercian preeminence. In the early 9th century Mercia was displaced as the foremost kingdom by Wessex. Later in that century escalating attacks by the Danes culminated in the conquest of the north and east of England, overthrowing the kingdoms of Northumbria, Mercia and East Anglia. Wessex under Alfred
2584-487: A whole. The earliest known evidence of human presence in the area now known as England was that of Homo antecessor , dating to about 780,000 years ago. The oldest proto-human bones discovered in England date from 500,000 years ago. Modern humans are known to have inhabited the area during the Upper Paleolithic period, though permanent settlements were only established within the last 6,000 years. After
2720-528: Is a non-departmental public body, established in 1995 and sponsored by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs with responsibilities relating to the protection and enhancement of the environment in England. The Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs is the minister responsible for environmental protection, agriculture, fisheries and rural communities in England. Labour Party Conference The Labour Party Conference
2856-546: Is damp relatively frequently and is changeable. The coldest months are January and February, the latter particularly on the English coast , while July is normally the warmest month. Months with mild to warm weather are May, June, September and October. Rainfall is spread fairly evenly throughout the year. Important influences on the climate of England are its proximity to the Atlantic Ocean , its northern latitude and
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#17327659239232992-803: Is disputed by scholars; it has been suggested that it derives from the shape of the Angeln peninsula, an angular shape. How and why a term derived from the name of a tribe that was less significant than others, such as the Saxons , came to be used for the entire country is not known, but it seems this is related to the custom of calling the Germanic people in Britain Angli Saxones or English Saxons to distinguish them from continental Saxons (Eald-Seaxe) of Old Saxony in Germany. In Scottish Gaelic ,
3128-641: Is governed directly by the Parliament of the United Kingdom , although other countries of the United Kingdom have devolved governments. There has been debate about how to counterbalance this in England. Originally it was planned that various regions of England would be devolved, but following the proposal's rejection by the North East in a 2004 referendum , this has not been carried out. In 2024, an England-only intergovernmental body, known as
3264-669: Is high moorland in upland areas, indented by fertile valleys of the region's rivers. They contain two national parks , the Yorkshire Dales and the Peak District . In the West Country , Dartmoor and Exmoor of the Southwest Peninsula include upland moorland supported by granite. The English Lowlands are in the central and southern regions of the country, consisting of green rolling hills, including
3400-780: Is known as the lost colony after it was found abandoned on the return of the late-arriving supply ship. With the East India Company , England also competed with the Dutch and French in the East. During the Elizabethan period, England was at war with Spain. An armada sailed from Spain in 1588 as part of a wider plan to invade England and re-establish a Catholic monarchy. The plan was thwarted by bad coordination, stormy weather and successful harrying attacks by an English fleet under Lord Howard of Effingham . This failure did not end
3536-722: Is part of the United Kingdom . It is located on the island of Great Britain , of which it covers about 62%, and more than 100 smaller adjacent islands . It has land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west, and is otherwise surrounded by the North Sea to the east, the English Channel to the south, the Celtic Sea to the south-west, and the Irish Sea to the west. Continental Europe lies to
3672-562: Is part of the United Kingdom, a constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary system . There has not been a government of England since 1707, when the Acts of Union 1707 , putting into effect the terms of the Treaty of Union , joined England and Scotland to form the Kingdom of Great Britain . Before the union England was ruled by its monarch and the Parliament of England . Today England
3808-472: Is similar to that of other areas in the British Isles with a wide range of vertebrate and invertebrate life in a diverse range of habitats. National nature reserves in England are designated by Natural England as key places for wildlife and natural features in England. They were established to protect the most significant areas of habitat and of geological formations. NNRs are managed on behalf of
3944-570: Is the annual conference of the British Labour Party . It is formally the supreme decision-making body of the party and is traditionally held in the final week of September, during the party conference season when the House of Commons is in recess, after each year's second Liberal Democrat Conference and before the Conservative Party Conference . The Labour Party Conference opens on a Sunday and finishes
4080-519: The 1535–1542 acts . There were internal religious conflicts during the reigns of Henry's daughters, Mary I and Elizabeth I . The former took the country back to Catholicism while the latter broke from it again, forcefully asserting the supremacy of Anglicanism . The Elizabethan era is the epoch in the Tudor age of the reign of Queen Elizabeth I ("the Virgin Queen"). Historians often depict it as
4216-643: The Age of Discovery . Henry VIII broke from communion with the Catholic Church, over issues relating to his divorce, under the Acts of Supremacy in 1534 which proclaimed the monarch head of the Church of England . In contrast with much of European Protestantism , the roots of the split were more political than theological. He also legally incorporated his ancestral land Wales into the Kingdom of England with
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4352-590: The Battle of Trafalgar confirmed the naval supremacy Britain had established during the course of the eighteenth century. The Napoleonic Wars fostered a concept of Britishness and a united national British people , shared with the English, Scots and Welsh. London became the largest and most populous metropolitan area in the world during the Victorian era , and trade within the British Empire – as well as
