At the end of the last century Labour pushed through a devolved Parliament for Scotland and aĀ devolved Assembly for Wales. They did so claiming it would end the growth of the emerging nationalist parties in both parts of the UK.
Instead in Scotland it gave a platform and more grievance to the modest minority campaigning for independence twenty five years ago, swelling their support and leading to an SNP government in Edinburgh always pressing for more powers and for full independence. Under Nicola Sturgeon the SNP became a very successful vote winning party, drawing the support of a much enlargedĀ minority that did want an independent Scotland and adding to it others who thought it a good idea to have an aggressive Scottish government seeking to maximise money and support from the rest of the UK under threat of leaving.
It led directly to the need for an independence referendum, which the SNP said they would regard as a once in a generation opportunity. No sooner had they lost and they were looking for reasons to try again, wanting to commit Scotland toĀ permanent uncertainties and painful divisions as long as they lacked a majority for their cause. Nicola Sturgeon managed to keep in office whilst fuelling the divisions,. She did not seek to use the governing powers she enjoyed to improve Scottish services, but as a battering ram against the Union. During covid she gained advance information on the views and understandings of the Union government, to always go earlier and for more lockdown than the rest of the country. There was no wish to work collaboratively at a time of public health danger common to all when the rest of the UK wished to helpĀ and share with Scotland.
Now she has resigned it is possible to have a more informed debate about why the Scottish devolved powers in crucial areas like health and education have not been used to make improvements in services and management, despite the more generous money allocations sent by the Union Parliament. It is possible to rethink the collision course Nicola Sturgeon was designing to raise the issue of independence again, despite losing a court case over anotherĀ referendum. Her party can rethink its views in letting rapists serve sentences in women’s prisons which proved to be a provocation too far evenĀ for the very tolerant UK government.
Meanwhile our Union is also threatened in Northern Ireland by the EU. Fresh from its success in standing up at last to the SNP by seeking to override its unwise law, the government of the UK now needs to complete the passage of tis legislation to restore UK government of Northern Ireland.
February 17, 2023
Good morning
So what now for the SNP ? Whatever you may think of Queen Nicola she certainly out lived most of the PM’s that came and went in Number 10.
And whilst we are on the subject of government bodies being set up against the publics wished, I’d it nit time we discussed the numerous and expensive Mayorships that have been created ?
I wonder how much Mayor Khan is going to hit me with ANOTHER inflation busting rise on top of my Council Tax ?
February 17, 2023
+++
Is it true that he intends to hand out āpapersā to thousands of illegals?
Thatāll cost us all a mint I daresay.
His powers seem limitless, no doubt derived globally.
He is chairman of C40 Cities hence his keenness to, how can we best describe it? Take London back to 1400? Destroy a thousand years of history and civilisation?
I could weep.
Thank you so much my oh so TOLERANT government.
February 17, 2023
The rumour yesterday was that the Government intended to become the parent of so-called migrant ‘children’, including the balding and bearded ones. The fear is that this will make them British citizens and allow them to claim family reunion, not in their own country of course. Another boost for the ‘wicked smugglers’.
February 17, 2023
My feelings too at a London main station on Tuesday, when I witnessed a fellow citizen being menaced by two men. A government of traitors.
February 17, 2023
Tory government plan ā accept every single illegal immigrant until there are no more in the world ā¦.problem solved no more boat people crossing the channel
February 17, 2023
So what does Sir John propose?
Centralised, total direct rule from Westminster?
That worked well in Ireland and in Wales, didn’t it?
Reply More devolution to people. A national government and a local Council
February 17, 2023
Well said Sir,
Now is the time to tell the Republic of Ireland that they can only access GB through Hollyhead in Wales. They can then impose any regulation they want to control there dozy regulations.
Yes they would need to transit via Wales and Scotland to get into NI but that is their problem- nothing to do with US!
The EU are an enemy so they must be defeated totally.
February 17, 2023
Reply to SJR,
Yes true democracy empowers the people, it does not give power to ever increasing tiers of politicians,and quangos. It means that the electorate, spreading it wider than the party, should ultimately choose the MP candidate. If elected he/she then answers to the electorate and they in turn put their trust in him/her. Many more referendums to guage the will of the people on important topics. A very tight control on lobbying. Ex MPs absolutely fortbiden for at least ten years to work for domestic or foreign interests. As a final part to this the scribes must be put under contractual control and the BBC forced to enter the commercial world.
February 17, 2023
John’s centralisation-obsessed party famously destroyed local democracy and the power that it gave to the people, abolishing the GLC, bringing in compulsory competitive tendering, ending the business rate, and all the rest.
What on Earth does he mean?
Their shrieking about the European Union was, as ever, pure projection.
February 17, 2023
Many of these problems have their roots in EU membership. Scotland also had a grevience over oil and gas profits.
February 17, 2023
Scotland can have no grievance as it seeks to end oil and gas.
