Immediately prior to voting commencing for the Scottish Referendum, UK political leaders issued a so called 'vow'. This promised certain changes to the constitutional settlement, post vote, should a No vote be achieved. Subsequently, the Smith Commission has convened and published a report on the devolution of further powers to the Edinburgh parliament.
What though of the English? Where is the 'vow' for them?
It is clear that the Scottish Nationalists, who despite losing the referendum seem to be the party that is in a rampant ascendancy in Scotland, intend to be very meddlesome in English and UK politics. There is a certain irony in a party that wants no part of the UK being committed to becoming so heavily involved in those self-same politics. However, this hypocrisy is then compounded when the SNP announce that they will, in the next parliament intend to participate very frequently in UK and English politics and will use their parliamentary right, to vote on purely English matters. So for the SNP, they would not extend their 'Scottish votes for Scottish matters' to the English.
The SNP have already stated that they could not conceive of forming any kind of a coalition with the Conservatives, so that means they could only get into bed with Labour. Irony heaps upon irony since the SNP are probably the second largest barrier to Labour achieving an outright majority at Westminster. The biggest barrier is the Labour party itself - economically incompetent and very badly led are just two of the factors.
How about a new 'vow' ? One signed-up to by the leaders of the Conservatives, Labour, Lib-Dems, UKIP and the Green parties? One that guarantees, on a cross-party basis, that following the May 2015 General Election, an English equivalent of the Smith Commission would be convened to address the issue of English matters within the UK parliamentary system - perhaps looking at English Devolution. I consider myself a Unionist but the reality is that right now, the constitutional settlement that is currently in play, is so biased against the English and England that it should not continue.
It cannot be right that Scottish, Welsh and Northern Ireland MPs can vote on matters affecting the English NHS or English education etc., but cannot vote on those same matters within their own constituencies.
This isn't about a particular economic or environmental policy on which we could expect the parties to differ. This is about making sure that the rights and views of those living within England are appropriately represented and considered. I suppose 'party politics' might intrude when the proposed commission looks at issues like the anti-English Barnett Formula are considered but the necessary review of this no-longer appropriate legislation would require a UK based approach rather than solely being an 'English' matter.
So how about it David, Ed, Nick, Nigel and Natalie? How about a pledge to the people of the largest country in the United Kingdom? One that says that the views of the people from the largest constituent part of the United Kingdom, will no longer be ignored.
What though of the English? Where is the 'vow' for them?
It is clear that the Scottish Nationalists, who despite losing the referendum seem to be the party that is in a rampant ascendancy in Scotland, intend to be very meddlesome in English and UK politics. There is a certain irony in a party that wants no part of the UK being committed to becoming so heavily involved in those self-same politics. However, this hypocrisy is then compounded when the SNP announce that they will, in the next parliament intend to participate very frequently in UK and English politics and will use their parliamentary right, to vote on purely English matters. So for the SNP, they would not extend their 'Scottish votes for Scottish matters' to the English.
The SNP have already stated that they could not conceive of forming any kind of a coalition with the Conservatives, so that means they could only get into bed with Labour. Irony heaps upon irony since the SNP are probably the second largest barrier to Labour achieving an outright majority at Westminster. The biggest barrier is the Labour party itself - economically incompetent and very badly led are just two of the factors.
How about a new 'vow' ? One signed-up to by the leaders of the Conservatives, Labour, Lib-Dems, UKIP and the Green parties? One that guarantees, on a cross-party basis, that following the May 2015 General Election, an English equivalent of the Smith Commission would be convened to address the issue of English matters within the UK parliamentary system - perhaps looking at English Devolution. I consider myself a Unionist but the reality is that right now, the constitutional settlement that is currently in play, is so biased against the English and England that it should not continue.
It cannot be right that Scottish, Welsh and Northern Ireland MPs can vote on matters affecting the English NHS or English education etc., but cannot vote on those same matters within their own constituencies.
This isn't about a particular economic or environmental policy on which we could expect the parties to differ. This is about making sure that the rights and views of those living within England are appropriately represented and considered. I suppose 'party politics' might intrude when the proposed commission looks at issues like the anti-English Barnett Formula are considered but the necessary review of this no-longer appropriate legislation would require a UK based approach rather than solely being an 'English' matter.
So how about it David, Ed, Nick, Nigel and Natalie? How about a pledge to the people of the largest country in the United Kingdom? One that says that the views of the people from the largest constituent part of the United Kingdom, will no longer be ignored.
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