4488-536: The Battle of Watling Street . The author of one study of Roman Britain suggested that from 43 AD to 84 AD, the Roman invaders killed somewhere between 100,000 and 250,000 people from a population of perhaps 2,000,000. This era saw a Greco-Roman culture prevail with the introduction of Roman law , Roman architecture , aqueducts , sewers , many agricultural items and silk. In the 3rd century, Emperor Septimius Severus died at Eboracum (now York ), where Constantine
4624-676: The British Isles , but also from the Commonwealth , particularly the Indian subcontinent . Since the 1970s there has been a large move away from manufacturing and an increasing emphasis on the service industry . As part of the United Kingdom, the area joined a common market initiative called the European Economic Community which became the European Union . Since the late 20th century the administration of
4760-610: The Cotswold Hills , Chiltern Hills , North and South Downs ; where they meet the sea they form white rock exposures such as the cliffs of Dover . This also includes relatively flat plains such as the Salisbury Plain , Somerset Levels , South Coast Plain and The Fens . England has a temperate maritime climate : it is mild with temperatures not much lower than 0 °C (32 °F) in winter and not much higher than 32 °C (90 °F) in summer. The weather
4896-690: The Court of Appeal , the High Court of Justice for civil cases, and the Crown Court for criminal cases. The Supreme Court of the United Kingdom is the highest court for criminal and civil cases in England and Wales . It was created in 2009 after constitutional changes, taking over the judicial functions of the House of Lords . A decision of the Supreme Court is binding on every other court in
5032-583: The Courts of England and Wales continued, under the Treaty of Union , as a separate legal system from the one used in Scotland . The general essence of English law is that it is made by judges sitting in courts, applying their common sense and knowledge of legal precedent – stare decisis – to the facts before them. The court system is headed by the Senior Courts of England and Wales, consisting of
5168-550: The Electoral Reform Society suggested the establishment of an "English Leaders' Forum" to bring together UK ministers with combined authority mayors, single local authority mayors and council leaders. It also suggested the creation of an "England Office" to act as a representative for English local government to the UK government and serve to coordinate between central and local government on English devolved matters. Conservative leaning think tank Onward proposed
5304-829: The Fabian Society , 50 people from the Institute for Public Policy Research , and the Adam Smith Institute ; the Confederation of British Industry ; various media organisations; and observers from other political parties including the Iraqi National Congress , though the Socialist Workers Party claimed they were not let in. In Blair's speech on 1 October, he pledged to "quicken the march of progress" in reforming
5440-736: The French Revolution , under George III and William Pitt the Younger . The regency of George IV is noted for its elegance and achievements in the fine arts and architecture. During the Napoleonic Wars , Napoleon planned to invade from the south-east ; however, this failed to manifest and the Napoleonic forces were defeated by the British: at sea by Horatio Nelson , and on land by Arthur Wellesley . The major victory at
5576-735: The Labour Party , 116 from the Conservative Party , 65 from the Liberal Democrats , five for Reform UK and four for the Green Party of England and Wales . The English law legal system, developed over the centuries, is the basis of common law legal systems used in most Commonwealth countries and the United States (except Louisiana ). Despite now being part of the United Kingdom, the legal system of
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5712-609: The Mayoral Council for England , was established to bring together ministers from the UK Government , the Mayor of London and the leaders of combined authorities . In the House of Commons which is the lower house of the British Parliament based at the Palace of Westminster , there are 543 members of parliament (MPs) for constituencies in England, out of the 650 total. England is represented by 347 MPs from
5848-438: The Ministry of Justice , manages most prisons, housing 81,309 prisoners in England and Wales as of September 2022 . The subdivisions of England consist of up to four levels of subnational division , controlled through a variety of types of administrative entities created for the purposes of local government . Outside the London region, England's highest tier is the 48 ceremonial counties . These are used primarily as
5984-451: The North East , and Yorkshire , which each developed as major industrial regions during the 19th century. The name "England" is derived from the Old English name Englaland , which means "land of the Angles ". The Angles were one of the Germanic tribes that settled in Great Britain during the Early Middle Ages . They came from the Angeln region of what is now the German state of Schleswig-Holstein . The earliest recorded use of
6120-455: The September 11 attacks , meaning the conference was rescheduled to end a day earlier than initially planned, on 3 October. The event was protected by a large security operation, including a five-mile air exclusion zone . The international guest speaker was Gerhard Schröder , the Chancellor of Germany . The conference began with a two-minute silence, an address from the Chief Fire Officers Association praising firefighters in New York, and
6256-518: The Severn is the longest river flowing through England. It empties into the Bristol Channel and is notable for its Severn Bore (a tidal bore ), which can reach 2 metres (6.6 ft) in height. However, the longest river entirely in England is the Thames, which is 215 miles (346 km) in length. There are many lakes in England ; the largest is Windermere , within the aptly named Lake District . Most of England's landscape consists of low hills and plains, with upland and mountainous terrain in
6392-408: The Shropshire Hills . The country's capital is London , the metropolitan area of which has a population of 14.2 million as of 2021, representing the United Kingdom's largest metropolitan area. England's population of 56.3 million comprises 84% of the population of the United Kingdom, largely concentrated around London, the South East , and conurbations in the Midlands , the North West ,