February 17, 2023
We certainly need far less government not more from the current position. We have vast waste, it not only cost a fortune and grows every year but it spends much of its time doing positive harm. Things like mugging motorists (a hugely inefficient tax system), blocking the roads, restricting parking, changing street names, pushing misguided climate alarmism, making schools propagandise, pushing woke lunacy, recruiting on diversity rather than ability, crony capitalism and often/usually outright corruption.
The Botched anti-English devolution from Blair & Brown (that they foolishly though would help Labour in Scotland) inevitable led to an SNP with the single agenda of demanding more and more power for Scotland and more money from England. Blaming all the problems on the English and ignoring the real needs of Scots for low taxes, a strong economy and decent public services.
February 17, 2023
We have a United Kingdom complete with HM Opposition for sensible purpose. Allowing country-sized parts of the UK to have autonomous powers is tantamount to letting Opposition rule; entangled within mixtures of pressure groups pulling chaos against harmony.
County Councils are large enough to manage local issues, and those in each of our countries can work together to achieve what they decide is best for them.
Devolution often acts as a needless layer of destruction, as the SNP has demonstrated.
February 17, 2023
Often a needless layer of destruction? Almost invariably!
February 17, 2023
Take heart, Mark, from Bristol which had an unpublicised referendum to abolish its Mayor. He tried every low trick in the book to suppress the vote but he still lost it.
February 17, 2023
+1
February 17, 2023
Here in Bath and North East Somerset we voted against having a useless Mayor but still had one imposed on us in a three or four authority region. The former useless MP Dan Norris to add another tier of unneeded and unwanted Politian. This Country has the second most politicians after Communist China. No wonder our taxes are so high with this lot on the gravy train.
February 17, 2023
Mayor Khan first phased plan to remove ICE cars is almost complete, I understand his next target is the EV ā¦.he wants everyone on a bicycle or TfL controlled transport ā under his control
Please remove these power mad regional and city mayors ā¦lets return to council leader
February 17, 2023
Ken Livingstone rightly said ~25 years ago, a bit before he ran for election as London Mayor, that the powers the legisation had given to that individual were near-dictatorial. They should not have been nearly as wide. 16 years later, along came a Mayor who proved Ken Livingstone’s point.
More widely the past 3 years in particular suggest that we do not live in a democracy. If we did, the Bill of Rights 1688 would have been enforced, to prevent the tyrannical measures from being imposed. Instead, all we were able to do was watch Lord Sumption rant away. Presumably he took the view that all his senior legal colleagues were far too cosy with the government to enforce anything so radical as the clauses in the Bill of Rights … or indeed the Human Rights Act, which arrived ~300 years later. (One legal case was attempted and failed dismally, rather proving this point.)
February 17, 2023
Plus of course the very expensive and useless Crime Commissioners who have presided over less service and huge expense. Another fine Tory mess.
February 17, 2023
And also the additional cost burden of Police Commissioners and their entourage.
What do they which improves what we had before them? And does anybody know the name of the one in their area?
February 17, 2023
Is there less crime since the introduction of Police Commissioners ā Nobody Knows
Do the people know the name of their Police Commissioners ā Nobody Knows
Are Police Commissioners cost effective ā Nobody Knows
February 17, 2023
Well according to Bromley Council (which is fighting Khan’s ULEZ scam along with various other Councils) Khan is proposing to put in enough cameras, including on all country lanes in the Greater London area, to bring in road pricing.
Pay per mile coming to a city near you.
February 17, 2023
With the continued support of this Tory government
Tax, than tax than tax somemore
February 17, 2023
I never go to London these days. I canāt abide public transport – I donāt mind being in a coffin when Iām dead – and driving up there is not an option. Shame. We often used to drive in on a Sunday, park in Hyde Park, and then visit museums or galleries or just wandered around taking it all in. Too much hassle now. And, dare I say it, if I want to go somewhere and feel like a stranger, Iāll go abroad.
February 18, 2023
And the unneeded and unnecessary Police & Crime Commissioners, which the Council Taxpayer is forced to pay for.
February 17, 2023
It will be very difficult to justify the ‘de-devolution’ of powers to Scotland. Instead the Union government should seek to devolve more powers locally across the UK and create a sort of Federal Britain. This way all parts of the UK can be equally represented and you won’t have Scots voting on English-only matters. This will also normalise the idea of devolved power and take the steam out of the independence movement. The UK government should focus on foreign policy and other large-scale issues.
February 17, 2023
I think Mr Prescott tried that one back in 2004.
Didnāt end well!
February 17, 2023
Gordon Brown’s recommendation and Tony Blair’s original plan for breaking up England to make it more subject to the EU. This is still the plan. Balkanisation of Britain to abolish the United Kingdom. We would be left with a whole lot of jumped up county councillors like Wee Nicola and the Ayatollah of Cardiff pitting themselves against whatever was left of the central government, while Brussels and Strasbourg ruled.
February 17, 2023
Creating a Federal Britain requires the break-up of England into smaller units.
