National Left - Wales needs a progressive left future.
Thursday, 9 May 2013
English MPs Will Vote On A Purely Welsh Measure.
As predicted on Yesterdays blog though I didn't need any particular inside knowledge the Queens Speech. The UK coalition Government will allows candidates seeking election to the National Assembly to stand in a constituency and on a regional list
The plans also mean the Assembly moves from having a four year term, to now having a five year term. This means that it will not clash with new fixed term Westminster elections.
All well and good, but hang on a minute
English MPs quite rightly have been moaning that Scottish and Welsh MPs can vote on purely English matters.
And yet they will vote without any reservations on a measure that effects a devolved body only. Isn't a case of gross hypocrisy to vote on a measure that affects Wales and not England whilst complaining about non English MPs voting on laws which do not apply to their constituencies?
Actually the Government claim that "Although the bill would be specific to Wales, as a technical matter much of it would apply to the whole of the UK".
Rubbish . How can this argument apply to Wales and not the Scottish Parliament?
Every New Law the Scottish parliament effects the UK and maybe the rest of the world.
Interestingly if it was left to Welsh MPs to vote then the Bill would fail because Labour holda majority of seats.
But Labour ,wont squeal to much because they do not want powers over elections in Wales passed to the Assembly as they do not always hold a majority in the Bay.
They would rather wait to get back in power in Westminster to gerrymander Welsh elections. Rather than see their colleagues in Cardiff who might just being a bit more democratic cooperating with other paries to achive a more proportional system here.
So we will see English MPs who are calling for Welsh MPs not to be allowed on measures that only affect Wales
Even though I support the Bill it is affront and shows the Assembly to be a second class legislature and once again that those AM in the bay need to up the game and call for " parity with Scotland ".
How much longer have we to put up with English MPs deciding how we should elect our own Legislature?
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3 comments:
Remember 'parliamentary sovereignty'?... they can do damn well anything they like.
It's a curse. The trouble is that enough people haven't woken up yet. It's been responsible for the decline of the UK in just about every sense. It has resulted in abysmally poor government. A parliament that has more holidays than work days, ministries not fit for purpose, lazy, incompetent, corrupt politicians, inward looking parties, collapsing infrastructure (including the NHS) increasing gap between rich and poor, control of the press and media, the propping up of a privileged and wealthy elite, topped by disgusting monarchy etc etc
The Scots don't realised how lucky they are to have a get out of jail card. They shouldn't even need a referendum debate. The political elite are scared though, that's clear, from the full artillery barrage fired daily at the Yes Campaign/SNP/Scottish Government/Salmond/Sturgeon.
Labour may not always have a majority in cardiff bay but they are always in government, Lib Dems and PC always happy to be junior coalition partners and not ask for much in return.
and do you seriously believe that labour in cardiff bay care any more about democracy, or are any more likely to back a move to PR than their colleagues in westminster? They will just carry on rigging the voting systems to suit themselves.
Anon: I accept most of what you say. But I think there's more chance of reform coming from the Assembly. But irrespective they should have the power to see how they are elected with safeguards either a 2/3 majority or referendum.
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