6528-479: The State Opening of Parliament by the British monarch when the doors of the House of Commons are slammed in the face of the monarch's messenger, symbolising the rights of Parliament and its independence from the monarch. With the founding of the Royal Society in 1660, science was greatly encouraged. In 1666 the Great Fire of London gutted the city of London, but it was rebuilt shortly afterward with many significant buildings designed by Sir Christopher Wren . By
6664-451: The Stuart dynasty England expanded in trade, finance and prosperity. The Royal Navy developed Europe's largest merchant fleet. After the parliaments of England and Scotland agreed, the two countries joined in political union , to create the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. To accommodate the union, institutions such as the law and national churches of each remained separate. Under the newly formed Kingdom of Great Britain, output from
6800-433: The Trinovantes . The Romans invaded Britain in 43 AD during the reign of Emperor Claudius , subsequently conquering much of Britain , and the area was incorporated into the Roman Empire as Britannia province . The best-known of the native tribes who attempted to resist were the Catuvellauni led by Caratacus . Later, an uprising led by Boudica , Queen of the Iceni , ended with Boudica's suicide following her defeat at
6936-455: The University of Cambridge 's Bennett Institute for Public Policy proposed the formation of an "English Devolution Council", and the establishment of an "Office for England" led by a "Secretary of State for England". Under the proposals the English Devolution Council would include the mayor of London and existing combined authority mayors. An interim mechanism would be put in place for the participation of local leaders in areas of England without
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#17327659239237072-407: The University of Oxford , founded in 1096, and the University of Cambridge , founded in 1209. Both universities are ranked among the most prestigious in the world. England's terrain chiefly consists of low hills and plains , especially in the centre and south . Upland and mountainous terrain is mostly found in the north and west, including Dartmoor , the Lake District , the Pennines , and
7208-470: The canal age in Britain . In 1825 the world's first permanent steam locomotive-hauled passenger railway – the Stockton and Darlington Railway – opened to the public. During the Industrial Revolution , many workers moved from England's countryside to new and expanding urban industrial areas to work in factories, for instance at Birmingham and Manchester , with the latter the world's first industrial city. England maintained relative stability throughout
7344-435: The decline of the Roman Empire , Britain was left exposed by the end of Roman rule in Britain and the withdrawal of Roman army units, to defend the frontiers in continental Europe and partake in civil wars. Celtic Christian monastic and missionary movements flourished. This period of Christianity was influenced by ancient Celtic culture in its sensibilities, polity, practices and theology. Local "congregations" were centred in
7480-434: The golden age in English history that represented the apogee of the English Renaissance and saw the flowering of great art, drama, poetry, music and literature. England during this period had a centralised, well-organised, and effective government. Competing with Spain , the first English colony in the Americas was founded in 1585 by explorer Walter Raleigh in Virginia and named Roanoke . The Roanoke colony failed and
7616-473: The jet engine led to wider air travel . Residential patterns were altered in England by private motoring, and by the creation of the National Health Service in 1948, providing publicly funded health care to all permanent residents free at the point of need. Combined, these prompted the reform of local government in England in the mid-20th century. Since the 20th century, there has been significant population movement to England, mostly from other parts of
7752-404: The last ice age only large mammals such as mammoths , bison and woolly rhinoceros remained. Roughly 11,000 years ago, when the ice sheets began to recede, humans repopulated the area; genetic research suggests they came from the northern part of the Iberian Peninsula . The sea level was lower than the present day and Britain was connected by land bridge to Ireland and Eurasia . As
7888-438: The one member, one vote method. He was praised by John Prescott for "putting his head on a block" in pushing the reforms through. The " New Labour " rebranding was officially unveiled. Featured Blair's "Young Country" speech. Featured Blair's "Education, Education and Education" speech. The 2000 conference was held in Brighton from 24 to 28 September. On 25 September, John Prescott , Deputy Prime Minister , made
8024-424: The 1st was Hamid Karzai , the first President of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan . To end the conference on 2 October, Prescott told the party in a speech to stop "tearing ourselves apart," after unions forced ministers to accept a motion on compulsory employer pension contributions. The Red Flag was sung for the first time at the conference since 1999, alongside Jerusalem . The 2004 party conference
8160-426: The 32 London Boroughs and the 25 Wards of the City of London . Geographically, England includes the central and southern two-thirds of the island of Great Britain, plus such offshore islands as the Isle of Wight and the Isles of Scilly . It is bordered by two other countries of the United Kingdom: to the north by Scotland and to the west by Wales. England is closer than any other part of mainland Britain to
8296-516: The 6th century. Contemporary texts describing this period are extremely scarce, giving rise to its description as a Dark Age . Details of the Anglo-Saxon settlement of Britain are consequently subject to considerable disagreement; the emerging consensus is that it occurred on a large scale in the south and east but was less substantial to the north and west, where Celtic languages continued to be spoken even in areas under Anglo-Saxon control. Roman-dominated Christianity had, in general, been replaced in
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#17327659239238432-416: The European continent. It is separated from France ( Hauts-de-France ) by a 21-mile (34 km) sea gap, though the two countries are connected by the Channel Tunnel near Folkestone . England also has shores on the Irish Sea , North Sea and Atlantic Ocean. The ports of London, Liverpool , and Newcastle lie on the tidal rivers Thames , Mersey and Tyne respectively. At 220 miles (350 km),