Oh gosh, that appears to be what the EU wanted with its planned Europe of the Regions. Blair started the process with his devolution policy but came unstuck when the people of Northumberland rejected it. The Not-a-Conservative-Party is trying again by imposing City/Region Mayors on us; Cornwall being the next Mayoral Region to be imposed.
February 17, 2023
The EU plan went further than that. The broken-up regions were to be combined with similar regions from Scandinavia and mainland Europe to produce new ‘countries’ with no sense of nationality or loyalty to the country. But this seems to have been replaced by mass immigration to achieve the same ends.
February 17, 2023
Yes, there was talk in 2014 about conjoining Manchester with Liverpool (only 35 miles apart, but in historic rivalry many more miles), I think so the Mayorship was more powerful for Burnham, and economically like another Greater London, ‘ Greater Manpool – problems with pronouns on that one! or Liverchester ‘. Not sure if Cheshire and Lancashire would get dragged in too; then an overstretch to include the whole NW tv region, I’m sure.
February 17, 2023
No more Mayors in England thanks -it would mean lots more bureaucrats, more petty rules, more costs and more Mayor Khans. MPs from devolved nations should not be voting on laws that only apply to England – that is a running sore that needs curing before anything else.
February 17, 2023
England is a proud and historic nation just like Scotland. Local devolution and still under the control of a UK Government consisting of Scots & Welsh MPs is doing the EUās bidding of turning England into a collection of competing regions. England deserved the same as Scotland, national devolution making itās own decisions. Devolution within would then be for an English Parliament putting Englandās interests first to decide and not an English hating UK Government determined to break England up.
February 18, 2023
Hear, hear.
February 17, 2023
Successful economies such as the USA and Germany are highly federal, whereas the UK is one of the most centralised countries in the world. Most of what local government does is mandated by central government legislation. Local councils are, in reality, mainly delivery vehicles for central government policy. Policies such as the academisation of schools are simply a transfer of control from local to central government.
The UK needs more devolution, not less.
February 17, 2023
Spot-on, Peter.
February 17, 2023
Having lived and had a business in Scotland for many years it was sad bordering on frightening to see at every little semi concealed threat Westminster would give them more funding which was used for free prescriptions, baby boxes, and many other freebie schemes so it is no wonder the Scottish people adored her.
The money wasted on hair brain schemes is obscene and never once was the party held to account.
Over funding has a lot to do with the problems that beset Scotland today. That is the reason the Scottish people wanted to stay in the EU. All they could see was more funding not learning anything from what happened in Ireland
February 17, 2023
+1. To want to leave the UK but then join the EU is surely a bizarre agenda to want. Independence from England/Wales but then to desire rule from the anti-democratic and corrupt EU.
February 17, 2023
Where does this anti-democratic and corrupt mud slinging come from? – and all going unchallenged – As far as I know all members of the EU Parliament and EU Council are elected. Some of the Commissioners are elected but some appointed by governments who are themselves in turn elected by the people? If we want to consider anti-democratic than I suggest we should first of all look to our own ‘first past the post’ elections system then the make up of the Lords and the Royals – who elects them?also leadership of the british civil service – none of them elected. Now what’s that you were saying about corruption? where to start?
February 17, 2023
+1
The EU, I believe, has always wanted devolution wherever possible on the grounds of ādivide and conquerā, as Diane Abbott said, a favourite British ( western?) strategy.
There would no doubt be great rewards and kudos for any leader who delivered such.
As with bordersā¦.certain nationalisms = goodā¦.others = BAD!
All depends who is benefitting.
I mean, where would the agenda be now if we had had a truly nationalist government?
February 17, 2023
TT, agree with you. Couldn’t understand the SNP argument: Want to leave the UK – where Scotland was a beneficiary but stay in EU where Scotland would become a contributor.
Also staggered at how little time gets given to SNP record over so many years: economy underperformed, education underperformed, health service underperformed. The country does score top of the league for drug deaths and alcoholism…
February 17, 2023
And windmills! The whole of the UK pays for the windfarms, and Scotland talks of them as though only they own them all.
February 17, 2023
Isn’t this how most socialist bordering on communist entities seem to work.
Enslave the people by making them even incapable of doing even the basics for themselves.
Once you’ve got them financially dependent on you then your are at liberty to control every aspect of their lives.
It has also been the way of individuals or whole councils of that political/ideological persuasion to use funds on hair brain schemes, so the pot is empty for the more sensible civic duties for which it is intended and from which everyone in the main benefits. They can then claim no money in the pot because central government keep them short of funds.
A friend of my Mother in law a devout left winger (a female Corbyn, and very wealthy too, no surprises there for me)
worked for what was then the GLC. Even she saw the lunacy and waste of public money being spent on minority weird and wonderful groups as not quite what public money is for.
February 17, 2023
Sorry Michelle that should be “harebrained”
February 17, 2023
Indeed, so to blame Labour after 13 years of caving-in by Tories is a bit weak, to say the least. Like giving in to children, these hand-outs were bound to make Sturgeon popular. The fact that it worked for her showed she was pretty good with the begging bowl. As with the EU, same old same old, cave-in cave-in. Whether Tories or Labour, they compete to cave-in to whoever is on the other side of the table. The more socialist the other side, the more cave-in.
