I'm posting this now mainly because Chris from work challenged me to blog something by this Sunday and told me that I should blog a little bit every day. I'm not going to do that but I am going to try and blog a little bit every week from now on because I like doing it. I like writing - it helps to get the stupid out. Anyway, as the not at the top says I started writing what comes next just after the Scottish independence referendum during all the hand wringing about "English votes for English issues" and I've finished off today, Sunday 8th February 2015. The new bit starts from what is now, now that I've written this bit, the third paragraph.
Wow, its a long time since I posted anything on here. Sorry folks, not much has motivated me to write anything for a while but today after listening to Any Questions on BBC Radio 4 (I know, its always likely to enrage me) something has. Now I've never talked politics on my blog before, although I suppose some would see driving an electric car as some sort of political statement - it honestly wasn't - but I'm going to today. I'm just going to get my opinion on this subject out there.
So on Thursday the Scottish people voted to stay part of the United Kingdom despite what I saw as the media's best attempts to make it look like a forgone conclusion that they wanted to leave. Within 24 hours the question of the future of our constitution came up with David Cameron mentioning things like English votes for English people, people talking about devo-max (is that how you write it?) in Scotland and of course Wales and Northern Ireland just being ignored. One person on Any Questions asked the question (and I'm paraphrasing a little here "Is it time for the UK to become federal?" to which all the answers were, slightly surprisingly, a non-committal, muffled sort of yes. The Scottish people on the panel blustered on about them getting more devolved powers and not wasting any political capital on sounding like they give a crap about anybody else, while everyone else just blustered on. Although Ken Clarke (the only Tory I've ever really had any time for) gave quite a good answer demonstrating the phrase that politicians never say but should - "it's a little bit more complicated than that." He demonstrated the complications involved in things like Scottish MP's not voting on English matters Could have unexpected and desirable results.
(This is the new bit) I've allowed so much time to pass since I started writing this that I can't quite remember what Mr.Clarke said but now, with things moving on abit and it looking like were eventually going to get something rubbish like just English MPs voting on English matters I think it's all still relevant. What I don't like about this idea is that to me it seems to belittle parliament. It makes the Parliament of Britain seem even more like the parliament of England which also sometimes enforces its rule over the other nations which will obviously give nationalists everywhere even more ammunition. It will also, because we still use the crazily outdated first past the post system, be dominated by the Conservative party when they do split off and vote on English issues. Possibly after this years general election it could be even more skewed to the right by the presence of UKIP MPs.
The only sensible option to me seems like an English devolved parliament leaving the British Parliament in London as the "federal" government. Now there are a lot of arguments against it here are a few with my replies:
1) It would cost too much to set up. Really? The Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish seem to have done it without too much problem. Are you seriously trying to tell me that the largest and richest part of the union couldn't stretch to what they have? Rubbish.
2) It just means more politicians who are all out for themselves. This is the most lazy argument of all. Is it just "more politicians" or is it more democracy? Can you you really argue that more democracy is a bad thing? If I was into conspiracy theories I'd say "that's what they want you to say" because it's the easiest way of getting Joe Public to dismiss it out of hand without bothering to actually think about anything. The fact is that most politicians honestly think that they're in it to make the country better. Obviously there are always going to be some bad apples and obviously some of them are misguided in their beliefs as to what would make the country better but at least they have some beliefs! I have a friend who is actually standing for parliament in the next election. Now he has no chance in hell of winning and getting in but nobody is going to tell me he doesn't have what he believes are the nation's and his would be constituency's best interests at heart.
3) It would be dominated by Conservatives. Remember this is a new parliament we are setting up here. We can build it from the ground up. We can decide to use a sensible system of proportional representation which would even things up a bit. Yes, the Tories would probably still be the biggest party, at least at first but by making it more proportional it might even start to break down this horrible regional split we have in this county.
4) Why not have regional parliaments? That's what local councils are for. Plus they would be powerless, meaningless jokes.
5) What would the British Parliament be for? All the big stuff. Look at America or Germany, do their federal governments still have power and influence? Are they still important? Yes they are, and they work. Their systems might not be perfect but no system of democracy is, you've just got to get to the best system you can. Which we are a long way from at the moment.
So there you go. My opinion on the matter. I'm sure I could go on but I won't because I need to get out of bed and have my porridge before my stomach reaches out and strangles me. I promise that not all my post going forward will be this dry!
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