8568-466: The Exchequer Denis Healey announced his plans for a $ 3.9 billion loan from the IMF to tackle inflation, as well as continuing existing pay policies and public spending restraints. There was a minute's silence at the Conference in memory of Bill Shankly , former Liverpool FC manager and lifelong Labour supporter. The deputy leadership election took place, with incumbent deputy Denis Healey narrowly defeating challenger Tony Benn . Neil Kinnock
8704-403: The Great was left as the only surviving English kingdom, and under his successors, it steadily expanded at the expense of the kingdoms of the Danelaw . This brought about the political unification of England, first accomplished under Æthelstan in 927 and definitively established after further conflicts by Eadred in 953. A fresh wave of Scandinavian attacks from the late 10th century ended with
8840-584: The Iraq War onto the agenda which called "for the withdrawal of coalition troops", but this failed. The party leadership allowed a vote to go ahead concerning a section in a party policy document that recorded the Iraq War's chronology instead, with RMT stating that "the proposed vote will be meaningless". Blair's side won the Iraq vote, but lost two votes on foundation hospitals and the NHS among delegates. Over 86% of delegates also voted in favour of allowing people in Northern Ireland to become party members. The international guest speaker to address conference on
8976-457: The Iraq War. Blair stated that the protester was lucky to be free to voice the protest. Around 15 to 20 minutes later, about six pro-hunting demonstrators shouted and set off rape alarms on the balcony above. All protesters were escorted away by police. The conference was addressed on 30 September by the Irish rock star Bono who called for more action to combat the spread of AIDS and the debt problems African countries. The 2005 conference
9112-527: The Labour Party Conference, 50% of votes are allocated to affiliated organisations (such as trade unions ), and the other 50% to Constituency Labour Parties , but all voting in both categories is restricted to nominated representatives (known as delegates). Conference decisions are not binding on the party leadership, even if carried unanimously. Delegates to the conference are elected by Constituency Labour Parties, affiliated trade unions and socialist societies . Currently, affiliated trade unions hold 50% of
9248-423: The Mayoral Council would eventually evolve into an all-England forum. Combined authority mayors and the Mayor of London also meet informally on a monthly basis as the Mayors Network (M10 Group) allowing them to consult each other, coordinate their actions, and gain access to UK government ministers. This network has been chaired by Tracy Barbin since May 2022 and previously by Dan Jarvis. As of October 2024, 48% of
9384-439: The North, and the successful Norman Conquest in October 1066, accomplished by an army led by Duke William of Normandy invading at Hastings late September 1066. The Normans themselves originated from Scandinavia and had settled in Normandy in the late 9th and early 10th centuries. This conquest led to the almost total dispossession of the English elite and its replacement by a new French-speaking aristocracy, whose speech had
9520-408: The Pope. During the 14th century, the Plantagenets and the House of Valois claimed to be legitimate claimants to the House of Capet and of France; the two powers clashed in the Hundred Years' War . The Black Death epidemic hit England ; starting in 1348, it eventually killed up to half of England's inhabitants . Between 1453 and 1487, a civil war known as the War of the Roses waged between
9656-685: The Royal Society and other English initiatives combined with the Scottish Enlightenment to create innovations in science and engineering, while the enormous growth in British overseas trade protected by the Royal Navy paved the way for the establishment of the British Empire . Domestically it drove the Industrial Revolution , a period of profound change in the socioeconomic and cultural conditions of England, resulting in industrialised agriculture, manufacture, engineering and mining, as well as new and pioneering road, rail and water networks to facilitate their expansion and development. The opening of Northwest England's Bridgewater Canal in 1761 ushered in
9792-619: The Saxon tribe gave their name to the word for England ( Sasunn ); similarly, the Welsh name for the English language is Saesneg . A romantic name for England is Loegria , related to the Welsh word for England, Lloegr , and made popular by its use in Arthurian legend . Albion is also applied to England in a more poetic capacity, though its original meaning is the island of Britain as
9928-418: The UK's public services, and said that Labour was "best at its boldest - and so far we've made a good start, but we've not been bold enough." He told the trade unions to "work with us," and said that the welfare state had led to a "monolithic provision of services," arguing for the use of private finance. He argued for the possibility of war with Iraq , and reiterated that there would be a referendum on joining
10064-432: The United Kingdom has moved towards devolved governance in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. England and Wales continues to exist as a jurisdiction within the United Kingdom. Devolution has stimulated a greater emphasis on a more English-specific identity and patriotism. There is no devolved English government, but an attempt to create a similar system on a sub-regional basis was rejected by referendum . England
10200-607: The United Kingdom as part of the Allies . Two decades later, in World War II , the United Kingdom was again one of the Allies . Developments in warfare technology saw many cities damaged by air-raids during the Blitz . Following the war, the British Empire experienced rapid decolonisation , and there was a speeding-up of technological innovations; automobiles became the primary means of transport and Frank Whittle 's development of
10336-414: The announcement of the results of the 2010 leadership election and was Ed Miliband 's first conference as leader. In his first major speech as leader on 28 September, Miliband told delegates that his "new generation" would return the party to power. The following day David Miliband announced he would not be serving in his brother's shadow cabinet, although he would continue as an MP. Other highlights of