February 17, 2023
The last paragraph Sir John highlights the most pressing concerns regarding the Union. If your government rolls over on NI in any shape or form they will keep the fuse spluttering in Scotland.
Fair play those involved tried, not very hard in some people’s mind but enough is enough for the people of NI.
Do what is necessary to finish it once and for all. Evoke Article 16 and walk away. Before too long the EU will have enough of its own internal problems to worry about to prevent more countries talking with their feet.
February 17, 2023
She and her sewer party embodies all that is vile and reprehensible about the fascist left. Invoking race, gender and sexuality to stoke division and demonisation in equal measure for one simple purpose, TOTAL POLITICAL CONTROL OVER ALL THINGS even the past
She’ll walk away with a fat pension leaving Scotland to rot in vat of ‘progressive’ acid
February 17, 2023
+many
Agree 100%
February 17, 2023
All the main areas of the publics concerns in Scotland are in a mess.
Education, policing, NHS, drugs,alcohol abuse, ship building, energy systems encouraged due to excessive funding with not a thought of the safe environmental disposal of the components at end of service.
Environmentalist are just waking up to the contamination of the land during the operational life span. Iconic areas of Scotland trashed by turbines and their infrastructure. Its predator and bat wild life decimated. Not a very good CV for the retiring First Minister and her party.
February 17, 2023
+10
February 17, 2023
Exactly. Stop the regular additional funding to Scotland and the SNP will be shown to be a financial disaster. No more buying off the threats, raise the plan to cancel the Barnett formula. What is in the Private Members Bill?.
This constant begging bowl which funds all sorts of disastrous schemes must stop.
February 17, 2023
You’d think a majority of Scots would always prefer the current setup (generous financial settlement from Westminster, MPs in both parliaments, no land/administrative border with the rest of the UK, etc).
The alternative is bleak: become a midget member of the EU, a supplicant for German largesse. “Net zero” hydrocarbon revenues from the North Sea will not go very far! As for representation, look at how supine the EU Parliament is (e.g. its Party leaders’ recent blocking of a transparent investigation into the President’s very personal role in the Ā£30bn Pfizer vaccine purchase).
My guess is that many a vote for SNP was essentially vote against LabCon, rather than for independence per se. If a unionist alternative to LabCon emerged they could take a lot of the nationalists’ votes, now the SNP has made such a hash of things.
February 17, 2023
@turbo: I also think the freebies are a big vote winner for the SNP.
It’s time we had some equality between the nations of the UK. Why does Scotland offer free university to anyone (not just Scots) who lives in Scotland? Likewise for all the other freebies. We need to stop subsidising this unfairness. Either wee Nicki was given too much money, or she neglected other essential services under her care, but then the failings can be blamed on a lack of funding and the blackmail starts again.
February 17, 2023
Exactly Shirley. The Scots receive free tuition fees, free prescriptions, free hospital parking for both patients and staff, free dental checks, free eye checks, free personal care for the elderly, all things denied to England on grounds of cost so why do UK Governments of all colours bung them Ā£12 billion of English taxes every year? Answer: because we English are nothing more than cash cows for the benefit of the rest of this so called United Kingdom.
February 17, 2023
Shirley, the Scots don’t offer free university to English students unless they have lived in Scotland for three years. Then you have to get a place.
Scottish students who study in the rest of the UK do have to pay tuition fees.
February 17, 2023
āScottish students who study in the rest of the UK do have to pay tuition feesā
Yes the same as English fee paying students although not Welsh or NI Students whose heavily subsidised fees are topped up by their devolved assemblies courtesy of another bung of English taxes from the UK Government. As for Scotland, even EU students were receiving free tuition fees, everyone except the English. Only Englandās students pay Ā£9,250 irrespective of where they study in the so called United Kingdom. I call that blatant discrimination.
February 17, 2023
Quite. I believe Scottish students may have bursaries and grants available to study in England too.
February 17, 2023
I would like to see the tax-rate varying powers of Holyrood ended. And I would like to see the Scottish Conservatives do a much better job of opposing the SNP’s failed policies.
February 17, 2023
āVery tolerantā?
They arenāt reallyā¦are they? And I can think of much better adjectives to describe our govt.
February 17, 2023
We are living through a period of revolution in working methods as AI kicks in, in the relationship between the sexes, even in our very nationality as more and more people from the Commonwealth and Europe flood in and are warmly welcomed even into the very top of our society.
So no longer can we say that the Conservative Party is made up of Conservatives as it was in the last century. Men and women who knew what war looked like. Who took their family for granted. Who knew how to live in this climate and who turned out for work as a matter of course. Homogenous in their views. People who scorned Welfare. In those far off days, local government was totally safe in their hands as it was identical to Westminster. and that went for Labour too.
Is that really so today?
February 17, 2023
Itās just a grift by regional politicians. Until you push back the grifters will only become more demanding.
