United Kingdom

This article is part of the series: Politics and government of the United Kingdom Image File history File links Flag_of_the_United_Kingdom. ... Politics of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland take place in the framework of a constitutional monarchy in which the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom is the head of government. ...

Sovereign: Queen Elizabeth II Parliament State Opening of Parliament House of Lords Lord Speaker: Baroness Hayman House of Commons Speaker: Michael Martin Prime Minister's Questions Her Majesty's Government The Privy Council Cabinet Prime Minister: Tony Blair Deputy Prime Minister: John Prescott Chancellor of the Exchequer: Gordon Brown Foreign Secretary: Margaret Beckett Home Secretary: John Reid Lord Chancellor: Lord Falconer of Thoroton Government departments The Civil Service Official Opposition Leader of the Opposition: David Cameron Shadow Cabinet Courts of the United Kingdom Courts of England and Wales Courts of Northern Ireland Courts of Scotland Constituent countries Scottish Parliament Scottish Executive National Assembly for Wales Welsh Assembly Government Northern Ireland Assembly Northern Ireland Executive English Regional Assemblies Reserved matters Local government Greater London Authority Elections: 2001 - 2005 - 54th Political parties Constitution Human rights Foreign relations EU Politics

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The West Lothian question was a question posed on 14 November 1977 by Tam Dalyell, Labour Member of Parliament (MP) for the Scottish constituency of West Lothian, during a British House of Commons debate over Scottish and Welsh devolution (see Scotland Act 1978 and Wales Act 1978): The British monarch or Sovereign is the head of state of the United Kingdom and in the British overseas territories. ... Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor; born 21 April 1926) is Queen of sixteen sovereign states, holding each crown and title equally. ... The Houses of Parliament, as seen over Westminster Bridge The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative body in the United Kingdom and British overseas territories. ... In the United Kingdom, the State Opening of Parliament is an annual event held usually in October or November that marks the commencement of a session of Parliament. ... The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom and is also commonly referred to as the Lords. The Sovereign, the House of Commons (which is the lower house of Parliament and referred to as the Commons), and the Lords together comprise the Parliament. ... The Lord Speaker (or Lady Speaker) will be a new position in the British Parliament created once the Constitutional Reform Acts provisions about the Speakership of the House of Lords comes into effect. ... Hélène Valerie Hayman, Baroness Hayman, PC, née Middleweek (born 26 March 1949) is a Labour policitian. ... The House of Commons is the lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. ... In the United Kingdom, the Speaker of the House of Commons is the presiding officer of the House of Commons, and is seen historically as the First Commoner of the Land. ... Michael John Martin MP (born 3 July 1945) is the current Speaker of the House of Commons in the United Kingdom. ... Tony Blair at PMQs Prime Ministers Questions (officially Questions to the Prime Minister) is a constitutional convention in the United Kingdom, where every Wednesday when the House of Commons is sitting the Prime Minister spends half an hour answering questions from Members of Parliament (MPs). In Canada this convention... Her Majestys Government, or when the Sovereign is male, His Majestys Government, abbreviated HMG or HM Government, is the formal title used by the Government of the United Kingdom. ... Her Majestys Most Honourable Privy Council is a body of advisors to the British Sovereign. ... In the Politics of the United Kingdom, the Cabinet is a formal body comprised of government officials chosen by the Prime Minister. ... The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is, in practice, the political leader of the United Kingdom. ... For other people of the same name, see Tony Blair (disambiguation) Anthony Charles Lynton Blair (born May 6, 1953)[1] is the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, First Lord of the Treasury, Minister for the Civil Service, Leader of the Labour Party, and Member of Parliament for the constituency... The office of Deputy Prime Minister is one that has only existed occasionally in the history of the United Kingdom. ... John Leslie Prescott MP (born 31 May 1938) is a British Labour Party politician, Deputy Prime Minister, First Secretary of State and Member of Parliament for the North East constituency of Hull East. ... The Chancellor of the Exchequer is the title held by the British cabinet minister responsible for all financial matters. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (commonly referred to as Foreign Secretary) is a member of the British Government responsible for relations with foreign countries, heading the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (often called simply the Foreign Office). ... Margaret Mary Beckett (née Jackson) (born 15 January 1943) is a British Labour Party politician who is currently Member of Parliament (MP) for Derby South and, since May 6, 2006, the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs. ... The Secretary of State for the Home Department, commonly known as the Home Secretary, is the minister in charge of the United Kingdom Home Office and is responsible for internal affairs in England and Wales, and for immigration and citizenship for the whole United Kingdom (including Scotland and Northern Ireland). ... John Reid PC (born 8 May 1947) is a British politician who is Home Secretary and Member of Parliament (MP) for the Scottish constituency of Airdrie and Shotts in the United Kingdom. ... The Lord High Chancellor of Great Britain, or Lord Chancellor and prior to the Union the Chancellor of England and the Lord Chancellor of Scotland, is a senior and important