Discussion
As an Englishman I cringe every time I listen to a representative of "our Government" and hear a Scottish voice. Not because I have anything against the sweaties but because there are so many of them in this Government.
Whilst Scotland and Wales have a level of devolution we English, who make up the majority of the UK and provide most of the wealth, have none whatsoever and have the ridiculous situation where Scottish MP's vote on issues concerning English affairs where there is no Scottish interest at all.
The English electorate actually voted for the Conservatives at the last election but we are stuck with a Government that seems to be primarily made up of a cabal of Scotsmen.
Off the top of my head;
Tony Blair - Prime Minister- Scottish
Gordon Brown - Chancellor - Scottish
John Reid - Defence Sec. - Scottish
Douglas Alexander - Minister for Europe - Scottish
Alastair Darling - Transport Sec. - Scottish
Ian McCartney - Minister without Portfolio - Scottish
Lord Falconer - Lord Chancellor - Scottish
Des Browne - Chief sec to the Treasury - Scottish
Also;
Patricia Hewitt - Health Sec - Australian
Baroness Amos - Leader of the Lords - Guyanian
Peter Hain - Northern Ireland and Wales - South African
John Prescott - Deputy Prime Minister - From the Planet Lard
Not very representative of a country principally made up of English constituences. When will the campaign for English independence start?
Whilst Scotland and Wales have a level of devolution we English, who make up the majority of the UK and provide most of the wealth, have none whatsoever and have the ridiculous situation where Scottish MP's vote on issues concerning English affairs where there is no Scottish interest at all.
The English electorate actually voted for the Conservatives at the last election but we are stuck with a Government that seems to be primarily made up of a cabal of Scotsmen.
Off the top of my head;
Tony Blair - Prime Minister- Scottish
Gordon Brown - Chancellor - Scottish
John Reid - Defence Sec. - Scottish
Douglas Alexander - Minister for Europe - Scottish
Alastair Darling - Transport Sec. - Scottish
Ian McCartney - Minister without Portfolio - Scottish
Lord Falconer - Lord Chancellor - Scottish
Des Browne - Chief sec to the Treasury - Scottish
Also;
Patricia Hewitt - Health Sec - Australian
Baroness Amos - Leader of the Lords - Guyanian
Peter Hain - Northern Ireland and Wales - South African
John Prescott - Deputy Prime Minister - From the Planet Lard
Not very representative of a country principally made up of English constituences. When will the campaign for English independence start?
.unrepentant said:
Not very representative of a country principally made up of English constituences. When will the campaign for English independence start?
No time soon, there is not enough support for it yet.
However I think resentment is slowly building up about the dog’s breakfast that Labour's constitutional reforms have produced.
The solution can only be either
1. English MP's alone vote on matters which only effect England.
2. An English Parliament
3. Regional assemblies with the same power as the Scottish parliament.
unrepentant said:
The English electorate actually voted for the Conservatives at the last election but we are stuck with a Government that seems to be primarily made up of a cabal of Scotsmen.
Off the top of my head;
Tony Blair - Prime Minister- Scottish
Gordon Brown - Chancellor - Scottish
John Reid - Defence Sec. - Scottish
Douglas Alexander - Minister for Europe - Scottish
Alastair Darling - Transport Sec. - Scottish
Ian McCartney - Minister without Portfolio - Scottish
Lord Falconer - Lord Chancellor - Scottish
Des Browne - Chief sec to the Treasury - Scottish
When will the campaign for English independence start?
Even if you changed all the red seats in Scotland and Wales to blue at the last election Labour would still have won by 20 odd seats.
I get the feeling your truck is not so much with Scottish politicians but with Labour. If it was a Tory Govt. with a certain amount of Scots would you have made this post with the same level of conviction if at all ?
Egbert Nobacon said:
Somewhat ironic is the the fact that Labour only has a majority in Parliament due to the Scottish and Welsh Seats it holds.
Fully devolve these two and let them suffer, Labour majority vanishes in Commons - problem solved !!
No wrong. Read my reply above, this chestnut was brought up after the last election with the usual suspects trumpeting this notion.
Hilts said:
I get the feeling your truck is not so much with Scottish politicians but with Labour. If it was a Tory Govt. with a certain amount of Scots would you have made this post with the same level of conviction if at all ?
Don't be ridiculous.
The Tories only have 2 MP's in Scotland.
In all seriousness I am an Englishman living in England with a government that I hate with a passion that is run by lots of people who in the main are not fellow Englishmen (or women). The Scots can return to their constituences north of the border knowing that their constituents are not going to have to pay top up fees or swingeing care home costs for the elderly that their government have forced on the English electorate.
I was against the Scottish parliament because of A) The West Lothian question and B) The shocking waste of money. If the Scots want a Parliament let them have one but cut off all access to English tax revenue and kick their MP's out of Westminster.
(The first Scotsman to start wittering on about North Sea oil will get a flaming).
me. i did not know that. JagLover said:
The solution can only be either
1. English MP's alone vote on matters which only effect England.
2. An English Parliament
3. Regional assemblies with the same power as the Scottish parliament.
If 1. takes place, you effectively have 2.
There is a much better solution than any of the above.
Completely can the Scottish parliament and the Welsh assembly, and certainly do not create English regional assemblies. They are another layer of good-for-nothing career politicians with their snouts in the trough, addressing problems wich don't exist and interfering where they are not required.
Get back to a UK government of minimal size and interference, addressing things which matter.
As much as I hate Nu Labia, all parties seem to be rather similar in overall outlook at the moment. David Starkey on QT last night was about right.
In order to have a central government of minimal power you may need to bolster local institutions.
That is why there is nothing wrong with the principle of regional parliments.
I think we should study the experience of other countries. Britain has one of the most centralised forms of government in the western World.
That is why there is nothing wrong with the principle of regional parliments.
I think we should study the experience of other countries. Britain has one of the most centralised forms of government in the western World.
andy mac said:
Do you not think that lots of little regional assemblies would just be more money wasted, and a constant drain of cash for each seperate entity??
Depends on whether they are given worthwhile power and the central government truly devolves it's power to them.
other wise they are simply an expensive 'talking shop'
The problem with regional assemblies is that they still do not represent England. We would still not have an English parliament. There is a bit of consternation as to how we would be represented in Europe, (seeing as Scottish, and welsh bodies have their say, yet the English do not)...
[quote=andy mac]The problem with regional assemblies is that they still do not represent England. /quote]
That's true, but given how large England is you have to question whether is any point having a National parliament and then another parliament that covers 85% of the population.
If you want an assembly that speaks for England then regional assemblies are not the answer. However if you believe in devolving power to the local level, then properly set up regional assemblies may be part of the answer.
That's true, but given how large England is you have to question whether is any point having a National parliament and then another parliament that covers 85% of the population.
If you want an assembly that speaks for England then regional assemblies are not the answer. However if you believe in devolving power to the local level, then properly set up regional assemblies may be part of the answer.
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