This discussion is now closed.

Check out other Related discussions

west lothian question

Why isn't there a solution to the West Lothian Question yet?

Devolution may be a success thus far, nonetheless if the West Lothian Question isn't resolved, it's a half-hearted policy from New Labour.

Reply 1

technik

13

do tell...

what is the west lothian question?

Reply 2

TKR

15

I beleive that Blasnitch came closest to the solution in '56 with his "Bill on the West Lothian Question". unfortunately it was never enacted due to his untimely demise at the hands of a stray Morris Minor wheel arch while holidaying in Lower Saxony.

Reply 3

LH

15

The simplest soulution would be to keep English-only issues in Westminster but allow only English MPs to vote on them.

Though the issue is complicated by the fact that the Welsh have their assembley but this does very little. Should English MPs be allowed to vote on Welsh issues? Should Scottish MPs?

Reply 4

Carl

14

The Welsh assembly DOES do a lot. Despite the fact that it cannot make laws it goes a long way in determining policy in areas such as health and education. I value the independence the NA has from Westminster and would be gutted to see it disbanded. I wouldn't mind more power however.

As for the West Lothian question. Set up an English Assembly/series of regional assemblies with similar powers to the Welsh assembly, and give all assemblies legislative, but not tax raising powers. Remove elected MPs from Westminster and abolish the House of Lords, instead voting for a President/other national leader who nominates a government responsible for national security, defense, the economy, tax, foreign and ecological policy. Thus we are left with a federal UK with no devolutiary or democratic deficit. A mechanism to remove the government could be a vote of no confidence amongst all the first ministers of the assemblies, and for example, tax legislation/matters of consititutional importance could be majority voted by the first ministers of the regional assemblies too.

Reply 5

zooropa

OP

technik

do tell...

what is the west lothian question?

It's why Scottish MP's should be able to vote on English issues, but English MP's can't vote on Scottish issues.

Reply 6

Carl

14

zooropa

It's why Scottish MP's should be able to vote on English issues, but English MP's can't vote on Scottish issues.

Well....no.

It was a question put to the House of Commons by Tam Dayell, at the time MP for West Lothian and Borders. He asked how it was justified that Scottish and Welsh MPs could vote on policy that would affect English people and issues, but that English MPs could not have a role in policy making in Scotland and Wales. To solve the West Lothian question would be reconcile this devolutiary deficit.

Reply 7

LH

15

Carl

Well....no.

It was a question put to the House of Commons by Tam Dayell, at the time MP for West Lothian and Borders. He asked how it was justified that Scottish and Welsh MPs could vote on policy that would affect English people and issues, but that English MPs could not have a role in policy making in Scotland and Wales. To solve the West Lothian question would be reconcile this devolutiary deficit.

Though he was referring principly to Scotland since the Scottish Parliament can make laws concerning health, education etc. The Welsh Assembley cannot, so the issue is less since issues affecting Wales are still voted on in Westminster.

Reply 8

Carl

14

LH

Though he was referring principly to Scotland since the Scottish Parliament can make laws concerning health, education etc. The Welsh Assembley cannot, so the issue is less since issues affecting Wales are still voted on in Westminster.

He was referring to Scotland because at the time (1967) devolution was only on the cards for Scotland. The point applies to Wales and Scotland now because they both have policy making devolved bodies and representatives at Westminster.

Reply 9

Lord Waddell

1

The way I see it, what will happen eventually is that the UK will become federal. The Scots aren't about to give up their parliament, despite it being full of ********s who sit about wasting taxpayers money for the most part, and neither as far as I can see are the Welsh and Northern Irish (in the event that Westminister reconvenes the Stormont government). So an English Parliament will probably come into being, or perhaps a whole load of local assemblies in England, with similar powers to the Scottish Parliament. About should come a whole reform of government, and for the House of Lords I propose that each local assembly or parliament sends representatives to there, and the Queen with a royal commission appoints the rest for life, so it doesn't depend on the Prime Minister of the day. At the same time we should remove a whole load of legislation that unneccessarily interferes in people's lives. But everybody still elects MPs for constituencies every 5 or so years, and the PM is the leader of the winning party. The national government still has control over foreign policy, defence, trade, economy, most tax powers, social security, national security and the enviroment.