functionary in the government of the United Kingdom, and its predecessor states. ... Lord Falconer of Thoroton Charles Leslie Falconer, Baron Falconer of Thoroton, PC, QC (born 19 November 1951) is a British barrister and Labour Party politician. ... Her Majestys Government of the United Kingdom contains a number of Ministers and Secretaries of State. ... The British civil service is the permanent bureaucracy that supports the Government Ministers responsible to the Sovereign and Parliament in administering the United Kingdom. ... Her Majestys Loyal Opposition, or the Official Opposition in the United Kingdom is the largest opposition party in the House of Commons. ... The Leader of the Opposition in the United Kingdom is the politician who leads Her Majestys Most Loyal Opposition. ... David William Donald Cameron (born 9 October 1966) is the Leader of the Conservative Party and Leader of the Opposition in the United Kingdom, positions he has occupied since December 2005. ... The Official Loyal Opposition Shadow Cabinet (normally referred to simply as The Shadow Cabinet) is, in British parliamentary practice, a group of members from Her Majestys Loyal Opposition whose job it is to scrutinise their opposite numbers in government and come up with alternative policies. ... The United Kingdom does not have a single unified judicial system: England and Wales have one system, Scotland another, and Northern Ireland another. ... Schematic of court system for England and Wales The United Kingdom does not have a single unified judicial system—England and Wales have one system, Scotland another, and Northern Ireland a third. ... The United Kingdom does not have a single unified judicial system — England and Wales have one system, Scotland another, and Northern Ireland a third. ... The Courts of Scotland are the civil, criminal and heraldic courts responsible for the administration of justice in Scotland. ... The factual accuracy of this article is disputed. ... For the national legislative body up to 1707, see Parliament of Scotland. ... The Executives logo, shown with English and Scottish Gaelic caption The term Scottish Executive is used in two different, but closely-related senses: to denote the executive arm of Scotlands national legislature (i. ... The National Assembly for Wales (Welsh: ) is a devolved assembly with power to make legislation in Wales. ... Official logo of the Welsh Assembly Government The Welsh Assembly Government (WAG) (Welsh: , LlCC) was firstly an executive body of the National Assembly for Wales, consisting of the First Minister and his Cabinet from 1999 to 2007. ... The logo of the Northern Ireland Assembly, a six flowered linen or flax plant. ... The Northern Ireland Executive as established by the Northern Ireland Act 1998 is the (currently suspended) executive body for Northern Ireland, answerable to the Northern Ireland Assembly. ... Regional Assembly is a title which has universally been adopted by the English bodies established as regional chambers under the Regional Development Agencies Act 1998. ... In Scotland reserved matters, also referred to as reserved powers, are those subjects over which power to legislate is retained by Westminster, as explicitly stated in the Scotland Act 1998. ... There is no single system of local government in the United Kingdom. ... The Greater London Authority (GLA) administers the 1579 km² (610 sq. ... The United Kingdom has five distinct types of elections: general, local, regional, European and mayoral. ... Tony Blair William Hague Charles Kennedy The UK general election, 2001 was held on 7 June 2001 and was dubbed the quiet landslide by the media. ... The United Kingdom general election of 2005 was held on Thursday, 5 May 2005. ... Under the provisions of the Parliament Acts of 1911 and 1949, the next United Kingdom general election must be held on or before 3 June 2010. ... This is a list of political parties in the United Kingdom. ... The United Kingdom has a long and established tradition of respect for its citizens human rights. ... British Prime Minister Tony Blair (left) conducting diplomacy, hosted by the President of the United States, George W. Bush at Camp David in March 2003. ... The European Union or EU is a supranational and international organization of 27 member states. ... Information on politics by country is available for every country, including both de jure and de facto independent states, inhabited dependent territories, as well as areas of special sovereignty. ... November 14 is the 318th day of the year (319th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Also: 1977 (album) by Ash. ... Sir Thomas Dalyell of the Binns, 11th Baronet (born 9 August 1932), more commonly known as Tam Dalyell (pronounced ), is a Scottish politician and was a Labour member of the House of Commons from 1962 to 2005. ... The Labour Party has been, since its founding in the early 20th century, the principal political party of the left in England, Scotland and Wales. ... A Member of Parliament, or MP, is a representative elected by the voters to a parliament. ... Scotland is divided into 59 constituencies of the United Kingdom Parliament - 19 Burgh constituencies and 40 County constituencies. ... Linlithgowshire was a constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1708 to 1945, when its name was changed to West Lothian. ... The House of Commons is the lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. ... Motto (Latin) No one provokes me with impunity Cha togar mfhearg gun dioladh (Scottish Gaelic)1 Wha daur meddle wi me?(Scots)1 Anthem (Multiple unofficial anthems) Scotlands location in Europe Capital Edinburgh Largest city Glasgow Official languages English, Gaelic, Scots Government Constitutional monarchy  -  Queen Queen Elizabeth II... This article is about the country. ... Look up Devolution in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... The Scotland Act 1978 was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom (Westminster) seeking to establish a Scottish Assembly as a devolved legislature for Scotland. ... The Wales Act 1978 is an act of law in the United Kindom. ...

