THE NEED FOR AN ENGLISH PARLIAMENT

Below is a copy of an item on the ePolitix website:

Scots MPs 'should abstain on English laws'

An SNP MP has urged his Scottish parliamentary colleagues not to vote on issues that do not effect their constituencies.
Angus MacNeil said the current system was "hugely unfair on England".
His comments came after a report from the Constitution Unit suggested that the government's narrow majority would leave it increasingly reliant on the votes of Scottish Labour MPs to force through reform of England's public services.
And Conservative peer Lord Baker also said that English matters should only be voted on by English MPs.
The SNP has previously suggested that the 'West Lothian question' could be solved by Scottish independence.
MacNeil urged MPs from all parties to sign his motion and back 'English votes for English MPs'.
"In my part of Scotland we know what's fair and what's not and in my first few months here at Westminster it has become clear that it is hugely unfair on England and English MPs for Scots to vote on their purely domestic matters," he said.
"Scotland now has its own parliament dealing with health, education and crime.
"Scots have taken responsibility for these issues and it is surely time for the same respect to be shown to England.
"As a Scottish nationalist I would like Westminster to become an English parliament.
"England has the right and ability to govern itself. In the meantime, there is no good case for Scottish MPs voting on issues that do not affect Scotland."
He also urged the prime minister to "wake up to this issue".
Failure to take it seriously "could damage relations between Scotland and England", he warned.
"It is not in Scotland's interests to be dictating decisions in England," added the MP.
"The sooner both countries become equal, independent partners on these islands the better as far as I am concerned."