Last week, I asked the Scottish Secretary:
"Does the Secretary of State recognise that residents in my constituency and elsewhere believe that alongside his plans for Scottish devolution, England deserves a fair constitutional settlement, with English votes for English laws?"
It seems wrong that Scotland and Wales can vote on their own affairs separately, but that we English have no direct say on our own laws.
My own preference would be English votes for English laws, so that there is fairness in our political system.
by Robert Halfon - www.roberthalfon.blogspot.com
While it is true England has become the missing middle in the devolution settlement, do you not accept how ridiculous it would be to implement English votes on English laws? The impossible nature of such an idea has been outlined by several constitutional experts including Prof. Vernon Bogdanor. For a start, it would require geographical delimitation by the person writing the legislation, which is not always possible, and then possibly voting separately on bills by each clause. There are other arguments against it and better alternatives to the issue.
ReplyDeleteHow would English Vote on English Laws be a fair constitutional settlement for England?
ReplyDeleteWe wouldn't have our own government or first minister, and we'd still have Scots, Welsh and Irish meddling in our domestic affairs.
Federalism or independence are the only fair solutions.