It’s hard not to despair at the extent to which governments of so many persuasions lag a long way behind the direction of the electorate.
The United Kingdom is more than open to being excited by the potential of a federal union.
This would take devolution to its logical conclusion while retaining the strength of unity. It would also address the gross democratic deficit inflicted upon England that has been the case since the very beginnings of devolving powers to the members of the union.
But no.
The fudge announced today, 3rd February, by the Conservatives is light years in deception away from the tag of ‘English votes for English Laws’.
It could not be more unintelligent, more regressive, more of a gift to UKIP or more nonsensically destructive of devolution.
The proposition is that the entire shebang of the House of Commons will vote on English matters – but English MPs will have a veto.
This inane notion is said to be aimed at preserving the integrity of the UK Parliament.
What a jolly wheeze.
The House of Commons can look forward to wasting even more time and being even more pointless as it debates and votes on issues beyond the elected entitlement of many of its members – only to rewind when the English MPs – rightly exercise their vetos.
And if they do not exercise the veto at every opportunity – it will say that this system works fine if Old Uncle Ruaraidh Dai Cobley O’Rourke and all vote on English affairs – while also having devolved control over much of their own affairs, removed from any influence or even purview by English MPs.
And if it really is all fine and dandy to let Old Uncle Ruaraidh Dai Cobley O’Rourke and all vote on English matters so long as MPs elected to represent England have a veto – what the hell were we ever doing devolving powers to Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland?
Why could each of our elected MP’s not have had a veto o our own affairs while letting Old Uncle George Ruaraidh Dai Cobley O’Rourke and all vote on each of our affairs?
This proposal undermines everything achieved by devolution, continues the indefensible discrimination against England – and is intellectually and philosophically contemptible.
It is also utterly unjust – and cowardly.
If this fuels UKIP to go on to strip out the Conservatives in May, that will have been richly earned.