THE NEED FOR AN ENGLISH PARLIAMENT
Below is a copy of an item on the BBC news website.
The arguments raised by Tony Blair only reinforce the arguments for a proper English parliament. The arguments he uses apply to the Tory concept of English votes on English matters in the existing parliament:
Blair rejects England-only votes
Tony Blair has ruled out stopping Scottish, Welsh and Northern Ireland MPs voting on England-only issues.
The prime minister told the Commons Liaison Committee that creating "two classes of MP" could get Parliament "into all sorts of problems".
Campaigners say that as English MPs have no say over devolved issues, their non-English colleagues should not vote on things like English school reforms.
But Mr Blair said the so-called West Lothian Question had "gone on forever".
'Don't agree'
It was pointed out to Mr Blair that all MPs would have a vote on the proposed smoking ban in England, even though Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland had already made their own decisions.
Liaison Committee chairman Alan Williams, Father of the House and a Labour opponent of devolution, accused ministers of failing to address the issue.
Mr Blair said: "I'm not failing to address it. I don't agree.
"English MPs still remain in overwhelming majority. I think if you try to create two classes of MPs, you will get yourselves in all sorts of trouble and you will find it very hard to distinguish between those things that are purely English, purely Scottish and so on.
"We have got a UK Parliament. In the end I totally understand why people think it's a good idea from other political parties, but in the end, if you try to divide MPs up into two categories and then you have to define the legislation they are able to vote on, you will find it very hard.
"I doubt if a government is going to introduce this."
The arguments raised by Tony Blair only reinforce the arguments for a proper English parliament. The arguments he uses apply to the Tory concept of English votes on English matters in the existing parliament:
Blair rejects England-only votes
Tony Blair has ruled out stopping Scottish, Welsh and Northern Ireland MPs voting on England-only issues.
The prime minister told the Commons Liaison Committee that creating "two classes of MP" could get Parliament "into all sorts of problems".
Campaigners say that as English MPs have no say over devolved issues, their non-English colleagues should not vote on things like English school reforms.
But Mr Blair said the so-called West Lothian Question had "gone on forever".
'Don't agree'
It was pointed out to Mr Blair that all MPs would have a vote on the proposed smoking ban in England, even though Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland had already made their own decisions.
Liaison Committee chairman Alan Williams, Father of the House and a Labour opponent of devolution, accused ministers of failing to address the issue.
Mr Blair said: "I'm not failing to address it. I don't agree.
"English MPs still remain in overwhelming majority. I think if you try to create two classes of MPs, you will get yourselves in all sorts of trouble and you will find it very hard to distinguish between those things that are purely English, purely Scottish and so on.
"We have got a UK Parliament. In the end I totally understand why people think it's a good idea from other political parties, but in the end, if you try to divide MPs up into two categories and then you have to define the legislation they are able to vote on, you will find it very hard.
"I doubt if a government is going to introduce this."
posted by erc @ 9:56 pm
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