It's funny how, now that the Scottish independence referendum is over, focus has now suddenly shifted from the pampered Scots to the long-ignored English and how to give more powers to them.
England, apart from London, which has its own devolved assemly headed by the mayor, is the only part of the UK without its own devolved powers and its own parliament or assembly. Scotland was given its own parliament in 1999 and Wales and Northern Ireland were each given their own assembly in the same year, yet England was ignored by the then Labour Government headed by the Scots-born Tony Blair. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland each has its own First Minister (the equivalent of a US state governor), yet England has nobody.
The three Establishment parties (Tories, Labour and Lib Dems) are now coming out saying they will now offer long overdue devolution to England. Whether that's in the form of an English parliament, regional assemblies (55% of the people of the North East region want more powers of their own) or powers for the large city regions like Greater Manchester (which has over 2 million people) we just don't know. I wouldn't hold my breath. Cameron will talk about "more powers for the English" but give it a few weeks and the English will get ignored again whilst the Scots will get offered the Earth.
What definitely needs to be done is the solving of the West Lothian Question, the unfair situation in that Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish MPs are allowed to vote on English-only matters at the UK Parliament in Westminster whereas English MPs are barred from voting on Scottish-only, Welsh-only and Northern Irish-only matters because they are matters solely for the Scottish Parliament and the Welsh and Northern Irish assemblies.
Yesterday, Ukip leader Nigel Farage posted letters to each of the 59 Scottish MPs politely asking them to refrain from voting on English-only matters at Westminster. I have a feeling that Farage will be the only one of the four main party leaders who will keep on fighting for more fairness for the English taxpayer.
It could well be the case that Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish MPs could be barred from voting on English-only matters at Westminster, turning the UK Parliament into a temporary English Parliament on those occasions when debates take place regarding solely England.
This temporary English Parliament at Westminster would have 533 MPs, as 533 of the 650 UK MPs represent English contituencies.
One party that is currently against such an arrangement is Labour, which has a large amount of Scottish MPs, so it would have a lot less MPs in a temporary English Parliament at Westminster.
This is an idea supported by Farage, who has said the time has come for an English Parliament, to give the country a "proper voice" in the UK.
He told the BBC: "We've had a lot from Scotland but the tail cannot go on wagging the dog any longer."
He said there should be a full constitutional convention.
Nigel Farage: Time to stop Scots tail wagging the dog
19 September 2014
BBC News
UKIP's leader says the package of extra powers on offer to Scottish voters is a "panic measure" from the prime minister
Nigel Farage has said the time has come for an English Parliament, to give the country a "proper voice" in the UK.
The leader of the UK Independence Party told the BBC: "We've had a lot from Scotland but the tail cannot go on wagging the dog any longer."
He said there should be a full constitutional convention.
Mr Farage, whose party has no MPs but topped the Euro elections, also called for Scottish MPs to give up their right to vote on England-only issues.
Mr Farage's comments came after Scotland voted decisively to stay in the United Kingdom.
With the results in from all 32 council areas, the "No" side won with 2,001,926 votes over 1,617,989 for "Yes".
The vote is the culmination of a two-year campaign. Talks will now begin on devolving more powers to Scotland.
However, Mr Farage maintained that English taxpayers should not be bound by promises made by the three main party leaders during the referendum campaign.
'Wagging the dog'
David Cameron, Ed Miliband and Nick Clegg pledged to hand further tax powers to the Scottish Parliament and committed to preserving the controversial Barnett funding formula, which sees wealthy Scotland given more public money per head of population than poorer Wales and Northern Ireland and the poorer English regions.
Following the "No" vote, Mr Cameron said in a speech that the rights of other people in the UK needed to be respected and enhanced - and a new and "fair settlement" had to apply to all parts of the UK.
Ukip leader Nigel Farage posts his letters to 59 Scottish MPs yesterday asking them to refrain from voting on English-only matters at Westminster
But Mr Farage claimed the prime minister was "panicked" by the English question, and dismissed plans for a committee to look into a solution.
"I really do think now we absolutely need to have a constitutional convention to talk about how we create a fair, federal United Kingdom," he argued.
Mr Farage said: "I think England needs a voice - we've heard a lot from Scotland. The tail can't continue wagging the dog any longer.
"We must have English MPs voting on English only matters."
The Ukip leader has suggested an English Parliament could operate within the existing Palace of Westminster, with certain days dedicated to business affecting England.
He has written to all 59 Scottish MPs to say to them "in the spirit of finding a fair settlement for the United Kingdom, will you please commit from today not to take part in debates or votes in Westminster on English devolved issues".
Many English MPs have demanded that further devolution to Scotland will necessitate wider constitutional changes, with some backing a federal model where all the different nations of the UK have the same financial autonomy.
They say it would no longer be fair for MPs from Scottish constituencies to vote on devolved matters relating solely to England when English MPs cannot vote on matters devolved to the Scottish Parliament.