"For how long will English constituencies and English Honourable members tolerate... at least 119 Honourable Members from Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland exercising an important, and probably often decisive, effect on British politics while they themselves have no say in the same matters in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland?" Motto (French) God and my right Anthem God Save the Queen England() – on the European continent() – in the United Kingdom() Capital (and largest city) London (de facto) Official languages English (de facto) Unified  -  by Athelstan 967 AD  Area  -  Total 130,395 km²  50,346 sq mi  Population  -  2007 estimate 50... Northern Ireland is a part of the United Kingdom lying in the northeast of the island of Ireland, covering 5,459 square miles (14,139 km², about a sixth of the islands total area). ...

He illustrated his point by pointing out the paradox of a Member of Parliament for West Lothian being able to vote on matters affecting West Bromwich but not his own constituency of West Lothian. The Public by Will Alsop. ...

The name "West Lothian Question" was coined by the Ulster Unionist (formerly Conservative) MP Enoch Powell in his response to Dalyell's speech: This article does not cite any references or sources. ... The Conservative Party (officially the Conservative and Unionist Party) is the second largest political party in the United Kingdom in terms of sitting Members of Parliament (MPs), the largest in terms of public membership, and is the second oldest extant political party in the world. ... Simon Heffers biography of Enoch Powell, published in 1999 John Enoch Powell, MBE, PC, (June 16, 1912 – February 8, 1998) was a right-wing British politician and Conservative Party Member of Parliament (MP) between 1950 and February 1974, and an Ulster Unionist MP between October 1974 and 1987. ...

"We have finally grasped what the Honourable Member for West Lothian is getting at, let us call it the West Lothian Question"

Titling the issue as a "question" may be a homage to nineteenth century political issues such as the Irish Question and the Eastern Question. The Irish Question is the phrase used for the internal dispute in Britain concerning rational Irish nationalism and calls for independence. ... The Eastern Question, in European history, encompasses the diplomatic and political problems posed by the decay of the Ottoman Empire (Turkey). ...

Current situation

The question is twofold:

• How can it be right that MPs elected to Westminster from Scottish constituencies have no ability to affect the issues of their constituents which have been devolved to the Scottish Parliament, and

• If power over Scottish affairs is devolved to a Scottish Parliament, how can it be right that MPs representing Scottish constituencies in the Parliament of the United Kingdom will have the power to vote on issues affecting England (including those that don't affect Scotland), but English MPs will not have the power to vote on Scottish issues?

With the passing of the Scotland Act in 1998, and the creation of the Scottish Parliament in 1999, this anomaly^[1] has come into existence. The Houses of Parliament, as seen over Westminster Bridge The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative body in the United Kingdom and British overseas territories. ... For the national legislative body up to 1707, see Parliament of Scotland. ... Scotland is one of the four constituent nations of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. ... Motto (French) God and my right Anthem God Save the Queen England() – on the European continent() – in the United Kingdom() Capital (and largest city) London (de facto) Official languages English (de facto) Unified  -  by Athelstan 967 AD  Area  -  Total 130,395 km²  50,346 sq mi  Population  -  2007 estimate 50... The Scotland Act 1998 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom at Westminster. ... Year 1998 (MCMXCVIII) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display full 1998 Gregorian calendar). ...

While Scottish MPs have not been prevented from voting on English domestic affairs, the number of MPs to which Scotland is entitled (which was previously disproportionately high for its population) was reduced at the 2005 General Election, from 72 to 59. This is a list of Members of Parliament at the House of Commons in Westminster representing constituencies in Scotland, arranged by party. ... see also Politics of the United Kingdom This politics-related article is a stub. ... The United Kingdom general election of 2005 was held on Thursday, 5 May 2005. ...

Legislation for the creation of foundation hospitals in England, and to introduce university top-up fees (within the Higher Education Act), was passed only due to Scottish MPs voting in favour of these respective sections. The majority of English MPs voted against^[2]. Meanwhile Top-up fees were clearly rejected in Scotland. An NHS Foundation Trust, or commonly called a foundation hospital, is a public benefit corporation which is authorised to provide goods and services for the purposes of the National Health Service in England under the Health and Social Care (Community Health and Standards) Act 2003. ... The Higher Education Act 2004 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom which introduced several changes to the higher education system in the United Kingdom. ...