10472-577: The area, the Beaker culture people made bronze , and later iron from iron ores. The development of iron smelting allowed the construction of better ploughs , advancing agriculture (for instance, with Celtic fields ), as well as the production of more effective weapons. During the Iron Age , Celtic culture , deriving from the Hallstatt and La Tène cultures , arrived from Central Europe. Brythonic
10608-767: The auspices of James VI and I the Authorised King James Version of the Holy Bible was published in 1611. It was the standard version of the Bible read by most Protestant Christians for four hundred years until modern revisions were produced in the 20th century. Based on conflicting political, religious and social positions, the English Civil War was fought between the supporters of Parliament and those of King Charles I , known colloquially as Roundheads and Cavaliers respectively. This
10744-548: The basis for the common law systems of many other countries), association football , and the Anglican branch of Christianity; its parliamentary system of government has been widely adopted by other nations. The Industrial Revolution began in 18th-century England, transforming its society into the world's first industrialised nation. England is home to the two oldest universities in the English-speaking world:
10880-510: The conference included activists condemning the coalition government 's proposed public spending cuts as "obscene" on 27 September, and a close of conference address from Harriet Harman in which she told delegates that Ed Miliband would "fortify" the party. The 2011 Conference took place in Liverpool from 25 to 29 September. It was the first time since 1925 that Labour had held its conference there. On 26 September delegates voted to scrap
11016-536: The conference on the afternoon of 29 September, saying that Labour was "not done yet". Shortly afterwards, The Sun announced it would withdraw its support for Labour, and gave its backing to the Conservatives . Union leader and Labour supporter Tony Woodley responded by tearing up a copy of that edition of The Sun , telling the audience that "in Liverpool, we learnt a long time ago what to do. I suggest
11152-576: The conference was marked with protests against the Iraq War . St Johns C.E. Primary School's steel band performed before Blair came on stage for his last speech to conference as party leader and prime minister. In the speech, he praised the work of the Chancellor of the Exchequer , Gordon Brown , though did not explicitly support him as a potential successor. The conference was addressed in
11288-585: The conquered territories by Anglo-Saxon paganism , but was reintroduced by missionaries from Rome led by Augustine from 597. Disputes between the Roman- and Celtic-dominated forms of Christianity ended in victory for the Roman tradition at the Council of Whitby (664), which was ostensibly about tonsures (clerical haircuts) and the date of Easter, but more significantly, about the differences in Roman and Celtic forms of authority, theology, and practice. During
11424-541: The conquest of this united kingdom by Sweyn Forkbeard in 1013 and again by his son Cnut in 1016, turning it into the centre of a short-lived North Sea Empire that also included Denmark and Norway . However, the native royal dynasty was restored with the accession of Edward the Confessor in 1042. A dispute over the succession to Edward led to an unsuccessful Norwegian Invasion in September 1066 close to York in
11560-536: The council is expected to meet on a quarterly basis. The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government said it set up the Mayoral Council to "strengthen the relationships between central government and the mayors" ahead of publishing a white paper on devolution. The first meeting of the Council of the Nations and Regions, which also included England's combined authority mayors and the mayor of London, took place
11696-454: The course of the fifth and sixth centuries, initially in the eastern part of the country. Their advance was contained for some decades after the Britons' victory at the Battle of Mount Badon , but subsequently resumed, overrunning the fertile lowlands of Britain and reducing the area under Brittonic control to a series of separate enclaves in the more rugged country to the west by the end of
11832-637: The early 2010s England was divided for a few purposes into regions; a 1998 referendum for the London Region created the London Assembly two years later. A failed 2004 North East England devolution referendum cancelled further regional assembly devolution with the regional structure outside London abolished. Ceremonially and administratively, the region is divided between the City of London and Greater London ; these are further divided into
11968-516: The euro if economic tests were met. It ended with a four minute standing ovation. The international guest speaker was Bill Clinton , former President of the United States of America , who spoke in a 50 minute address on 2 October. He used the speech to tell both President George W. Bush and Labour to continue working with the United Nations to solve the Iraq disarmament crisis . The speech
12104-822: The following Wednesday, with an address by the Deputy Leader of the Labour Party ; the Leader's address is usually on the Tuesday. In contrast to the Liberal Democrat Conference, where every party member attending its Conference , either in-person or online, has the right to vote on party policy, under a one member, one vote system, or the Conservative Party Conference, which does not hold votes on party policy, at
12240-415: The following day. Unlike the proposed "Council of England", the Mayoral Council does not include local government representatives in areas without a mayoral combined authority, or other stakeholders. However, at the 2024 Labour Party Conference , Labour reiterated its commitment to English devolution, saying that all areas of England "should eventually be covered by mayoral devolution", which would mean that
12376-482: The formation of a National Mayors Association and creation of various Joint Delivery Taskforces involving the UK central government, metro mayors and local authorities in a report titled Give Back Control published in 2022. In a report titled Devolving English Government published in April 2023, to counter what they described as over-centralisation and a democratic deficit in England, the Institute for Government and