For example, the ULEZ wonāt go away until the Home Counties put up their own ULEZ zone and charge Londoners Ā£100 a pop to leave their City.
February 17, 2023
I chose Ā£100 as a reasonable number to charge Londoners, pbecause I intend to give Ā£25 to those who drive into London as compensation. This will have the effect of diverting the polluters away from the Home Counties as they will make a small profit driving through London.
February 17, 2023
Pushing the London ULEZ zone into outer London is represents the further the balkanisation of England in the sane way that Tony Blair balkanised the UK with devolution.
The big difference between ULEZ and UK devolution is that ULEZ is driven by urban ethno-nationalism that is currently driving the woke liberal politics in cities in the US and UK.
February 17, 2023
Is anyone able to explain where vast sums of money have disappeared to and are unaccounted for? So many of the SNP were found guilty of gross misconduct. So many blatantly brave a hatred of the English. It was bad enough before the referendum but got worse after. Until I lived there I was never aware it was so rife. I live on the border of Wales now but would never chose to live in Wales because if my experiences in Scotland. Apart from anything else the way the English get the blame for everything sickens me especially when they get so much for free. Sturgeon was only interested in anything she could bribe from Westminster and her precious independence. There were also many opinions as to why she made such a big deal over the trans issues. That was the final nail in the coffin. Let’s hope we get someone in charge that at least tries to work with the rest of the UK instead of against it.
February 17, 2023
One thing that many admire about the SNP is the way they run their water/sewage industry. Scottish Water is a public corporation accountable to Scottish Ministers and the Scottish Parliament. Scotland does not have the sort of problems with sewage releases to the environment that we have here in England
Parliament’s recent vote to continue to allow the foreign-owned English water companies to discharge raw sewage into our rivers and seas for another 15 years has appalled yet more ex-Conservative voters. Today we read that raw sewage has repeatedly overspilled into NHS hospital cancer wards, A&E departments and maternity units. There has been a tremendous increase in middle management headcount in the NHS, why can’t they sort this problem out?
February 17, 2023
For once I agree with you Sakara. Water rates were cheap and not an issue…but then it’s always raining in a country where the population is low so perhaps helpful. Mind you, all council taxes were cheap. We paid less there for a detached property with 30 acres than we do now for a semi with a small garden.
February 17, 2023
The Ferret “Scotland’s green watchdog has been accused of allowing the āillegal operationā of a Scottish Water site which has polluted an East Lothian beach with sewage for a decade. Leaks from Eastfield pumping station, run by Scottish Water, contributed to unsafe levels of E.2 Oct 2022”
22 Oct 2021 ā Nearly 50 sites run by Scottish Water including sewage and wastewater treatment are āpoorā, āvery poorā or āat riskā,
22 Aug 2022 ā “Scottish Water has issued an apology for sewage being pumped into the River Tay following emergency repairs to a leaking sewer pipe.” The Courier
Scottish Water began trending on Twitter partly because people saw something to celebrate in its public ownership, or as an independence argument. But the truth is in Scotland raw sewage is released into our rivers and seas.23 Aug 2022 The Herald
Plenty of contrary evidence if you search for it.
February 17, 2023
For those die hard SNP voters independence is all their party is about. Whoever gets to lead the party will have a fine line to walk. They’ll be damned if they don’t strive for independence and damned if they do. Some SNP voters are fed up and want more important issues like drugs, NHS and education concentrated on.
February 17, 2023
I would very much like to see this period of instability within the SNP being rewarded with a review of Barnett.
The needs of the many in the UK outweigh the needs of the few.
February 17, 2023
So what has the Not-a-Conservative-or-Unionist Party done to fight back against both the SNP and the EU sequestering Northern Ireland.
Well, Cameron (doing as Gordon Brown, one of the architects of the mess in Scotland) handed even more devolved power and money to the SNP because he believed a flawed poll showing that the SNP would win the Referendum. Subsequent CONservative PMs have continued to shovel money at Scotland every time Sturgeon demanded it.
And in Ireland, the so-called Conservative and Unionist Party has handed control to the EU ….. and is refusing to take it back.
In both cases, the situation has either been created or exacerbated by the cowardice and treachery of the Not-a-Conservative-and-Unionist-Party.
February 17, 2023
Frankly, devolution in both Scotland and Wales has been a disaster to their respective countriesā¦ also, London under the mayor. All three leaders have been like ālittle hitlers!ā
Tony Blair caused so much harm to Britain with his policies – many of which have never been reversed by the Conservatives. (Why not?)
February 17, 2023
GP contract 2004 ends on-call Dr Services, a high percentage of surgeries lost local emergency clinics.
Dentist contracts effectively end easy access to NHS dentistry.
Putting up the female retirement age to 65 and onward, they could have made it 63 for all, instead, they want 70 for all. Other than the none eligible pension credits people who don’t contribute a single p but still get full benefits accounting to more than the State Pension!
