Sunday, April 04, 2004
The English are coming!
James Graham drew this entry on Tom Watson's blog to my attention together with the extract from Hansard.
Does my right hon. Friend think that the House should celebrate St. George? We have an annual St. David's day debate; could we have an annual St. George's day debate? When my right hon. Friend is answering my question, will he take time to condemn proposals to introduce the single transferable vote for the Welsh Assembly?
Clearly, the English MPs are seeking to get in on the act with regards to the Richard Commission report. Putting aside all the obvious points already made by James and those who have commented to his posting, the one remaining point is that even after five years comments like these demonstrate that Labour still do not understand devolution. The inadequacies of Ron Davies' original Parliament of Wales Act may mean that technically it is up to the UK Parliament to decide whether or not the recommendations of Lord Richard's report are implemented or not but surely it should be a matter for Wales itself as to how to proceed. If we are to face a veto from English MPs before we have even started to seek a consensus on the proposals then all is lost.
Does my right hon. Friend think that the House should celebrate St. George? We have an annual St. David's day debate; could we have an annual St. George's day debate? When my right hon. Friend is answering my question, will he take time to condemn proposals to introduce the single transferable vote for the Welsh Assembly?
Clearly, the English MPs are seeking to get in on the act with regards to the Richard Commission report. Putting aside all the obvious points already made by James and those who have commented to his posting, the one remaining point is that even after five years comments like these demonstrate that Labour still do not understand devolution. The inadequacies of Ron Davies' original Parliament of Wales Act may mean that technically it is up to the UK Parliament to decide whether or not the recommendations of Lord Richard's report are implemented or not but surely it should be a matter for Wales itself as to how to proceed. If we are to face a veto from English MPs before we have even started to seek a consensus on the proposals then all is lost.
