Gerald Vernon-Jackson, Leader of the Liberal Democrats at the Local Government Association, has called for a major devolution of power from Westminster after the result of the Scottish referendum was known.
“If it is right for more powers to be transferred to Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, it is also right that more powers should be transferred away from Westminster to the regions, counties and cities of England.” says Gerald Vernon-Jackson.
“England is the most centralised state in western Europe and just giving more powers to English MPs does nothing to empower local communities and regions within England. Concentrating more power, and more decision making with MPs in London is not the right answer, passing power down to local areas of England has to be part of the constitutional changes that flow from this decision in Scotland.”
Also in the Sunday Times this weekend, Nick Clegg called for powers to be devolved to all parts of the UK and said he saw “no reason” why draft legislation for devolution on demand to councils in England should not be prepared for early next year. You can avoid the Times’ paywall by reading the article on the Lib Dem website: http://www.libdems.org.uk/nick_clegg_this_opportunity_cannot_be_hijacked
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I also agree. I may be English, but do not really feel that I have much in common with people living at the other end of England. We are a varied peoples us English. We need a federal UK and I am a keen support of an Assembly for Wessex. We must keep the promises that were made to Scotland. Any plans for England must be done in good time and not rushed. This is a big chance for the UK, the Lib-Dems must be leading on this one.
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As a county councillor in a county with a strong sense of identity (Gloucestershire) I would be in favour of devolution to this existing tier rather than inventing new regions. But others (eg my Lib Dem MP!) disagree. We clearly need a debate - starting at Conference
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As the most federal party in Great Britain is anyone putting a topical motion to conference in Glasgow .We cant let english nationalist and UKIP dominate this debate .
Gareth Hartwell says
I agree. What Gerald hints at is that most people who live in England have no more in common with people at the other end of England than they do with people who live in Wales or Scotland. There is no sense of national identify in England independently from Britain except for in football and rugby.
That's why an English parliament is a non-starter and why we shouldn't worry too much about radical solutions to a federal UK structure, ie. getting rid of the political concept of England which doesn't provide any purpose anyway.