Summing up the view held by those critical of the current devolution settlements, the Shadow Constitutional Secretary, Oliver Heald, said A Shadow Minister is a member of the opposition party, not in power, who provides a counterpoint to the Minister of the government. ... The Secretary of State for Constitutional Affairs is a United Kingdom cabinet position. ... Oliver Heald (born December 15, 1954), British politician and barrister, is Conservative Member of Parliament for Hertfordshire North East. ...

"It is not sustainable to have measures imposed on England on the back of the votes of Scottish MPs, when the same measures in Scotland are the responsibility of the Scottish Parliament."^[3]

Arguing in favour of the status quo, the Secretary of State for Constitutional Affairs, Lord Falconer of Thoroton, said The Secretary of State for Constitutional Affairs is a United Kingdom cabinet position. ... Lord Falconer of Thoroton Charles Leslie Falconer, Baron Falconer of Thoroton, PC, QC (born 19 November 1951) is a British barrister and Labour Party politician. ...

"All matters — even those seemingly limited to England — impact on the Union. The funding settlement with the nations and regions of the UK means that what is decided on public funding in England, for example, affects Scotland and Wales and Northern Ireland. These are national issues for the United Kingdom and so they should be debated at the national Parliament in Westminster by all MPs, not by subsets depending on the location of their constituency."^[4]

Key considerations

Executive power hierarchy

The Scottish Parliament was formed by statute – the Scotland Act 1998 – and is thus a creation of Westminster. The enactment of the Scotland Act 1998 conferred no sovereign status on the Scottish Parliament, and has crucially not changed the status of the Westminster Parliament as the supreme legislature of Scotland, with Westminster retaining the ability to override, or veto, any decisions taken by the Scottish Parliament. The Westminster parliament remains the executive body; power is devolved rather than handed to the Scottish Parliament. The Scotland Act 1998 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom at Westminster. ... The Houses of Parliament, as seen over Westminster Bridge The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative body in the United Kingdom and British overseas territories. ...

As a consequence, the ability of all Westminster MPs to vote on Scottish legislation has not been legally diminished by devolution, as made clear by Section 28(7) of the Scotland Act 1998, which states that the legislative powers of the Scottish Parliament do ...not affect the power of the Parliament of the United Kingdom to make laws for Scotland.^[5]

During devolution, a convention was created to manage the power of Westminster to legislate on matters within the legislative competence of the Scottish Parliament. This is known as the Sewel Convention, and the related Scottish parliamentary motions are now known as Legislative Consent Motions (previously Sewel Motions).^[6] These motions (of which there are around a dozen per year) allow all English, Welsh, Northern Irish, and Scottish MPs to vote on issues, which among other things, are within the Scottish Parliament's legislative competence. The Sewel Convention states that the Westminster Parliament will not normally legislate on devolved matters in Scotland without first obtaining the consent of the Scottish Parliament. However, given that the Sewel Convention is a legally unenforcable procedural device,^[7] and the UK Parliament has legislative supremacy; were the Scottish Parliament to deny consent, Westminster would be able to ignore this and pass the law anyway – although this has never happened in practice. Look up Devolution in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... A Legislative Consent Motion (formerly known as a Sewel motion) is a parliamentary motion passed by the Scottish Parliament, in which it agrees that the Parliament of the United Kingdom may pass legislation on a devolved issue extending to Scotland, over which the Scottish Parliament has regular legislative authority. ... For the national legislative body up to 1707, see Parliament of Scotland. ...

Reserved matters

Legislation relating to reserved issues such as defence, national security, foreign affairs and monetary and economic issues are voted on by all the MPs at Westminster to ensure consistency across the whole of the United Kingdom. The Scottish Parliament is not able to pass laws on these issues itself, as they were not devolved. The West Lothian Question is not related to this situation, as all parts of the Union have a proportional say and all are equally affected. In military science, defense (or defence) is the art of preventing an enemy from conquering territory. ... Security measures taken to protect the Houses of Parliament in London, England. ... This article is about a journal. ... Moneys is an agreement within a community, to use something as a medium of exchange, which acts as an intermediary market good. ... Economics (deriving from the Greek words οίκω [okos], house, and νέμω [nemo], rules hence household management) is the social science that studies the allocation of scarce resources to satisfy unlimited wants. ...