BBC News - Nigel Farage: Time to stop Scots tail wagging the dog
England, apart from London, which has its own devolved assemly headed by the mayor, is the only part of the UK without its own devolved powers and its own parliament or assembly. Scotland was given its own parliament in 1999 and Wales and Northern Ireland were each given their own assembly in the same year, yet England was ignored by the then Labour Government headed by the Scots-born Tony Blair. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland each has its own First Minister (the equivalent of a US state governor), yet England has nobody.
The three Establishment parties (Tories, Labour and Lib Dems) are now coming out saying they will now offer long overdue devolution to England. Whether that's in the form of an English parliament, regional assemblies (55% of the people of the North East region want more powers of their own) or powers for the large city regions like Greater Manchester (which has over 2 million people) we just don't know. I wouldn't hold my breath. Cameron will talk about "more powers for the English" but give it a few weeks and the English will get ignored again whilst the Scots will get offered the Earth.
What definitely needs to be done is the solving of the West Lothian Question, the unfair situation in that Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish MPs are allowed to vote on English-only matters at the UK Parliament in Westminster whereas English MPs are barred from voting on Scottish-only, Welsh-only and Northern Irish-only matters because they are matters solely for the Scottish Parliament and the Welsh and Northern Irish assemblies.
Yesterday, Ukip leader Nigel Farage posted letters to each of the 59 Scottish MPs politely asking them to refrain from voting on English-only matters at Westminster. I have a feeling that Farage will be the only one of the four main party leaders who will keep on fighting for more fairness for the English taxpayer.
It could well be the case that Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish MPs could be barred from voting on English-only matters at Westminster, turning the UK Parliament into a temporary English Parliament on those occasions when debates take place regarding solely England.
This temporary English Parliament at Westminster would have 533 MPs, as 533 of the 650 UK MPs represent English contituencies.
One party that is currently against such an arrangement is Labour, which has a large amount of Scottish MPs, so it would have a lot less MPs in a temporary English Parliament at Westminster.
This is an idea supported by Farage, who has said the time has come for an English Parliament, to give the country a "proper voice" in the UK.
He told the BBC: "We've had a lot from Scotland but the tail cannot go on wagging the dog any longer."
He said there should be a full constitutional convention.
Nigel Farage: Time to stop Scots tail wagging the dog
19 September 2014
BBC News
UKIP's leader says the package of extra powers on offer to Scottish voters is a "panic measure" from the prime minister
Nigel Farage has said the time has come for an English Parliament, to give the country a "proper voice" in the UK.
The leader of the UK Independence Party told the BBC: "We've had a lot from Scotland but the tail cannot go on wagging the dog any longer."
He said there should be a full constitutional convention.
Mr Farage, whose party has no MPs but topped the Euro elections, also called for Scottish MPs to give up their right to vote on England-only issues.
Mr Farage's comments came after Scotland voted decisively to stay in the United Kingdom.
With the results in from all 32 council areas, the "No" side won with 2,001,926 votes over 1,617,989 for "Yes".
The vote is the culmination of a two-year campaign. Talks will now begin on devolving more powers to Scotland.
However, Mr Farage maintained that English taxpayers should not be bound by promises made by the three main party leaders during the referendum campaign.
'Wagging the dog'
David Cameron, Ed Miliband and Nick Clegg pledged to hand further tax powers to the Scottish Parliament and committed to preserving the controversial Barnett funding formula, which sees wealthy Scotland given more public money per head of population than poorer Wales and Northern Ireland and the poorer English regions.
Following the "No" vote, Mr Cameron said in a speech that the rights of other people in the UK needed to be respected and enhanced - and a new and "fair settlement" had to apply to all parts of the UK.
Ukip leader Nigel Farage posts his letters to 59 Scottish MPs yesterday asking them to refrain from voting on English-only matters at Westminster
But Mr Farage claimed the prime minister was "panicked" by the English question, and dismissed plans for a committee to look into a solution.
"I really do think now we absolutely need to have a constitutional convention to talk about how we create a fair, federal United Kingdom," he argued.
Mr Farage said: "I think England needs a voice - we've heard a lot from Scotland. The tail can't continue wagging the dog any longer.
"We must have English MPs voting on English only matters."
The Ukip leader has suggested an English Parliament could operate within the existing Palace of Westminster, with certain days dedicated to business affecting England.
He has written to all 59 Scottish MPs to say to them "in the spirit of finding a fair settlement for the United Kingdom, will you please commit from today not to take part in debates or votes in Westminster on English devolved issues".
Many English MPs have demanded that further devolution to Scotland will necessitate wider constitutional changes, with some backing a federal model where all the different nations of the UK have the same financial autonomy.
They say it would no longer be fair for MPs from Scottish constituencies to vote on devolved matters relating solely to England when English MPs cannot vote on matters devolved to the Scottish Parliament.
BBC News - Nigel Farage: Time to stop Scots tail wagging the dog
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