February 17, 2023
We should remember that the Scottish National Socialists have ignored the results of two referendums, not one. Despite a third of their own supporters voting to leave the EU, and despite more Scots voting to leave the EU than voted for the SNP. Referendum results evidently mean nothing to them, so they should not be granted any more.
February 17, 2023
Why was discontinuance of the Barnet formula not an integral part of Labour’s flawed devolution plan?
February 17, 2023
I note Starmer’s bed side reading is the ‘Brown Report’ which I gather from quite a few who have studied it, wants to hand even more powers to Scottish government.
England? July AD927 Well what does Brown care for her, in fact what does anyone in Parliament care for her.
It seems the plan is a sort of ‘Balkanisation’ along the lines so desired by EU – now there’s a coincidence.
“The Regions” is I expect a phrase we will be hearing more and more by all obedient media/celebrity and politicians, until England is spoken of no more.
Democracy, equality, fairness but not for England it seems.
I hope the plan chokes the lot of them, and it was a crying shame that Scotland didn’t vote to go, but didn’t someone make a trip promising even more money and powers???
Still, at least the Scots were given a choice and a vote, we are saddled with neither of those things in this wonderful land of equality and democracy – allegedly.
February 17, 2023
Hats off to Rishi Sunak for bringing sturgeon down. As allister Heath points out, it shows itās both possible and popular to stand up to woke leftist radicalism. Ron de Santis is of course doing this in spades in Florida and should be well placed to win the us presidency assuming the gop arenāt foolish enough to choose trump.
Scottish separatism and the unpleasant, divisive politics of resentment and division which sturgeon epitomised has been little short of a disaster for Scotland and is yet another baleful effect of the last Labour govt. Labour govts always do lasting harm, with it often taking decades to correct.
February 18, 2023
I think what damage was done was self inflicted and had little to do with Rishi. He just happened to be there standing whilst events were passing him by.
February 17, 2023
Devolution, the never finished project. I’ve lost count as to how many times I’ve asked “why is Devolution good for Scotland/Wales and N.Ireland but not for England” “Why is it only England that is governed by the UK parliament including representatives of Scotland/Wales and N.Ireland”
Once upon a time this very site used to promote English Devolution but now never mentions it. Of course every now and then some anti-English MP from somewhere will suggest cutting England into imagined ‘regions’ and giving those ‘regions’ mayors. A suggestion they would never dare to make for Scotland/Wales and N.Ireland.
It’s time this issue was addressed. England is a nation just like the other nations of the UK. It’s time for England to be given it’s own devolved administration. A single English Parliament creating equality, fairness and Democracy across the whole UK.
When this is achieved, a Federal Union Parliament can look after the reserved affairs while the national Parliaments look after the devolved affairs of the FOUR nations of the UK.
February 17, 2023
Agreed, Blair’s balkanisation of England into regions was taken up by Cameron handing out Mayoral fiefdoms, which are just as anti English. I don’t know what us English have done, but the British establishment hates us. They will worry themselves silly about any imagined slight against any ‘people’, spending their time apologising left , right and centre, but they aren’t embarrassed one little bit they made us constitutionally second class citizens.
February 17, 2023
+1
February 17, 2023
It was always part of an EU plan to dilute the UK, not only with devolved national governments but with the break up of the UK into regional areas. Labours interest was opportunistic. They thought they could dominate nationally and regionally, part fallacious in Scotland, part true in some regions until the red wall rebellion. My own take on all this devolution is that it only works if the UK is led by London centerist parties who govern myopically whatever they may say. Ensure that there is equality of opportunity and earning ability across the country and the desire to fragment the UK disappears. If devolution was led for the benefit of the people it might work, if it is led to create a political power bloc it will head for disaster because it will almost certainly find itself in conflict with central government, as in Scotland.
February 17, 2023
Not sure about that. I believe that the uselessness of Westminster governments fuelled the SNP. Letās face it – whatās the point of voting for a Tory or Labour government. The state gets bigger, taxes go up, immigration goes up, endless demand for house building, debt goes up, public services go down the pan. The NHS, the police, the potholes – Labour and Tory, pay more, get less. If we had an English Parliament the ENP would run it – just as the SNP do in Scotland.
February 17, 2023
That is why there would never be an English Parliament, why England has to be broken up. The establishment affects to be terrified of English nationalism, while all the time promoting Scottish, Irish, and Welsh nationalism.
February 17, 2023
@Mike Wilson +1
It is not hard to disagree with that “uselessness of Westminster governments” each and everyone of them have an agenda that is far removed with Managing the UK and creating a resilient economy and a safe future for us all. Each one more Left Wing than the Last for over a generation.
February 17, 2023
In my opinion, the reasons it has not worked are:
a) Political power is as far away from those delivering the services as before. Instead, the Scottish and Welsh offices got swapped by their respective governments.
b) They have had socialist governments, so they have enacted rubbish socialist policies.
c) They need more power over tax and their economies. With no competition between the countries, there has been little incentive to improve peopleās lives. They blame the UK government.
The UK government has devolved powers in England to individual schools, which has been a success. We should look to build on this model.
