To all Brits: English, Scotts and Welsh: do you think it is a good idea if England has the same form of?

Question

self-government as Scotland and Wales have?

Knitter37, I do not think you answered MY question...

Happy_go_mucks, why do you think de federalisation and decentralisation of UK is not good in geopolitical aspect?

"...do you think, that..." of course!

Ladymoon, now it's nice to see you have something right and important to say:)
My question is not about dissolving the UK, rather about giving England the same level of authonomy like this enjoyed by Scotland and Wales.

Answer 1

As a Welshman living in England, I can quite understand the idea that it's 'unfair' that if Wales has devolved government (cough, cough...I must take the Assembly seriously, I must take the Assembly seriously), and Scotland has devolved government and Northern Ireland has devolved government, then England should have it too.

Do I think it's a good idea? Hellno, but then I was never in favour of devolution in the first place. If you're GOING to do it though, you need to at least look properly committed to it - as indeed is the case in Scotland. While Spacephantom's right in that the Scottish parliament doesn't have complete fiscal authority, it does at least look pretty hard and imposing and like it means business and will do things its own way if it wants to, so nehh. Which is what makes it a viable legislature. But in Wales, and in London, the Assemblies have fallen down a level of significance, which is a kiss of death. It's the difference between knowing who your MP is and knowing who your local councillor is. Nobody knows or cares who their councillor is, and very few people know or care who their Assembly member is either, with the result that the democratic process is infested with tediousness and apathy, and decision-making suffers as a result.

I think an independent England and Scotland are actually economically and socially viable, whereas an independent Wales in the 21st century is a ludicrous ego-dream. So I think it's possible, and certainly fair, for England to have a devolved and anglocentric government, but just because something's possible doesn't necessarily mean it should be done. I believe it would weaken the economic and diplomatic power of the "UK" nations immeasurably - particularly in relations with Europe and the US - and add another tier of government about which people really couldn't care less, which of course would have to be paid for out of England-only tax pool.

Answer 2

Yes I do. It has certainly been of benefit to Scotland, and to a lesser extent Wales, since the the Welsh assembly has fewer powers than the Scottish parliament, so I don't see why it wouldn't be of benefit to England as well. It would certainly put the "West Lothian question" to rest once and for all.

I would also be interested to know what Londoner's opinion of their assembly is, and how it's doing, since I don't really know much about that. Perhaps that is a better way to go for English devolution, i.e, to have assemblies for different parts of England.

I would go further, however, in that I think the Scottish Parliament should have substantially more power to govern Scotland than it has. e.g. it should have full fiscal autonomy, and should have more say in things like energy policy, defence, foreign affairs, the benefit system, immigration, e.t.c. Wales should have a full Parliament with the same powers as that in Scotland, as should England and N. Ireland.

Ideally I would go further still, and have the Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish Assemblies as full autonomous legislatures for their respective parts of the UK with the House of Commons doing the same job for England and an upper house at Westminster (a fully elected replacement for the House of Lords), with equal representation from all four nations of the UK, overseeing the four national Parliaments for the sake of maintaining the Union and to maintain coherence of certain areas of policy within the UK.

I think that would have to be more of a long term goal, however, but if the political will existed it would certainly be a feasible aim to work towards in stages.

Answer 3

One point is that the Welsh Assembly and the Scottish Parliament have different powers, for instance with regard to taxation, so England can't have the same form of government as Scotland and Wales because Scotland and Wales don't have the same form of government as each other. More precisely, Wales is unfairly disadvantaged as against Scotland since it does not have a separate legal system from that of England; and it does not have tax-varying powers.

You have logic on your side, though, and that's the main thing. It's hard to see what's so different about England that Scotland and Wales can self-govern but England can't.

Also England is disadvantaged under current arrangements. Scots MPs can take part in decisions, e.g. about university tuition fees, that affect only England while English MPs can't make corresponding decisions about Scotland.

But why settle for the half-way house of self-government ? The United Kingdom is an anachronism having its origins in English conquest (Wales under Edward I) and guile (Scotland 1707, Ireland 1800). Unjust in its origins it is also pointless in its continuation. Why do England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland need to belong to a single nation-state under present European conditions ?

I'm Welsh and Irish on my mother's side, English on my father's. I don't want to come apart but I don't mind the UK's doing so.

I like eastern_eu's question. Only an apathetic or politically disillusioned electorate could fail to treat it seriously and urgently. And they will.

Answer 4

If it's good enough for Scotland and Wales to have their Assemblies, it is good enough for England to look after their own affairs.

The United Kingdom was a marvellous thing, but the Labour Party didn't like it, so they began to break it up, probably on the orders from EU.

Scotland will have their Independence in a few years time, and they deserve ti, they have a great leader in Alex Salmond.

Wales, well as a small Principality may have a problem with Independence, but England could certainly carry it of..

What a great thought, we could send the Scottish Mafia back to Scotland, Salmond would have a field day telling them where to go.

Answer 5

I'm Welsh and I'm happy to be part of the UK. I see myself as British and I see English people and Scots as my fellow British countrymen. So I think it would be a shame to break up the UK really.

But on a practical front, the way things are right now is unfair. We are getting free prescriptions in Wales but my in-laws who live in Kent have to pay for theirs. This is all because we have a Welsh Assembly and the Scots have a Scottish Parliament but there is no regional governming body for England. So maybe there should be an "English Assembly" to legislate in the same way the Welsh Assembly does. We could still keep the main UK Parliament for the major laws and decisions.

Answer 6

I think it would be a good idea for England, Scotland, and Wales to each have their own parliament - with all of them having an equal share of power - especially when it comes to making decisions about the UK. :-)

Answer 7

I am in favour of England gaining full independence.
Look at the first two answers here.
I wonder where these people are from?
Scotland has more than sufficient natural resources and indiginous industry to thrive without the millstone of England.
The laughable suggestion that England props up the Scottish economy is often peddled here by idiots.
The reverse is true.
Off you pop Nigel, the Union is drawing to a close.
Hooray!

Answer 8

This question has nothing to do with people in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland. It is up to the people of England to decide that. If they want one campaign for one, otherwise stop whinging.

Answer 9

It may be good for the decentralisation of spending, taxation policy and other things at that level. But without the UK, England would not have so much influence in the world, while that may do us no harm, other than our pride, Geopolitically it would not be good.

Answer 10

As Scotland yes but The assembly hasn't got that much power