Parliament of Northern Ireland

A situation akin to that presented by the West Lothian Question did exist between 1921 and 1972, when there was a Parliament of Northern Ireland that legislated for Northern Ireland, whilst Northern Ireland continued to send MPs to Westminster, who could vote on matters affecting Great Britain only. Year 1921 (MCMXXI) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar). ... Year 1972 (MCMLXXII) was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Parliament of Northern Ireland was the home rule legislature created under the Government of Ireland Act 1920, which existed from June 7, 1921 to March 30, 1972, when it was suspended. ... Northern Ireland is a part of the United Kingdom lying in the northeast of the island of Ireland, covering 5,459 square miles (14,139 km², about a sixth of the islands total area). ...

However, during this period Northern Ireland had disproportionately fewer MPs than would be expected from the relative populations, with the numbers cut from the twenty-nine elected at the 1918 general election to thirteen from the 1922 general election, and later to twelve with the abolition of University constituencies in 1950. The United Kingdom general election of 1918 held on 14th December 1918, after the Representation of the People Act 1918. ... The UK general election of 1922 was held on 15th November 1922. ... University constituencies existed from 1603 until 1950 to allow a University to be represented in the United Kingdom Parliament. ... Year 1950 (MCML) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Proposed answers

English votes on English laws

It has been proposed that Scottish MPs should be barred from voting on matters that do not affect Scotland. This has been the policy of the major opposition Conservative Party since 1999. In July 1999, the then Conservative leader William Hague said that "English MPs should have exclusive say over English laws… People will become increasingly resentful that decisions are being made in England by people from other parts of the UK on matters that English people did not have a say on elsewhere… I think it is a dangerous thing to allow resentment to build up in a country. We have got to make the rules fair now." ^[8] This is a list of Members of Parliament at the House of Commons in Westminster representing constituencies in Scotland, arranged by party. ... The Conservative Party (officially the Conservative and Unionist Party) is the second largest political party in the United Kingdom in terms of sitting Members of Parliament (MPs), the largest in terms of public membership, and is the second oldest extant political party in the world. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Wikipedia does not yet have an article with this exact name. ... Motto (French) God and my right Anthem God Save the Queen England() – on the European continent() – in the United Kingdom() Capital (and largest city) London (de facto) Official languages English (de facto) Unified  -  by Athelstan 967 AD  Area  -  Total 130,395 km²  50,346 sq mi  Population  -  2007 estimate 50...

Labour opposed this policy, with the then Secretary of State for Scotland John Reid accused Hague of "fanning the flames of English nationalism". The Labour Party has been, since its founding in the early 20th century, the principal political party of the left in England, Scotland and Wales. ... The Secretary of State for Scotland (Rùnaire Stàite na h-Alba in Scottish Gaelic) is the chief minister in the government of the United Kingdom with responsibilites for Scotland, at the head of the Scotland Office (formerly The Scottish Office). ... John Reid PC (born 8 May 1947) is a British politician who is Home Secretary and Member of Parliament (MP) for the Scottish constituency of Airdrie and Shotts in the United Kingdom. ... Englands (in red) location within the United Kingdom English nationalism is the name given to a nationalist political movement in England that demands self-government for England, via a devolved English Parliament. ...

Both the Conservative and Scottish National parties follow a policy that MPs for Scottish seats will not vote on issues that only affect England. During his final years in the Commons, Labour MP Tam Dalyell also voted in line with such a policy. However there were times when the political parties were in disagreement as to whether a matter affected countries other than England, such as the Higher Education Act 2004 where the SNP argued that its passing would reduce Scotland's block grant via the Barnett Formula, and therefore decided to vote against the Bill. The Scottish National Party (SNP) (Scottish Gaelic: is a centre-left political party which campaigns for Scottish independence. ... This is a list of Members of Parliament at the House of Commons in Westminster representing constituencies in Scotland, arranged by party. ... The House of Commons is the lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. ... Sir Thomas Dalyell of the Binns, 11th Baronet (born 9 August 1932), more commonly known as Tam Dalyell (pronounced ), is a Scottish politician and was a Labour member of the House of Commons from 1962 to 2005. ... The Higher Education Act 2004 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom which introduced several changes to the higher education system in the United Kingdom. ... In a federal system of taxation systems and spent it without any restrictions from above. ... The Barnett formula is a mechanism used by Her Majestys Treasury in the United Kingdom to adjust automatically some elements of public expenditure in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales to reflect decisions affecting other parts of the country. ...

During the 2006 Liberal Democrats leadership election contender Simon Hughes pledged that if he were elected the Liberal Democrats would also follow such a rule. Simon Hughes is also on record for supporting a full devolved English Parliament. Chris Huhne, Menzies Campbell and Simon Hughes at the London Hustings in Friends Meeting House on 23rd February The 2006 Liberal Democrats leadership election was won by Menzies Campbell. ... Simon Hughes. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... A devolved English Parliament, giving separate decision-making powers to representatives for voters in England similar to the representation given by the Welsh Assembly, Scottish Parliament and the Northern Ireland Assembly, is currently an issue in British politics. ...