12512-477: The government "naked into the conference chamber". Nicolas Walter shouted "hypocrite" at Wilson in protest against support given by the government to US behaviour in the Vietnam War . Walter was bundled out of the venue, arrested, charged with "indecency in church" under the 1860 Ecclesiastical Courts Jurisdiction Act because Wilson was speaking in a church, and imprisoned for two months. Chancellor of
12648-538: The hierarchy, which must follow its directions. The Secretary of State for Justice is the minister responsible to Parliament for the judiciary , the court system and prisons and probation in England. Crime increased between 1981 and 1995 but fell by 42% in the period 1995–2006. The prison population doubled over the same period, giving it one of the highest incarceration rates in Western Europe at 147 per 100,000. His Majesty's Prison Service , reporting to
12784-723: The irritating friend." Blair also spoke of an international "Partnership for Africa", giving the private sector a larger role in public services, and a potential review of student funding and tuition fees . The 2002 event took place in the Winter Gardens complex in Blackpool, and ran from 30 September to 3 October. Attendees included: pressure groups such as the Countryside Alliance , League Against Cruel Sports , and Anti-Nazi League ; big business such as BNFL , BP , and BAE Systems ; think tanks including
12920-519: The leadership of Liverpool City Council , leading to a walkout led by Eric Heffer . The rules for the election of the Parliamentary Committee were changed, expanding it to 18 seats, at least three of which were to be filled by women. For 1993, the rules for the Parliamentary Committee were amended again so four of its seats were to be filled by women. Smith abolished the trade union block vote at Conference and replaced it with
13056-605: The mayor of London, representatives of local government and other stakeholders in England. Earlier, Labour's manifesto for the 2017 general election included a commitment to establish the post of a "Minister for England" within the Department of Communities and Local Government. The 2021 The Dunlop Review into UK Government Union Capability suggested that consideration could be given to establishing an "English Regions Forum" to "feed views in from sub-national governments in England to UK Government ministers". A 2022 report by
13192-453: The metropolitan counties have different types of status to other ceremonial counties. The second tier is made up of combined authorities and the 27 county-tier shire counties . In 1974, all ceremonial counties were two-tier; and with the metropolitan county tier phased out, the 1996 reform separated the ceremonial county and the administrative county tier. England is also divided into local government districts. The district can align to
13328-654: The mid-to-late 17th century, two political factions had emerged – the Tories and Whigs . Though the Tories initially supported Catholic king James II , some of them, along with the Whigs, during the Revolution of 1688 invited the Dutch Prince William of Orange to defeat James and become the king. Some English people, especially in the north, were Jacobites and continued to support James and his sons. Under
13464-569: The monastic community and monastic leaders were more like chieftains, as peers, rather than in the more hierarchical system of the Roman-dominated church. Roman military withdrawals left Britain open to invasion by pagan, seafaring warriors from north-western continental Europe, chiefly the Saxons, Angles , Jutes and Frisians who had long raided the coasts of the Roman province. These groups then began to settle in increasing numbers over
13600-611: The nation, many by Natural England themselves, but also by non-governmental organisations, including the members of The Wildlife Trusts partnership, the National Trust , and the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds . There are 221 NNRs in England covering 110,000 hectares (1,100 square kilometres). Often they contain rare species or nationally important populations of plants and animals. . The Environment Agency
13736-668: The north and west of the country. The northern uplands include the Pennines , a chain of uplands dividing east and west, the Lake District mountains in Cumbria, and the Cheviot Hills , straddling the border between England and Scotland. The highest point in England, at 978 metres (3,209 ft), is Scafell Pike in the Lake District. The Shropshire Hills are near Wales while Dartmoor and Exmoor are two upland areas in
13872-530: The population and 26% of the land area of England is represented on the council. The membership of the Mayoral Council is currently as follows: The membership of the council will increase as new mayoral combined authorities are established in England. In September 2024, mayoral combined authorities were approved for Greater Lincolnshire and Hull and East Yorkshire with mayors for these authorities expected to be elected in May 2025. An unofficial meeting of mayors
14008-409: The prime minister and meet at least twice a year. However, no action was taken to form such a body. Plans for a "Council of England" featured in a 2022 Labour Party report on constitutional reform by Gordon Brown titled A New Britain: Renewing our Democracy and Rebuilding our Economy . The proposed council would be chaired by the prime minister and would include leaders of combined authorities ,
14144-574: The rest of the country should do exactly the same thing", in reference to the hostility felt in Liverpool towards The Sun following its controversial allegations about the behaviour of Liverpool FC supporters in the Hillsborough disaster 20 years earlier. Shortly after losing the 2010 general election to the Conservatives , following a Liberal Democrat coalition, the 2010 Conference took place at Manchester Central conference centre between 26 and 30 September. The conference started with
14280-468: The seas rose, it was separated from Ireland 10,000 years ago and from Eurasia two millennia later. The Beaker culture arrived around 2,500 BC, introducing drinking and food vessels constructed from clay, as well as vessels used as reduction pots to smelt copper ores. It was during this time that major Neolithic monuments such as Stonehenge (phase III) and Avebury were constructed. By heating together tin and copper, which were in abundance in
14416-450: The settlement period the lands ruled by the incomers seem to have been fragmented into numerous tribal territories, but by the 7th century, when substantial evidence of the situation again becomes available, these had coalesced into roughly a dozen kingdoms including Northumbria , Mercia , Wessex , East Anglia , Essex , Kent and Sussex . Over the following centuries, this process of political consolidation continued. The 7th century saw