Reply 10

Chrism

1

Either give England its own parliament with Westminster retaining responsibility for cross-nation issues such as defence and foreign affairs, or make Scotland and Wales independent, either of which would render the WLQ moot.

Reply 11

an Siarach

15

LH

The simplest soulution would be to keep English-only issues in Westminster but allow only English MPs to vote on them.

Though the issue is complicated by the fact that the Welsh have their assembley but this does very little. Should English MPs be allowed to vote on Welsh issues? Should Scottish MPs?

This is what should have happened in 99' instead of the gross waste of money which resulted in the unnecessary Scottish parliament and the totally unnecessary MSPs who inhabit it. Power should have been devolved to MPs of the areas concerned and that would have been that. Instead we have millions of pounds wasted to employ two people to do the job of one and the outrage of scots etc voting on english matters such as tuition fees. The idea put forward by Lord Forsyth of basically sacking the MSPs and instead having the MPs sit in Holyrood as well as Westminster was an excellent suggestion.

Reply 12

JonD

5

I prefer the "English MPs only" bill idea, it seems the simplest option. An English parliament would just be an extra layer of useless bureaucracy, and if it was a new building, it would probably look as awful as its Edinburgh equivelant.

Reply 13

Lord Waddell

1

JonD

I prefer the "English MPs only" bill idea, it seems the simplest option. An English parliament would just be an extra layer of useless bureaucracy, and if it was a new building, it would probably look as awful as its Edinburgh equivelant.

And they put in right in the middle of the Old Town of Edinburgh. How stupid can you get, plonking down something that looks like a pile of concrete with sticks coming out of it in the middle of 16th and 17th century buildings? And there is already a Parliament building; Parliament House, which was the home of the Scottish Parliament before 1707 and is now home to the Scottish judiciary and Court of Session. I honestly fail to see why they couldn't just fit up a chamber inside there with a minimum of expense.

Reply 14

JonD

5

Lord Waddell

And they put in right in the middle of the Old Town of Edinburgh. How stupid can you get, plonking down something that looks like a pile of concrete with sticks coming out of it in the middle of 16th and 17th century buildings? And there is already a Parliament building; Parliament House, which was the home of the Scottish Parliament before 1707 and is now home to the Scottish judiciary and Court of Session. I honestly fail to see why they couldn't just fit up a chamber inside there with a minimum of expense.

They should have stuck that tacky monstrosity well out of sight.. like down an active volcano. I bet most Scots would have preferred something that looked more like a throne of power, rather than a Lego brick house assembled by a colour-blind toddler. Perhaps something made of stone, like the neo-gothic Houses of Parliament.

I think the first thing the unlucky people of Scotland should do is suggest a Catholic Persecution Bill. Maybe then a budding Guy Fawkes will do you a favour and sort out this eye-sore :smile:

Reply 15

technik

13

zooropa

It's why Scottish MP's should be able to vote on English issues, but English MP's can't vote on Scottish issues.

um...as MP's they'll sit in the commons and all vote on all issues...

Reply 16

LH

15

technik

um...as MP's they'll sit in the commons and all vote on all issues...

Have you read the thread? We're talking about MSPs here. English MPs cannot vote on Scottish issues which are decided in the Scottish Parliament. Scottish MPs can, however, vote on English (and Welsh) issues as these are still decided on at the Westminster Parliament. Eg: Top-up fees

Reply 17

Howard

5

zooropa

Why isn't there a solution to the West Lothian Question yet?

Devolution may be a success thus far, nonetheless if the West Lothian Question isn't resolved, it's a half-hearted policy from New Labour.

For faurly obvious reasons I'd have thought. The Scottish MPs are overwhelmingly Labour and therefore lend their weight to Blair's causes.

Reply 18

not1

15

zooropa

Why isn't there a solution to the West Lothian Question yet?

I have a solution. I call it my 'Final Solution', and it involves carpet-bombing West Lothian. Those damn Lothianites.

Reply 19

bluenoxid

13

edders

I have a solution. I call it my 'Final Solution', and it involves carpet-bombing West Lothian. Those damn Lothianites.

Not a solution really, but I hear they have oil.

4 days a week
English MPs sit in the commons dealing with English issues
Welsh MPs sit in Cardiff dealing with Welsh issues
Scottish... Yeah you get the gist

1 day a week - they all come together at the commons and debate UK issues.

west lothian question

Related discussions

Latest

Trending

Trending

Articles for you