Opponents of this proposal argue that it introduces further confusion, and effectively has two Parliaments in a single chamber. Furthermore, it would not overcome the problems created should Scottish MPs become Ministers in Westminster with responsibilities for devolved matters (as happened during John Reid's tenure as Secretary of State for Health). This will become more problematic now that the Scottish Chancellor, Gordon Brown, has been voted in as the new leader of the Labour Party and hence the next Prime Minister. An ICM opinion poll conducted for the BBC's The Daily Politics show found that 52% of those questioned from across the UK opposed the idea of a Scottish Prime Minister ^[9] (although this must be taken as meaning a PM that is the MP for a Scottish seat, as Tony Blair was born in Edinburgh). Furthermore taken to its extremes, it would end the constitutional principle of parliamentary sovereignty and may exclude Scottish MPs from voting on funding of English matters, while the entire UK Parliament continues to set the Consolidated Fund levels available to the Scottish Parliament in the Budget. John Reid may refer to: John Reid (UK politician) (born 1947), British politician, cabinet minister and current Home Secretary. ... Minister of Health redirects here. ... The Chancellor of the Exchequer is the title held by the British cabinet minister responsible for all financial matters. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is, in practice, the political leader of the United Kingdom. ... ICM can refer to A program for molecular modeling Internal Coordinate Mechanics A company, International Creative Management. ... Opinion polls are surveys of opinion using sampling. ... The British Broadcasting Corporation, usually known as the BBC, is the largest broadcasting corporation in the world in terms of audience numbers, employing 26,000 staff in the United Kingdom alone and with a budget of more than GB£4 billion. ... The Daily Politics is a British Television show launched by the BBC in 2003. ... The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is, in practice, the political leader of the United Kingdom. ... Parliamentary sovereignty, parliamentary supremacy, or legislative supremacy is a concept in constitutional law that applies to some parliamentary democracies. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative institution in the United Kingdom and British overseas territories (it alone has parliamentary sovereignty). ... The Consolidated Fund is the British governments central bank account, held at the Bank of England. ... A government budget is a legal document that is often passed by the legislature, and approved by the chief executive. ...

As a slight variation, it has been proposed that an English Grand Committee, along the lines of the Scottish and Welsh Grand Committees (made up of all the MPs from relevant nation) be formed to debate on the effects of legislation on England.^{[citation needed]} The grand committees are committees of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. ... The Scottish Grand Committee is a committee of the House of Commons. ... The Welsh Grand Committee is a committee of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. ...

Fewer Scottish MPs

There is also the option of cutting the number of Scottish MPs even further to about 40, as happened during the existence of the Parliament of Northern Ireland when the number of MPs at Westminster was below the standard ratio of electorate to MPs for the rest of the UK. It is argued that this would trade a reduced voice for Scotland in exchange for Scottish MPs being able to vote on English matters, and therefore may form an acceptable solution. However, while such a solution would have attraction to England, it is difficult to see how accepting reduced voting strength on major issues that affect Scotland in exchange for a say in matters that don't apply to Scotland, could be an attractive trade from a Scottish perspective. The Parliament of Northern Ireland was the home rule legislature created under the Government of Ireland Act 1920, which existed from June 7, 1921 to March 30, 1972, when it was suspended. ...

English Devolution

English Parliament

The creation of a Devolved English parliament, with full legislative powers, akin to the Scottish Parliament is seen by some as a solution to this problem, with full legislative powers also being conferred on the existing Welsh Assembly. The Westminster (United Kingdom) Parliament would continue to meet and legislate on matters of UK-wide competence such as Defence, Foreign Affairs and economic matters with the parliaments of England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland legislating locally. A devolved English Parliament, giving separate decision-making powers to representatives for voters in England similar to the representation given by the Welsh Assembly, Scottish Parliament and the Northern Ireland Assembly, is currently an issue in British politics. ... For the national legislative body up to 1707, see Parliament of Scotland. ... The National Assembly for Wales (Welsh: ) is a devolved assembly with power to make legislation in Wales. ...

However opponents of this proposal argue that it would simply add another layer of government and an 'expensive talking shop'. Lord Falconer of Thoroton, the Secretary of State for Constitutional Affairs, has stated that he believes that an English Parliament would 'dwarf all other institutions.'^[10] Lord Falconer of Thoroton Charles Leslie Falconer, Baron Falconer of Thoroton, PC, QC (born 19 November 1951) is a British barrister and Labour Party politician. ... The Secretary of State for Constitutional Affairs is a United Kingdom cabinet position. ...