14552-477: The signing of Magna Carta , an English legal charter used to limit the sovereign's powers by law and protect the privileges of freemen. Catholic monasticism flourished, providing philosophers, and the universities of Oxford and Cambridge were founded with royal patronage. The Principality of Wales became a Plantagenet fief during the 13th century and the Lordship of Ireland was given to the English monarchy by
14688-506: The south-east, and Ireland to the west. At the 2021 census , the population was 56,490,048. London is both the largest city and the capital . The area now called England was first inhabited by modern humans during the Upper Paleolithic . It takes its name from the Angles , a Germanic tribe who settled during the 5th and 6th centuries. England became a unified state in the 10th century and has had extensive cultural and legal impact on
14824-636: The south-west of the country. The approximate dividing line between terrain types is often indicated by the Tees–Exe line . The Pennines, known as the "backbone of England", are the oldest range of mountains in the country, originating from the end of the Paleozoic Era around 300 million years ago. Their geological composition includes, among others, sandstone and limestone , and also coal. There are karst landscapes in calcite areas such as parts of Yorkshire and Derbyshire . The Pennine landscape
14960-547: The standing of the British military and navy – was prestigious. Technologically, this era saw many innovations that proved key to the United Kingdom's power and prosperity. Political agitation at home from radicals such as the Chartists and the suffragettes enabled legislative reform and universal suffrage . Power shifts in east-central Europe led to World War I; hundreds of thousands of English soldiers died fighting for
15096-551: The term, as " Engla londe ", is in the late-ninth-century translation into Old English of Bede 's Ecclesiastical History of the English People . The term was then used to mean "the land inhabited by the English", and it included English people in what is now south-east Scotland but was then part of the English kingdom of Northumbria . The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle recorded that the Domesday Book of 1086 covered
15232-491: The threat: Spain launched two further armadas, in 1596 and 1597 , but both were driven back by storms. The political structure of the island changed in 1603, when the King of Scots , James VI , a kingdom which had been a long-time rival to English interests, inherited the throne of England as James I, thereby creating a personal union . He styled himself King of Great Britain , although this had no basis in English law. Under
15368-466: The tradition of Shadow Cabinet elections. Miliband's keynote speech on 27 September suffered a five-minute blackout after all media communications were lost. The 2012 Conference was held at Manchester Central conference centre, from 30 September to 4 October. On 30 September, Miliband was interviewed on The Andrew Marr Show , with Marr particularly questioning his image, leadership appeal and popularity. Harvard professor Michael Sandel delivered
15504-803: The two branches of the royal family, the Yorkists and Lancastrians . Eventually it led to the Yorkists losing the throne entirely to a Welsh noble family the Tudors , a branch of the Lancastrians headed by Henry Tudor who invaded with Welsh and Breton mercenaries, gaining victory at the Battle of Bosworth Field where the Yorkist king Richard III was killed. During the Tudor period , England began to develop naval skills , and exploration intensified in
15640-403: The votes at the conference, down from 80% in the era before Tony Blair . Some 40% of the votes are wielded by the three largest trade unions ( Unite , GMB , Unison ). Resolutions for debate are put forward by CLPs and unions before the conference begins. Each CLP, Trade Union and Socialist Society may make one submission to Annual Conference, either a constitutional amendment (rule change) or
15776-603: The warming of the sea by the Gulf Stream . Rainfall is higher in the west, and parts of the Lake District receive more rain than anywhere else in the country. Since weather records began, the highest temperature recorded was 40.3 °C (104.5 °F) on 19 July 2022 at Coningsby , Lincolnshire , while the lowest was −26.1 °C (−15.0 °F) on 10 January 1982 in Edgmond , Shropshire. The fauna of England
15912-626: The whole of England, meaning the English kingdom, but a few years later the Chronicle stated that King Malcolm III went "out of Scotlande into Lothian in Englaland", thus using it in the more ancient sense. The earliest attested reference to the Angles occurs in the 1st-century work by Tacitus , Germania , in which the Latin word Anglii is used. The etymology of the tribal name itself
16048-434: The wider world since the Age of Discovery , which began during the 15th century. The Kingdom of England , which included Wales after 1535, ceased to be a separate sovereign state on 1 May 1707, when the Acts of Union brought into effect a political union with the Kingdom of Scotland that created the Kingdom of Great Britain . England is the origin of the English language , the English legal system (which served as
16184-525: Was Nelson Mandela , the former President of South Africa . Closing the conference on 28 September, he made a speech condemning poverty and inequality and made an appeal concerning AIDS in South Africa. The 2001 conference took place in Brighton and began on 30 September. On 25 September, Blair had stated he would recall Parliament from the recess for a day in order to keep MPs updated following
16320-605: Was Shimon Peres , the former Prime Minister of Israel . The 2007 conference was held in the Bournemouth International Centre from 23 to 27 September. The conference was the first with Gordon Brown as leader of the Labour Party and Prime Minister , and he laid out his plans for his premiership. It was a first conference for Harriet Harman as Deputy Leader. The 2008 conference was held between 20 and 24 September in Manchester at Manchester Central (formerly G-Mex). The opening day of conference
16456-576: Was an interwoven part of the wider multifaceted Wars of the Three Kingdoms , involving Scotland and Ireland . The Parliamentarians were victorious, Charles I was executed and the kingdom replaced by the Commonwealth . Leader of the Parliament forces, Oliver Cromwell declared himself Lord Protector in 1653; a period of personal rule followed. After Cromwell's death and the resignation of his son Richard as Lord Protector, Charles II
