-:Undertaker:-
11-09-2014, 03:41 AM
English MPs hitting back over Scots' new powers: Questions raised over Prime Minister's pledges on tax and spending
- Miliband and Clegg have promised more control to Scots if they vote No
- But some MPs have raised questions over fairness of proposed new powers
David Cameron was facing an English backlash at Westminster last night over the rush to hand Scotland sweeping new powers.
The Prime Minister yesterday confirmed that Scotland would get ‘major new powers over tax, spending and welfare’ if it voted No to independence next week.
Ed Miliband and Nick Clegg are also pledging a major transfer of powers in a last-ditch bid to persuade Scots to keep the UK together.
But the move provoked alarm among English MPs, who last night warned it would be ‘untenable’ for Scotland to be handed new powers without major reform of its voting rights at Westminster and generous funding settlement.
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2014/09/10/1410387600138_Image_galleryImage_Former_Tory_Cabin et_minis.JPG
Tory MP John Redwood said England ‘needs a voice’ in any negotiation about the future balance of the Union
Former Tory Cabinet minister John Redwood said ministers now needed to answer the question: ‘Who speaks for England?’
Speaking in the Commons, Mr Redwood said England ‘needs a voice’ in any negotiation about the future balance of the Union.
He later told the Daily Mail that devolved matters such as health, education and local government would have to be reserved for English MPs as part of any new settlement – and said this could even result in the creation of an English government.
He said: ‘I understand why the party leaders are making these offers, but it opens up the whole English issue in a way they have not thought through.
‘This is a very big recasting of the relationship with Scotland and many people feel that what is good enough for Scotland should be good enough for England too.
‘You cannot insult England again by giving it nothing while handing Scotland all these new powers. We cannot go on having 59 Scottish MPs still voting on English education when neither they nor we can vote on Scottish education.
‘How can they be involved in setting income tax levels which their constituents will not pay? It is completely untenable.’
Fellow Tory Christopher Chope reminded MPs that Mr Cameron had refused to allow the so-called ‘devo max’ option he now appears to favour to be put on the referendum ballot paper.
Mr Chope said the UK was ‘on the edge of a precipice’ and warned against trying to rush through a new constitutional deal without consulting English voters.
‘There are a lot of people in England who already feel the Scots get a pretty good deal,’ he said.
‘You can argue that that is fair enough – under a single currency the more peripheral areas usually get a better deal as part of the arrangements for ensuring a unified country.
‘But I don’t think the English public will take kindly to the idea that devo max is being given to Scotland funded by the rest of the UK as a consolation prize for voting No. It is not tenable to simply hand over more powers to Scotland without a wider debate.
Absolutely right Mr Redwood.
The only problem with this is... what if you had a small Labour majority in the Commons, yet when it came to English legislation you would then have a constititonal crisis whereby those 50 Labour MPs from Scotland would be removed and the government of the day would then by unable to pass legislation as it wouldn't have a majority on English matters. You see the constitutional **** up devolution has created?
If you ask me though, the buck should stop here. No more powers to the mickey mouse parliament in Scotland: either stay or go, that is what is on the ballot paper and that is what they should be voting on. Whatever the result though, it confirms to me what I have thought for a long time... that the longer-term threat to the Union actually comes from England which is fed up of getting the raw deal.
Here's a few of my ideas in some varying scenarios -
- I want a UK-wide referendum in the event that anymore powers are transferred to Scotland. It's my constitution too.
- If Scotland votes YES, I want a referendum on whether or not we want a currency union: and i'll be voting 100% against.
- If Scotland is given 'home rule' or 'devo max' then I want an immediate end to the Barnett formula and English subsidies to Scotland.
- Even with the status quo, I want Scottish MPs (mainly Labour) to be removed from English-only decision making.
Thoughts? Agree or disagree with me?
- Miliband and Clegg have promised more control to Scots if they vote No
- But some MPs have raised questions over fairness of proposed new powers
David Cameron was facing an English backlash at Westminster last night over the rush to hand Scotland sweeping new powers.
The Prime Minister yesterday confirmed that Scotland would get ‘major new powers over tax, spending and welfare’ if it voted No to independence next week.
Ed Miliband and Nick Clegg are also pledging a major transfer of powers in a last-ditch bid to persuade Scots to keep the UK together.
But the move provoked alarm among English MPs, who last night warned it would be ‘untenable’ for Scotland to be handed new powers without major reform of its voting rights at Westminster and generous funding settlement.
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2014/09/10/1410387600138_Image_galleryImage_Former_Tory_Cabin et_minis.JPG
Tory MP John Redwood said England ‘needs a voice’ in any negotiation about the future balance of the Union
Former Tory Cabinet minister John Redwood said ministers now needed to answer the question: ‘Who speaks for England?’
Speaking in the Commons, Mr Redwood said England ‘needs a voice’ in any negotiation about the future balance of the Union.
He later told the Daily Mail that devolved matters such as health, education and local government would have to be reserved for English MPs as part of any new settlement – and said this could even result in the creation of an English government.
He said: ‘I understand why the party leaders are making these offers, but it opens up the whole English issue in a way they have not thought through.
‘This is a very big recasting of the relationship with Scotland and many people feel that what is good enough for Scotland should be good enough for England too.
‘You cannot insult England again by giving it nothing while handing Scotland all these new powers. We cannot go on having 59 Scottish MPs still voting on English education when neither they nor we can vote on Scottish education.
‘How can they be involved in setting income tax levels which their constituents will not pay? It is completely untenable.’
Fellow Tory Christopher Chope reminded MPs that Mr Cameron had refused to allow the so-called ‘devo max’ option he now appears to favour to be put on the referendum ballot paper.
Mr Chope said the UK was ‘on the edge of a precipice’ and warned against trying to rush through a new constitutional deal without consulting English voters.
‘There are a lot of people in England who already feel the Scots get a pretty good deal,’ he said.
‘You can argue that that is fair enough – under a single currency the more peripheral areas usually get a better deal as part of the arrangements for ensuring a unified country.
‘But I don’t think the English public will take kindly to the idea that devo max is being given to Scotland funded by the rest of the UK as a consolation prize for voting No. It is not tenable to simply hand over more powers to Scotland without a wider debate.
Absolutely right Mr Redwood.
The only problem with this is... what if you had a small Labour majority in the Commons, yet when it came to English legislation you would then have a constititonal crisis whereby those 50 Labour MPs from Scotland would be removed and the government of the day would then by unable to pass legislation as it wouldn't have a majority on English matters. You see the constitutional **** up devolution has created?
If you ask me though, the buck should stop here. No more powers to the mickey mouse parliament in Scotland: either stay or go, that is what is on the ballot paper and that is what they should be voting on. Whatever the result though, it confirms to me what I have thought for a long time... that the longer-term threat to the Union actually comes from England which is fed up of getting the raw deal.
Here's a few of my ideas in some varying scenarios -
- I want a UK-wide referendum in the event that anymore powers are transferred to Scotland. It's my constitution too.
- If Scotland votes YES, I want a referendum on whether or not we want a currency union: and i'll be voting 100% against.
- If Scotland is given 'home rule' or 'devo max' then I want an immediate end to the Barnett formula and English subsidies to Scotland.
- Even with the status quo, I want Scottish MPs (mainly Labour) to be removed from English-only decision making.
Thoughts? Agree or disagree with me?