Labour and the SNP

[shagster]

why for England? when the population is massive compared with Scotland etc.
not sure of Scots population, but their government should cover the majority view, but in England, why do we want the south east telling the north west or east Anglia what to do and vice versa.
i live nearer to France than Birmingham, so should France have a say in my local politics?
we either except Westminster rule, or have regional authorities, not an English parliament like several are after
i find it strange that so many are against the European union, yet want to keep the British union

shagster

 

[chrisd]

why for England? when the population is massive compared with Scotland etc.
not sure of Scots population, but their government should cover the majority view, but in England, why do we want the south east telling the north west or east Anglia what to do and vice versa.
i live nearer to France than Birmingham, so should France have a say in my local politics?
we either except Westminster rule, or have regional authorities, not an English parliament like several are after
i find it strange that so many are against the European union, yet want to keep the British union

shagster

I live much nearer France than you, being 5 miles from the Channel Tunnel and the flippin French do seem to control this corner of the country - given we can't travel any where at the moment because, once again, the failure of the French to sort out the migrant issue means the roads here are gridlocked because of operation stack! Last week it was ferry workers next week it'll probably be onion sellers causing the same problem!

 

[SocketRocket]

why for England? when the population is massive compared with Scotland etc.
not sure of Scots population, but their government should cover the majority view, but in England, why do we want the south east telling the north west or east Anglia what to do and vice versa.
i live nearer to France than Birmingham, so should France have a say in my local politics?
we either except Westminster rule, or have regional authorities, not an English parliament like several are after
i find it strange that so many are against the European union, yet want to keep the British union

shagster

So you believe the Scottish Parliament, Welsh and Northern Ireland Assemblies should be closed down?

 

[Doon frae Troon]

But we haven't had devolution in the UK for 300 years. I fail to understand how anyone cannot see that it's only fair that England gets the same devolved powers over it's local affairs the same as the rest of the UK. Surely even you must concede this?

I do not think you would find many Scots who would not agree to an English Parliament, as you say it is only fair.
Problem is Cameron is doing a BOGOF and trying to grow an English Parliament within the UK parliament with desperately poor legislation.
It is so poor that it is possible for English Tory MPs to make the Scottish Bill an English only matter. How absurd is that.

 

[Doon frae Troon]

More 'ludicrous' points.

http://blogs.spectator.co.uk/isabel-hardman/2015/07/tories-nervous-of-evel-rebellion/

 

[Old Skier]

Its time to bin all devolved Parliaments/Assembleys and all the little sub organisations trying to get in on the bandwagon. All they have managed so far is to increase the cost of running the UK and a lot of infighting. It was all cobbled together to allow for more jobs for the boys including a massive increase in public sector workers. The sheer cost outways the benifits.

We now have the NHS wanting things done at local level. Cornwall cannot even manage its affairs on a county level so god knows what would happen when local politicians and public sector workers get control of more funding - all it will result in is even more jobs and less money to spend on the work in hand.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

But we haven't had devolution in the UK for 300 years. I fail to understand how anyone cannot see that it's only fair that England gets the same devolved powers over it's local affairs the same as the rest of the UK. Surely even you must concede this?

Then set up a separate devolved parliament. It's a nonsense trying to shoehorn one into a UK Parliament through procedural means. Surely setting up of a devolved English Parliament is a pretty darned important change to the way UK government operates and I struggle to see how so many think it's OK to squeeze such a huge change in on the back of two weeks of debate with no real consultation or serious examination and consideration of what this change actually means in the long run and so we can understand what the long term constitutional issues and impact. For instance Do the voters of the UK want a Federal UK? Is EVEL the measure that makes a federal UK an inevitability? If not then why not, and what measures will be put in place to reassure voters that it isn't?

This surely can't just be something that has to be done without delay because Cameron said on the morning of the 19th September that it would be done - something he said to appease English voters.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Its time to bin all devolved Parliaments/Assembleys and all the little sub organisations trying to get in on the bandwagon. All they have managed so far is to increase the cost of running the UK and a lot of infighting. It was all cobbled together to allow for more jobs for the boys including a massive increase in public sector workers. The sheer cost outways the benifits.

We now have the NHS wanting things done at local level. Cornwall cannot even manage its affairs on a county level so god knows what would happen when local politicians and public sector workers get control of more funding - all it will result in is even more jobs and less money to spend on the work in hand.

One of they key recommendations of the Smith commission on further devolution for Scotland is to remove the ability of Westminster to 'terminate' Scottish devolved government.

 

[Old Skier]

One of they key recommendations of the Smith commission on further devolution for Scotland is to remove the ability of Westminster to 'terminate' Scottish devolved government.

I'm not just on about Scotland, the lot need to go. We keep getting promised that the size of the power base will go down but along with all these devolved MPs, EMPs, MPs, devolved councils not to mention the fact that they all need staff, the wage increase has nullified any advantages that may have been gained.

 

[Old Skier]

One of they key recommendations of the Smith commission on further devolution for Scotland is to remove the ability of Westminster to 'terminate' Scottish devolved government.

As the commission has a fair few people who could lose their jobs I wouldn't expect them to come to any other conclusion. Why do you think the body that overseas MPs salaries and claims is made up of ex politicians and civil servants.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

As the commission has a fair few people who could lose their jobs I wouldn't expect them to come to any other conclusion. Why do you think the body that overseas MPs salaries and claims is made up of ex politicians and civil servants.

Point is that when the 'additional powers' bill is eventually enacted, Westminster won't be able to disband the Holyrood parliament - and even the current UK government wouldn't dare take that out of the legislation.

 

[MegaSteve]

The political classes will always put their needs first while the hoi polloi have to make do with what's left...

We need less governance not flippin' more ...

 

[Old Skier]

The political classes will always put their needs first while the hoi polloi have to make do with what's left...

We need less governance not flippin' more ...

Only the political classes and civil servants/some public sector workers would disagree IMHO.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

And so I read this morning that the decision/vote on EVEL legislation has been put off until September as up to 20 Tory MPs were opposed to it. Of course the legislation is not being rewritten 'in any shape or form' - oh no - it's being re-drafted.