16592-589: Was due to be announced in Blair's keynote speech, collapsed that night. Delegates initially voted to leave the Iraq War off the conference agenda entirely, instead staging emergency debates on the NHS, employment rights and pensions. On 29 September at a fringe event, former House of Commons leader Robin Cook made a speech criticising Blair's rejection of plans for a partly elected House of Lords. On 30 September, Gordon Brown
16728-452: Was elected party leader with 71% of the vote, following Labour's defeat in the June general election , succeeding Foot. Roy Hattersley joined him as deputy leader. In his speech, Kinnock stated that "we can enjoy fraternity between socialists and we must enjoy fidelity to socialism." The editorial board of Militant were expelled. In his speech, Kinnock attacked Militant and their record in
16864-502: Was established with the Bill of Rights in 1689. Among the statutes set down were that the law could only be made by Parliament and could not be suspended by the King, also that the King could not impose taxes or raise an army without the prior approval of Parliament. Also since that time, no British monarch has entered the House of Commons when it is sitting, which is annually commemorated at
17000-466: Was followed by a 2.5 minute standing ovation . 2003 was Blair's tenth conference as leader, held in Bournemouth from 28 September to 2 October. It was chaired by Ian McCartney . On 28 September, Blair stated that he would continue pushing for foundation hospitals and university top-up fees , though a potential deal between the government and Unison concerning foundation hospitals, which
17136-464: Was held in Brighton and ran from 26 to 30 September, again chaired by Ian McCartney. The conference rejected a call for withdrawal from Iraq, but accepted a resolution calling for renationalisation of the railways; the leadership declared that it would ignore this. During his speech on 29 September, Blair was interrupted shortly after he started speaking by anti-war protester Hector Christie, who shouted "you've got blood on your hands," speaking of
17272-462: Was held in Brighton from 26 until 29 September and followed Labour's success in the 2005 United Kingdom general election . Over the course of the conference, over 600 people were held under Section 44 of the Terrorism Act 2000 , which allows for stop and search to be carried out by the police. This included Walter Wolfgang , an 82-year-old peace activist and refugee from Nazi Germany who
17408-714: Was held in July 2024 and the first formal meeting of the council took place in October 2024. The council is expected to meet four times a year. Members of the council participated in the Global Investment Summit at the London Guildhall on 14 October 2024. England – in Europe (green & dark grey) – in the United Kingdom (green) England is a country that
17544-399: Was invited to return as monarch in 1660, in a move called the Restoration . With the reopening of theatres, fine arts, literature and performing arts flourished throughout the Restoration of the "Merry Monarch" Charles II. After the Glorious Revolution of 1688, it was constitutionally established that King and Parliament should rule together, though Parliament would have the real power. This
17680-479: Was moved from Sunday to Saturday to allow people who work during the week to attend. The Labour leader and Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, delivered his keynote address on 23 September. The 2009 conference was held in Brighton from 27 September to 1 October 2009. It saw an address from Peter Mandelson , given on 28 September, in which he claimed that Labour was in "the fight of our lives" as the next general election approached. Gordon Brown gave his keynote address to
17816-401: Was praised by most U.S. newspapers, while European papers were less supportive; The New York Times stated that Blair was "America's most passionate and steadfast ally in the fight against terrorism," while Italian paper La Stampa said that "in some phases Blair has seemed to be tugging at Bush's jacket, so as to appear not so much the trusted friend but more the petulant friend, or even
17952-441: Was removed from the conference for shouting the word "nonsense" at a speech on Iraq by Jack Straw , and later detained under the Act when he tried to get back in. None of those held were arrested nor charged. Labour issued an apology to Wolfgang, and he was cheered when he returned the next day. In 2006 the conference was held in Manchester at the G-Mex and Manchester International Conference Centre from 24 to 28 September. It
18088-411: Was seen to put pressure on Blair in a speech, promising extra spending on public services, without directly attacking him. Culture secretary Tessa Jowell , announced plans to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the Normandy D-Day landings , and deputy prime minister John Prescott announced that 1,600 houses were to be built in the South East . Blair also made his speech on the 30th, which received
18224-568: Was subsequently proclaimed emperor a century later. There is debate about when Christianity was first introduced; it was no later than the 4th century, probably much earlier. According to Bede , missionaries were sent from Rome by Eleutherius at the request of the chieftain Lucius of Britain in 180 AD, to settle differences as to Eastern and Western ceremonials, which were disturbing the church. There are traditions linked to Glastonbury claiming an introduction through Joseph of Arimathea , while others claim through Lucius of Britain. By 410, during
18360-420: Was the first time since 1974 that the main Labour conference was not held at a seaside town and the first time since 1917 the Labour conference had been held in Manchester. This followed Labour's Spring 2004 conference which was held at the G-Mex for the first time. The conference was Blair's last as leader after he stated this would be the case just before the conference and at the conference itself. The start of
18496-401: Was the spoken language during this time. Society was tribal; according to Ptolemy 's Geographia there were around 20 tribes in the area. Like other regions on the edge of the Empire, Britain had long enjoyed trading links with the Romans. Julius Caesar of the Roman Republic attempted to invade twice in 55 BC; although largely unsuccessful, he managed to set up a client king from
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