February 17, 2023
āLabourās devolution model fuelled the SNPā The hypocrisy of the lunatics that gain power in the UK, its a cop-out of doing their real function. Half a direction taken for a headline but never completing the job.
Most of what central Government does is really local council functions, they try to dictate from the centre a one size fits all policy. When in reality the situations for one part of the country are different to another and the best people to do things are the local communities. Even in Scotland to suggest Edinburgh knows whats best for Glasgow let alone the Islands was always a none starter. All that happened was local councils were replaced by power crazy empire building reactionaries.
As often said Yorkshire is bigger population wise than Scotland, yet has fewer MPās and less access to money. The Centres view of empowering democracy and economies, is to create inequality.
Then we get to the ridiculous screw up that is London, Governments with their egotistical messing have screwed that once great City into the ground and released another lunatic on the political scene. Now nothing happens(because it cant) just a wreaking ball headline seeking egotistical empire without a clue.
In the EU the Government of the UK had no job, so instead robbed communities throughout the UK of the functions to get things done ā it became a local council.
Every part of the UK needs a refresh, starting with Government, in needs to get back to its purpose.
February 17, 2023
@Ian B Yes 100*
February 17, 2023
Sorry John but stuff the SNP and stuff Scotland and I know Iām not the only English person who has been driven to thinking like this. Sick of hearing about poor old Scotland. What about poor old England and the rotten deal it has been dealt post devolution? Unlike the MSM and most of the UK MPs squatting in English seats (who shamefully canāt even say England, let alone speak up for it), Iām more concerned about the fact politicians of all colours are trying to wipe England off the map, denying its very existence and thus a say in itās own affairs. Your party John, just like Labour, are intent on breaking England up into competing regions in order to deny it a national voice. We are told Labour canāt form a UK Government without Scotland but most of their major decisions, health, education, law, even tax, are made in the Scottish Parliament and yet England could have a Labour or Labour/SNP Government foist on it against itās will making laws that only affect England.
England hating Gordon Brown is already talking about more powers being given to Scotland and of course the regions (he means England) having more Mayors forced on them but no mention of England as a proud and historic nation just like Scotland or the the over bloated representation of Scottish MPs still trooping down to London to meddle and vote on English matters which they bizarrely have no such say on for those who sent them there. Even the crumb that was EVEL has been taken away by Scotsman Gove and not a peep from UK MPs with English seats. They are obviously happy to see Englandās young, sick and elderly carry on being shafted for the benefit of their beloved union. Well shame on them I say. England does not even exist on the political map – look it up.
The sooner the anti English Labour and ConSocialists are wiped off the political map the better.
February 17, 2023
When enough time has passed and it’s all written up the age of brexit and the brexiteers will be there fof all to see as a footnote in history books alongside the luddites. Consider very soon the NI Protocol problem will be in the past and the next generation growing up will read all about it as the FDI and industry continues to flow into that province because of its unique geographic and political location as being effectively part of the EU/ SM and also GB – in fact it’ll be the new SuperSingapire of Europe – believe it or believe it not.
February 17, 2023
@grant – and being part of a democracy and free will be wiped from the memories of all children. The higher powers will become as in with the EU today the unelected unaccountable Dictators, that also as in the EU now the people canāt challenge or remove.
February 17, 2023
@Ian B – Spot on correct
February 17, 2023
I don’t believe..
February 17, 2023
Sir John we know you are not keen on the countries of the UK having there own Parliaments as it has lead to the SNP trashing Scotland’s leading standards of education, health care , etc. etc.
But if you support North Ireland having a Parliament, and being free of the EU, then our so called Democracy demands that we have a Parliament for Wales, Scotland and most importantly England.
With a true English Parliament there would be no justification for regional administrations between Parliament and the County Councils. Parliament would then become a UK Parliament with a National and international role. This more democratic arrangement could be funded by dissolving the House of Lords in it’s current form and replacing it with an elected UK Parliament. You then vote for who runs the Country you live in, and who runs the UK.
Wanting a Country to run its own internal affairs does not mean one wants to break up the UK.
Now we are out of the EU (in theory that is but not in practice) there is now a greater need for a UK Parliament to take on the tasks and decisions the EU made for us particularly in trade and world affairs.
February 17, 2023
@John McDonald – That would then require a UK Government capable of being a proper UK Government not everyone’s Local Council. The majority of our Parliament have forgotten or refuse the difference. They are itching to get back under EU Control so they no longer have to be responsible adults.
February 17, 2023
Labour let Scotland go ā¦.and the Tories are today letting NI go
February 17, 2023
Why do our MP’S and the unelected house of lords stop the government making laws that are good for our country such as trying to reverse Brexit
Thank you
February 17, 2023
Comments about the stupidity of devolution I fully and enthusiastically agree with . I am also very glad to see the end of Sturgeon . We are and must remain the United Kingdom ; the EU does not have any right to impose a discipline on our society and we must get rid of all links to the ECHR .
