Re: Scotland, England and the EU

Correct me if I'm wrong but the English Parliament was dissolved in 1707 ... and the site of the old English Parliament now houses the British Parliament.

As of now ..
The Scottish have their own Parliament.
The Welsh have their own Assembly .. soon to be renamed the Welsh Parliament.
I freely admit I'm unsure of Northern Ireland's status as it's a bit complicated and an ongoing political maze.

But the English have no devolved Parliament of their own, though after the Scottish Independence Referendum there were calls to give the English some kind of independent self-rule.

Re: Scotland, England and the EU

It’s massively Anglocentric.

Re: Scotland, England and the EU

That's not an answer ... more detail please.

For instance, why can Scottish MPs vote in Westminster on matters that affect the daily lives of English people?
But English MP's can't sit in the Scottish Parliament and vote on matters which affect Scottish people?

So where is England's own parliament?
Where exactly is it situated?

Re: Scotland, England and the EU

As there's only 59 Scottish MPs out of 650 in Westminster they would be outvoted due to numbers so they don't make any difference. BUT, I know where your coming from Morti. I'd like to see 4 Parliaments, one for each of the the 4 Nations in the UK. Each taking care of their own region with Westminster as a kind of Headquaters for Foreign Matters or in case of War. To me it's the easiest way forward, but we all know...Westminster does not do simple and or sensible.

Re: Scotland, England and the EU

Ah ..we must have shared a psychic moment. You've said what I was thinking.

I was going to say next ..
I find it an odd anomaly that Sturgeon, as your First Minister of Scotland, cannot sit in Parliament which is a British Parliament. (It's clearly not exclusively English).
What a conundrum.
She's not an elected regional MP unlike all the other Scots who are, but they are allowed to vote (unfairly) on matters 'English' even whilst the head representative of your country is not. And no English MPs can leg it over the Border and vote in the Scottish Parliament on matters 'Scottish'.

The English do not have their own Parliament despite claims to the contrary.

So four Parliaments .. each separate with their own autonomy to vote on issues pertaining to the people within their own nation states would seem more logical and fair.
Along with ... and this is going to sound like a mini-EU summit ..... a Cabinet or coalition of representatives, made up of two from each nation .. the Head and Head of Opposition (maybe?). For matters of defence or other issues that affect the whole realm as one entity where we share a common interest as opposed to regional interest.

One only has to look at Scottish MPs powers and Sturgeon's status to see it doesn't work well now.

Re: Scotland, England and the EU

That’s what I was getting at. Short of independence, the federal solution above seems fair to me. Do you think it would work Morti?

Re: Scotland, England and the EU

Oops, just seen your reply Morti. Interesting proposition which seems far to sensible for the vested interests in Westminster to consider seriously. Even if it did come about, what would happen if one of the nations wanted to go a different way than the others? (eg EU dare I mention it)

Re: Scotland, England and the EU

Nicola Sturgeon's salary is actually slightly higher than that of Theresa May's though to her credit she did not draw the full amount.

Re: Scotland, England and the EU

It'd be worth a bash .. the current set up now isn't working.

I'd prefer Scottish MPs out of an English Parliament .. it encourages too much tactical voting and dodgy alliances at Westminster.
I'm a sassenach and want my own Parliament

Likewise, I don't think the way to go is to continually offer Scotland more powers as Cameron tried to do after the failed Scottish Referendum.
Giving Scotland more regional powers, rather than more of a say in the British affairs of the four nations ( makes it sound like a rugby match doesn't it) is not independence .. and just makes some Scots feel more pushed out.

Sturgeon, as your First Minister needs to feel she has more say on British matters and then perhaps she wouldn't feel she is always fighting for just Scotland. No wonder she runs around like a yappy dog with no teeth.

Re: Scotland, England and the EU

Is it? So who decides her salary? The Scottish Parliament?
Then I say, that's their own business and the Scottish peoples.