Regional Assemblies

Government policy has been to establish English regional assemblies with no legislative powers. Originally it was planned that these would be directly elected. The London Assembly was the first of these, established following a referendum in 1998, in which public and media attention was focused principally on the post of Mayor of London,^[11] but further progress was thwarted when a referendum in the North East rejected the proposal for an elected assembly in November 2004^[12] leading to the shelving of similar proposals for other English regions. Nevertheless, the unelected regional assemblies remain in place. Regional Assembly is a title which has universally been adopted by the English bodies established as regional chambers under the Regional Development Agencies Act 1998. ... The London Assembly is an elected body that supervises the Greater London Authority and the Mayor of London. ... The London referendum of 1998 was a referendum held in London only over whether there was support for the creation the Greater London Authority, consisting of an assembly for London and a directly elected Mayor of London. ... Ken Livingstone, the current Mayor of London The Mayor of London is an elected politician in London, United Kingdom. ... The three northern regions. ... North-East England is one of the nine official regions of England and comprises the combined area of Northumberland, County Durham, Tyne and Wear and a small part of North Yorkshire. ...

Dissolution of the Union

Another solution might be the dissolution of the United Kingdom leading to the constituent countries — England, Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Wales — becoming independent sovereign states. Problems exist, however, on the constitutionality of such a break-up and the necessity of Westminster to agree to any such arrangement (which would require MPs from other areas of the UK to, in effect, allow independence of any particular constituent country or area). The factual accuracy of this article is disputed. ... Motto (French) God and my right Anthem God Save the Queen England() – on the European continent() – in the United Kingdom() Capital (and largest city) London (de facto) Official languages English (de facto) Unified  -  by Athelstan 967 AD  Area  -  Total 130,395 km²  50,346 sq mi  Population  -  2007 estimate 50... Northern Ireland is a part of the United Kingdom lying in the northeast of the island of Ireland, covering 5,459 square miles (14,139 km², about a sixth of the islands total area). ... Motto (Latin) No one provokes me with impunity Cha togar mfhearg gun dioladh (Scottish Gaelic)1 Wha daur meddle wi me?(Scots)1 Anthem (Multiple unofficial anthems) Scotlands location in Europe Capital Edinburgh Largest city Glasgow Official languages English, Gaelic, Scots Government Constitutional monarchy  -  Queen Queen Elizabeth II... This article is about the country. ... A state is an organized political community, occupying a territory, and possessing internal and external sovereignty, which successfully claims the monopoly of the use of force. ... The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative institution in the United Kingdom and British overseas territories (it alone has parliamentary sovereignty). ...

The result of the 2007 Scottish Parliament general election has complicated matters, with the Scottish National Party claiming a mandate for moving towards independence, while only receiving just over 19% of the total electoral vote (37% of the popular vote in an election with a 51.8% turnout). Such an outcome has meant that the SNP could not form a coalition Government (without either the agreement of the Labour party or a combined LibDem-Conservative group) and, as all other major parties are pro-Union, the SNP chose to form a minority government (47 seats out of 129 at Holyrood, or a minority of 18 seats). The composition of the Scottish Parliament following the 2007 election. ... The Scottish National Party (SNP) (Scottish Gaelic: is a centre-left political party which campaigns for Scottish independence. ...

Re-centralisation

The abolition of the devolved Scottish Parliament, National Assembly for Wales and Northern Ireland Assembly would also fundamentally address the anomaly created by their establishment. Look up Devolution in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... For the national legislative body up to 1707, see Parliament of Scotland. ... The National Assembly for Wales (Welsh: ) is a devolved assembly with power to make legislation in Wales. ... The logo of the Northern Ireland Assembly, a six flowered linen or flax plant. ...

Stop asking the question

In 1998, the Lord Chancellor, Lord Irvine of Lairg, said that the best answer to the question was to stop asking it.^[13] Alexander Andrew Mackay Irvine, Lord Irvine of Lairg, QC, PC (born June 23, 1940), known as Derry Irvine, is a British lawyer and political figure who served as Lord Chancellor under his former pupil Tony Blair. ...

