There’s an interesting debate fizzing between Iain Dale’s Diary and Three Line Whip at the moment. It’s all about the West Lothian question or, rather, Ken Clarke’s proposed solution to it. As the Telegraph reported this morning, Clarke’s plying this notion, which Cameron’s alleged to have signed up to:
“…allowing all MPs to vote on English legislation at the initial second reading stage of parliamentary scrutiny.
But only English MPs would get to vote during the detailed committee stage of the legislative process, where real changes can be effected.”
At the third and final reading, all MPs could once again vote, but a new parliamentary undertaking would prevent any party using Scottish votes to block amendments made by English MPs.”
Iain Dale’s aghast, writing that:
“The phrases ‘half baked’ and ‘dog’s breakfast’ come to mind. This is not a long term solution to something which even Scottish politicians recognise is a problem and it’s not even a half way house. It reeks of a measure designed to placate rather than solve. And as usual with these things it won’t even do that.
Those of us – and there a growing number – who believe that England deserves parity in the constitutional settlement will think it decidedly odd (and wrong) that Scottish MPs will retain ANY say in English only legislation. To trumpet the fact that they won’t be able to vote on the Committee Stage of a Bill or reverse any amendments on Third Reading is a sop.”
“I think Iain may be understating the importance of part of the new Tory package: a new parliamentary undertaking that would prevent any party using Scottish votes to block amendments made by English MPs.
That new convention is far more important than it seems. And before you dismiss it as simply a rhetorical device, consider that a similar convention currently exists over the decisions of the Scottish Parliament. In constitutional law, there’s nothing to stop the House of Commons reversing any decision made by Holyrood, since sovereign power still rests at Westminster. But in political reality, it would never happen.
And so, Tories hope, the new deal Ken Clarke has drawn up, would come to hold similar status, another unwritten but unbreakable rule”
What do CoffeeHousers think on the matter?
UPDATE: Another Telegraph story has swept in to bring the England-Scotland divide into greater relief. New figures show that the “spending gap” between English and Scottish NHS patients has widened by 12 percent – in favour of the Scots – over the past 2 years. Health spending per capita is now £400 higher in Scotland than it is in England
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