THE NEED FOR AN ENGLISH PARLIAMENT

 

Following the outcome of the Scottish referendum, in which the Scots decisively voted to remain in Britain, David Cameron made a commitment that there would be English Votes for English Laws [EVEL] and that this would be introduced ‘in tandem’ with the further devolution promised to Scotland at the end of the referendum campaign.

Now, however, it would seem that this commitment is more of a wish. More recently, the Tories are talking of introducing EVEL after the next general election. As David Davis, a senior backbench MP and former Tory leadership contender, has rightly pointed out, either EVEL is introduced before the general election or it will not be introduced at all.

It is incredible that the Tories have failed to reform the voting system that so firmly favours Labour. They bungled the much needed reform of the constituency boundaries and now they are in the process of chickening out over the introduction of EVEL.

There can be no doubt about this. Labour are totally dependent upon their Scottish and Welsh MPs to give them a majority in the House of Commons. As Ed Miliband has made clear, Labour will oppose EVEL – despite the fact that many Labour MPs actually support EVEL out of a sense of fairness if not long term self-preservation. Instead, Labour are peddling regionalization, which was overwhelmingly rejected in a referendum in the North East of England.

Once Labour take office, they will set up, as they are openly advocating, some constitutional convention which will carry out its dignified pondering for a number of years. In the meantime Labour will be in government and will be able to both rig the membership and terms of the convention and be able to ignore its findings should it suit them to do so.

EVEL is not the same as a properly functioning English parliament, but it is at least a start. It at least gives the English some sort of voice within the UK. It is an arrangement which might develop into an English parliament. The alternative is to allow the continuance of outright vote-rigging.

In his speech to the Tory conference, David Cameron fudged the issue. He, with support from within the Tory party, is prepared to allow the matter to become the promise of a promise in the next election manifesto as to what a future Tory government might do should they win the next general election, which they cannot due to the continuance of the Scots and Welsh MPs voting on English affairs [as well as the rigged constituency boundaries].

EVEL is either introduced before the general election or it will never be introduced. It should therefore be a matter to be considered in tandem with further devolution to Scotland. If Labour and the Liberal Democrats block it, then David Cameron should give Labour the public consultation they purport to want: he should immediately hold a referendum and allow the people of England, Wales and Northern Ireland their say.