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Unlike Scotland and Wales, England does not have a political assembly of its own to legislate on those matters that only affect people living within the geographical area of England. Now that Scotland and Wales have their own legislatures to deal with such matters devolved by Westminster to them, some people believe the 'English' are somehow missing out, and and one such group, The Campaign for an English Parliament , was in Newcastle yesterday carrying their message to the Geordie Nation. A much cheaper and easier solution would be to bar Scottish, Welsh and Northern Ireland members of the United Kingdom Parliament from voting on matters that only affect England. http://www.parliament.uk/about/livingheritage/evolutionofparliament.cfm
This post has promopted various responses, all from anonymous people but as it's not a political blog I'm not publishimng them but will comment on a couple of points raised:
ReplyDelete1. "Yes, barring MPs from outside England from voting on English-only matters at Westminster would be cheaper and easier than setting up an English Parliament but it would leave England without any national voice, without any representation in the EU and without a seat at the British-Irish Council, all of which are enjoyed by Scotland and Wales" However everyone in the UK is represented in Europe, we all elcet MEPs wheter we live in England or not ; I live in England and am represented by a local MEP.
2. "If you bar Scottish and Northern Irish MPs for English and Welsh business in the UK Parliament, what would they do?"
there are many issues, principally Defence and Foreign policy held to be common across the UK for which power is not devolved. Unless and until the people of Wales and Scotland decide they want full independence we are still one united nation and need a UK legislature accordingly.