I used to think that the best solution to the “problem” of the West Lothian Question was regional government in England. I’ve come to recognise two things; firstly, Scotland will never accept an equal status to an English region (Wales, incidentally, might), and secondly the English don’t want regional government. English people don’t identify strongly with their regions, with the possible exception of Yorkshire, and that only because it aligns with a traditional county. Regional government is seen as an attempt to break up England. For all that an English parliament would be on a similar scale to Westminster, it would still constitute dispersal of power if it was separately elected, if not devolution.
It’s taken me a long time to get there, but I would personally favour holding a referendum in England on the establishment of an English Parliament with the same powers as the Scottish Parliament (and therefore raising up the Welsh and Northern Irish assemblies to the same powers if the people in those countries chose to do so in a referendum). I could not accept an English parliament unless it was completely separate from Westminster – there would need to be a prohibition on dual mandates, and I would strongly favour locating it outside of London; my suggestion would be to put it in MediaCity in Salford, like a large chunk of the BBC is about to be.
There are lots of good things that would result from an English parliament; it would result in there being multiple centres of power, and would induce the media to take the devolved parliaments outside England seriously, and so to separate devolved and non-devolved (ie English and British) issues. Wouldn’t it be nice when education was debated, there was an understanding that there are four separate systems and they would not be under the control of the UK government at all?
It would also induce a complete revision of the Barnett formula, and hopefully some real devolution of tax-raising powers, which would be fantastic!
Gladstonian thought for the day, it’s time to complete Home Rule All Round, as originally proposed in 1885.
1 comment:
The problem with an English assembly is that, being 85% of the UK it will tend to destabilise the union. However I am Scots & have no right to a vote & if that is what England pefers that is your right. However I suggest that in any such devolution there should be a mechanism whereby regions could call a local referendum on having their own assembly. While they may not want it now some places, eg Cornwall, might shortly decide to go that way. I believe federalism is the most stable & free form of government since the powers are indeed separated. A UK which was a large version of Switzerland would not be a bad place to live.
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