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**Chris** · 28-11-2003, 11:06

We already have an English Parliament.

Without having yet read that entire website, I get the impression they have some fairly fundamental misunderstandings about the history of Great Britain and Ireland. The Crown was unified in 1603, but for another 100 years there sat two Parliaments - one in Edinburgh, the other in Westminster. Scotland's Parliament wound up in or around, I think, 1703, and from that point on the English Parliament in Westminster became a single Parliament for Great Britain.

Wales does not figure in this because it was annexed by England following Edward I's campaigns in the late 13th and early 14th centuries and officially had no political identity of its own from that point on.

So, what Labour has done is to give Wales a political identity it never previously had, and to partially restore Scotland's political independence. Thus, the 'UK Parliament' is one step closer to becoming the Parlaiment of England once more.

What is now required is not an expensive, time wasting additional layer of local Government - let's be frank here, the UK Government is not going to hand over any significant power to an 'English Parliament' - but the completion of the devolution settlement by answering what has been called the 'West Lothian Question', so called as it was initially raised by by Westl Lothian MP Tam Dalyell. Why should Scottish MPs influence English legislation in a devolved scenario in which English MPs were unable to influence matters north of the border?

The answer, to me, is simple. The UK Parliament is overwhelmingly made up of English/Welsh MPs (remember for purposes of enacting Primary legislation England and Wales is a single national entity). So the UK Parliament is best placed to decide English/Welsh matters, with Scottish MPs excluded from voting. We have taken a small step towards this by reducing the number of Scottish Westminster MPs to more accurately reflect the population of Scotland. (Previously, Scotland was over-represented at Westminster to avoid Scottish issues getting swamped or dominated by Engish/Welsh ones).

28-11-2003, 11:06	#2
Chris Trollsplatter Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: North of Watford Services: Humane elimination of all common Internet pests Posts: 38,259	Re: Good or Bad Idea? We already have an English Parliament. Without having yet read that entire website, I get the impression they have some fairly fundamental misunderstandings about the history of Great Britain and Ireland. The Crown was unified in 1603, but for another 100 years there sat two Parliaments - one in Edinburgh, the other in Westminster. Scotland's Parliament wound up in or around, I think, 1703, and from that point on the English Parliament in Westminster became a single Parliament for Great Britain. Wales does not figure in this because it was annexed by England following Edward I's campaigns in the late 13th and early 14th centuries and officially had no political identity of its own from that point on. So, what Labour has done is to give Wales a political identity it never previously had, and to partially restore Scotland's political independence. Thus, the 'UK Parliament' is one step closer to becoming the Parlaiment of England once more. What is now required is not an expensive, time wasting additional layer of local Government - let's be frank here, the UK Government is not going to hand over any significant power to an 'English Parliament' - but the completion of the devolution settlement by answering what has been called the 'West Lothian Question', so called as it was initially raised by by Westl Lothian MP Tam Dalyell. Why should Scottish MPs influence English legislation in a devolved scenario in which English MPs were unable to influence matters north of the border? The answer, to me, is simple. The UK Parliament is overwhelmingly made up of English/Welsh MPs (remember for purposes of enacting Primary legislation England and Wales is a single national entity). So the UK Parliament is best placed to decide English/Welsh matters, with Scottish MPs excluded from voting. We have taken a small step towards this by reducing the number of Scottish Westminster MPs to more accurately reflect the population of Scotland. (Previously, Scotland was over-represented at Westminster to avoid Scottish issues getting swamped or dominated by Engish/Welsh ones).