Tuesday 16 January 2007

A parliament for England?

This may be a strange topic to raise on the 300th anniversary of the treaty that lead to the Act of Union. However, my attention was drawn this evening to this report on the BBC.

Apparently Tony Blair believes that an English parliament, in whatever form it might take, is "unworkable" and "unnecessary". The first word that comes to mind reading that is "inequitable". Continuation of the current system is unfair and unless it is dealt with the possibility of dissolution of the Union becomes more rather than less likely.


I'm totally with the Prime Minister when he comments that keeping the Union with Scotland is crucial to both national security and our economy.


However, continuing to allow Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish MPs to vote on matters that only effect England must in the long run be untenable.


I'm not in favour of a separate English Parliament, there are already enough layers of bureaucracy and government. I don't see however why the House of Commons can't sit as an English chamber when it decides purely English policy.


Yes, this may prove problematic on occasions when the UK parliament and the English Chamber have different parties with a majority. The Government, Prime Minister and Cabinet would of course be drawn from the majority party in the UK Parliament. Allowing only English MPs to vote on English issues must however be good for democracy and, ultimately, for the continuation of the Union.

2 comments:

Gareth said...

>>>I don't see however why the House of Commons can't sit as an English chamber when it decides purely English policy.

Because it would create two classes of MP, and you would exclude non-English MPs from debates in which they may have executive responsibility - cabinet positions (unless you relieve them of that responsibility thereby creating a practically English executive).

Also it would be an unenviable task to decide what was, and what wasn't, English legislation (or English and Welsh), and what parts of the bill are pan-UK or simply English, or English and Welsh.

I find it almost incredible that Conservatives (though I realise that you are just a PPC) are still pursuing this ludicrous English Votes on English Matters policy. Go on, tell me how it would work!

I will tell you how it won't work

This debate is not just about parliament. It is about government too. We need an English front bench/cabinet/first minister - people that will draft, enact and implement legislation specifically for the benefit of England. That is England's right.

Richard said...

I agree - the best solution is to allow the Speaker of the House to make a judgement on the nature of a bill and then ask the Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish MPs to leave the chamber whilst English MPs vote on an English-specific issue. I also think that the creation of a separate English parliament would be ridiculous; apart from creating an unneeded and unworkable second tier of MPs, it would cost a fortune to build or convert a parliament building, plus the added cost of maintenance and of course the MPs' salaries.