Further reading

• Devolution: the end of Britain?, Tam Dalyell, Jonathan Cape, London, 1977
• A Stronger or Weaker Union? Public Reactions to Asymmetric Devolution in the United Kingdom, Professor John Curtice, University of Strathclyde, Publius - the journal of federalism, Volume 36, Number 1, Winter 2006, Oxford University Press (PDF file)
• The West Lothian Question, Oonagh Gay, House of Commons Library SN/PC/2586, 26 June 2006 (PDF file)

References

Charles Leslie Falconer, Baron Falconer of Thoroton, PC (born November 19, 1951), is a British lawyer and Labour Party politician. ... The Secretary of State for Constitutional Affairs is a United Kingdom cabinet position. ... Today, sometimes referred to as the Today programme to avoid ambiguity, is BBC Radio 4s long-running early morning news and current affairs programme, which is now broadcast from 6am to 9am from Monday to Friday and from 7am to 9am on Saturdays. ... BBC Radio 4 is a British domestic radio station which broadcasts a wide variety of chiefly spoken-word programmes including news, drama, comedy, science and history. ... March 10 is the 69th day of the year (70th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... BBC News Online logo The BBC News Website in February 2006. ... January 27 is the 27th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... shelby was here 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... This article deals with The Daily Telegraph in Britain, see The Daily Telegraph (Australia) for the Australian publication The Daily Telegraph is a British broadsheet newspaper founded in 1855. ... March 11 is the 70th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (71st in leap years). ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... Lord Falconer of Thoroton Charles Leslie Falconer, Baron Falconer of Thoroton, PC, QC (born 19 November 1951) is a British barrister and Labour Party politician. ... March 10 is the 69th day of the year (70th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... The Executives logo, shown with English and Scottish Gaelic caption The term Scottish Executive is used in two different, but closely-related senses: to denote the executive arm of Scotlands national legislature (i. ... Portable Document Format (PDF) is a file format created by Adobe Systems in 1993 for desktop publishing use. ... A kibibyte (a contraction of kilo binary byte) is a unit of information or computer storage, commonly abbreviated KiB (never kiB). 1 kibibyte = 210 bytes = 1,024 bytes The kibibyte is closely related to the kilobyte, which can be used either as a synonym for kibibyte or to refer to... The House of Commons is a component of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which also includes the Sovereign and the House of Lords. ... BBC News Online logo The BBC News Website in February 2006. ... July 15 is the 196th day of the year (197th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1999 (MCMXCIX) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1999 Gregorian calendar). ... BBC News Online logo The BBC News Website in February 2006. ... May 14 is the 134th day of the year (135th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... BBC News Online logo The BBC News Website in February 2006. ... March 10 is the 69th day of the year (70th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... BBC News Online logo The BBC News Website in February 2006. ... May 8 is the 128th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (129th in leap years). ... Year 1998 (MCMXCVIII) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display full 1998 Gregorian calendar). ... BBC News Online logo The BBC News Website in February 2006. ... November 5 is the 309th day of the year (310th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 56 days remaining. ... shelby was here 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

See also

• Politics of England
• Politics of Scotland
• Barnett formula
• Devolved English parliament
• English nationalism
• Scottish independence
• Scottish mafia
• Welsh nationalism
• Britishness

see also Politics of the United Kingdom This politics-related article is a stub. ... The Politics of Scotland forms a distinctive part of the wider politics of the United Kingdom, with Scotland one of the constituent countries of the United Kingdom. ... The Barnett formula is a mechanism used by Her Majestys Treasury in the United Kingdom to adjust automatically some elements of public expenditure in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales to reflect decisions affecting other parts of the country. ... A devolved English Parliament, giving separate decision-making powers to representatives for voters in England similar to the representation given by the Welsh Assembly, Scottish Parliament and the Northern Ireland Assembly, is currently an issue in British politics. ... Englands (in red) location within the United Kingdom English nationalism is the name given to a nationalist political movement in England that demands self-government for England, via a devolved English Parliament. ... Scotlands (in dark blue) location within the United Kingdom Scottish independence is an ideal advocated by certain political movements within the Scottish electorate that desires that Scotland secede from the United Kingdom and become a sovereign independent state as it was prior to the Act of Union in 1707. ... The Scottish mafia refers to a group of Scottish politicians who are seen as having undue influence over the government of the the United Kingdom and in particular of England. ... Welsh nationalism is a popular political and cultural movement that emerged during the nineteenth-century. ...

External links

• Talking Politics: The West Lothian Question, BBC News Online, June 1, 1998
• The West Lothian spectre, Parliamentary sketch by Simon Hoggart], The Guardian, November 7, 2001
• Hansard text of a debate on the subject in 1998 (scroll down for the start, and continue on to subsequent pages)
• House of Commons Research Paper - The Scotland Bill: Some Constitutional and Representational AspectsPDF (435 KiB) 7 January 1998
• House of Commons Research Paper - The West Lothian QuestionPDF (197 KiB) by Oonagh Gay, 26 July 2006
• "That question is back to haunt us", Scottish Daily Mail, 22 May 2005
• Campaign for an English Parliament
• English Constitutional Convention
• English Democrats Party
• Witanagemot Club
• Democracy for England Campaign
• A Critique of the Conservative party policy of English Votes on English Matters (EVoEM) (pdf)
• Letter to Sir George Young MP