West Lothian question may finally be solved with England-only votes in UK Parliament
15 replies, posted
[url]http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-21920010[/url]
[quote]Legislation that affects just England should normally need backing by a majority of MPs who represent English constituencies, a report says.
The commission was launched last year to consider whether Welsh, Scottish and Northern Irish MPs should be denied a vote on English-only matters.
The government said it would give the report "serious consideration".
There has been controversy over the so-called West Lothian Question - the ability of Welsh, Scottish and Northern Irish MPs to vote on England-only matters - for several decades, but this intensified after devolution.[/quote]
Um so if anyone doesn't understand this: Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland all have their own devolved parliaments/assemblies, so they have autonomy in certain areas. England however is run by the UK Parliament which means Scottish, N. Irish, and Welsh MPs can vote on English laws, but English MPs can't vote on Scottish, N. Irish, and Welsh laws. This has been a problem [url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/West_Lothian_question]for a long time[/url] and it looks like they're finally going to fix it.
Finally. It was just weird the old way.
What's the point of being a [I]united[/I] kingdom if each group has their own governments like this?
This actually seems like a reasonably good idea.
[editline]25th March 2013[/editline]
[QUOTE=Emperor Scorpious II;40038637]What's the point of being a [I]united[/I] kingdom if each group has their own governments like this?[/QUOTE]
I was under the impression that the "United" States of America do nearly the same thing, except with 50 different sub-divisions.
[QUOTE=Emperor Scorpious II;40038637]What's the point of being a [I]united[/I] kingdom if each group has their own governments like this?[/QUOTE]
Same as the United States
[editline]25th March 2013[/editline]
[QUOTE=Rents;40038649]I was under the impression that the "United" States of America do nearly the same thing, except with 50 different sub-divisions.[/QUOTE]
u fkin wot m8
[QUOTE=Rents;40038649]This actually seems like a reasonably good idea.
[editline]25th March 2013[/editline]
I was under the impression that the "United" States of America do nearly the same thing, except with 50 different sub-divisions.[/QUOTE]
Well the president does have supreme authority over all of them afaik, but I see your point.
the final solution to the west lothian question
[QUOTE=elowin;40038677]Well the president does have supreme authority over all of them afaik, but I see your point.[/QUOTE]
They've got the Federal government, and then each state government, with this the UK will have a separate parliament for England, Scotland, Wales and N. Ireland, and then an overarching one that affects all of the UK. It's pretty much the same structure.
[QUOTE=smurfy;40038664]Same as the United States[/QUOTE]
If they're now making it like the US, then the previous system must have been rather dumb. That's like some states can vote on issues in other states, but not so for others.
I would certainly hope this passes. I'm not even British and I can understand the need for this.
[QUOTE=Emperor Scorpious II;40038637]What's the point of being a [I]united[/I] kingdom if each group has their own governments like this?[/QUOTE]
A few powers are devolved to individual countries, to allow local people to deal with local issues. Its just that England doesn't have this.
Its kinda like how in the US certain laws are created by the states while others are created federally.
[QUOTE=Emperor Scorpious II;40038724]If they're now making it like the US, then the previous system must have been rather dumb. That's like some states can vote on issues in other states, but not so for others.[/QUOTE]
Yep, it is dumb and should have been fixed years ago
[QUOTE=Emperor Scorpious II;40038724]If they're now making it like the US, then the previous system must have been rather dumb. That's like some states can vote on issues in other states, but not so for others.[/QUOTE]
The reason for it was that originally you just had Westminster deciding everything, but in the last few decades there have been quasi-nationalist campaigns for greater devolution to country-specific Parliaments and Assemblies (which in turn had their roots in the Home Rule question of the Empire. Methinks Westminster didn't want another Ireland). So Scotland and Wales and N. Ireland get their own parliaments, but since England has always been the dominant power in the Union it would have seemed weird for the English to want their own "Home Rule".
So the system was all ramschackle and the West Lothian problem was just seen as a weird anomaly that was of academic interest only, since as far as I know it's not actually caused any problems so far.
[QUOTE=DainBramageStudios;40039095]The reason for it was that originally you just had Westminster deciding everything, but in the last few decades there have been quasi-nationalist campaigns for greater devolution to country-specific Parliaments and Assemblies (which in turn had their roots in the Home Rule question of the Empire. Methinks Westminster didn't want another Ireland). So Scotland and Wales and N. Ireland get their own parliaments, but since England has always been the dominant power in the Union it would have seemed weird for the English to want their own "Home Rule".
So the system was all ramschackle and the West Lothian problem was just seen as a weird anomaly that was of academic interest only, since as far as I know it's not actually caused any problems so far.[/QUOTE]
[QUOTE=wikipedia]In establishing foundation hospitals and agreeing student tuition fees — both controversial policies which do not affect Scotland — Scottish votes were decisive in getting the measures through.[/QUOTE]
[QUOTE=Emperor Scorpious II;40038637]What's the point of being a [I]united[/I] kingdom if each group has their own governments like this?[/QUOTE]
works more as a federation. one external policy, many different internal ones.
[QUOTE=Rents;40038708]They've got the Federal government, and then each state government, with this the UK will have a separate parliament for England, Scotland, Wales and N. Ireland, and then an overarching one that affects all of the UK. It's pretty much the same structure.[/QUOTE]
Kinda. The UK is still not an official federation.
Sorry, you need to Log In to post a reply to this thread.