February 17, 2023
@Bert Young +1
UK laws, rules and regulations for UK people. If you canāt vote for those that are the legislature, you are not a free person, you donāt live in an independent free country you are but SLAVES.
February 18, 2023
I kind of like having my human rights protected.
February 17, 2023
Just one more example of the disasters piled on us by labour’s socialist policies.
Why did they give extra powers to Scotland? Typical of Blair that he would treat them differently.
The worst thing he did however, was to not make it clear that the Westminster parliament has authority over both.
Rather than just giving powers away, there should have been review processes to monitor and judge how effective the assembly or parliament was for local people.
There should be powers to close down both setups when they breach certain guidelines.
February 17, 2023
One solution to Scotland’s own Parliament would be to reduce the number of Scottish MPs in Westminster from 59 to maybe 20. Then give Scotland financial independence, so they have to live within their own income & not on English taxpayers in London & the South East.
Since the SNP appear to have made a hash of everything, perhaps the UK Government should be taking back control in some areas.
I do not think history will be kind to Ms Sturgeon & the SNP.
In N.I. the UK needs to tell the EU we do not accept the protocol & intend to abolish it immediately, but that would take a PM with balls!
February 17, 2023
The Conservatives have done nothing for England in all their 13 years in power. I was a Conservative supporter until Cameron, but after voting for him the first ime, I saw the corruption and the disregard for England, and have voted UKIP ever since.
I live in a marginal Conservative constituency that was previously Labour, so not much doubt about who will win here next time, given the moronic electorate that surround me. I will take my revenge at the next election, voting Reform, and not caring who gets in as a result.
I hope there are many other such people all over the country in marginal Conservative seats. The Conservatives, with their 80 seat majority, have betrayed England, You are all useless and should go.
February 17, 2023
Same here. The Tories are idiots for treating England with the same contempt as Labour. If they stopped ignoring the rotten deal England gets post devolution and gave us the same as Scotland, no more, no less, i.e. a devolved parliament then theyād be in power for ever.
February 17, 2023
The UK is supposed to be (but denied by this UK Government) a democratic independent sovereign state. The UK is all its components that includes NI. As such all the laws, rules and regulations come from its legislators. The same legislators that are empowered to revise/amend or repeal the same.
To even countenance any other method by the UKās elected Government, is more than just letting people down it is verging on treacherous behaviour.
February 17, 2023
@MWB – they have done nothing for the UK even, but hanging out to dry and punishing everyone
February 17, 2023
@MBAAssociates – 1 in 4 people have less < Ā£100 in #savings. That's what happens when policies punish savers &enterprise, reward & encourage debt & allow people to believe the tax payer owes them a living. Some are there though circumstance many more because they borrow more than they can afford.
@TiceRichard – 2023: Illegal immigrants across Channel soars 86% compared to 2022. @RishiSunak failing again: incompetent Tories doing nothing to stop the boats
@johnredwood – The Prime Minister last year announced stopping the illegal migrant boats was his number one priority. When is he going to take action?
February 17, 2023
Isnāt time referendums were held in Scotland and Wales on whether or not to continue with devolution?
February 17, 2023
Agree
February 17, 2023
Starmer’s gone to Ukraine to assure Zelensky that support for the war will continue under his Government.
Looks like the Establishment has already decided for us that Labour will be the next leader of the Westminster Uni Party and the policies won’t change.
So there’s no reason why you shouldn’t vote for Reform if reform is what you want.
February 17, 2023
I am for the UNITED Kingdom: even though the history that led to it was tortuous, I and many others quietly mourn its passing. Surely it’s far better we build upon shared values and strengths.
“For nation (Gk. ethnos) shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be earthquakes in divers places, and there shall be famines and troubles: these are the beginnings of sorrows” (Mark 13:8).
Thy Kingdom come, Lord!
February 17, 2023
Sir John. I hope your final paragraph today means – “The government needs to repeal the Northern Ireland Protocol”.
February 17, 2023
We are missing something here – At the time of the Scottish referendum vote 2014 nobody said to them that there would be a brexit vore in 2016. Had the Scots known beforehand that there was a chance that their EU citizenship would be stripped away my guess is that their vote resultt would have been very different. Brexit changed everything for most people for both Scots as well as English
February 17, 2023
Jerome :
The same is even more true for those who are members of the EU. They have to accept laws, directives and policies set by people for whom they cannot vote and have no democratic means to remove. At least the people of Scotland are represented (actually over represented) in the UK legislature
February 17, 2023
SirJ excellent performance on GB News tonight ref NIP interview ā¦forget everyone saying you should be the Chancellor; you should be our PM ā¦Iād start voting Tory again
February 21, 2023
Devolution has been a disaster for this country. Wales has become a dictatorship with policies passed by the Labour Party dictated by Mark Drakeford who is a marxist. Labour has been in power for 20yrs Education is a failure along with the N.H.S. what I can’t understand is why the British Government keeps giving them more and more power. Drakeford now allows children of 16 to vote in local elections and as schools and colleges are indoctrinated in left wing ideology what chance do we stand.