The Trouble With Devolution

Sitting here on my perch 3,000 miles away from the United Kingdom, I'd like to think that I have some insight into the current wrangles that are emerging about my birthplace's future. I tend to scan British papers online regularly and I go absolutely nutty for their election coverage- they never fail to supply readers with widgets and gidgets to plot their own electoral outcomes as they see fit. (Monster Raving Loony Party for the win! It's going to happen!)

Not actually living in a place means that making grand pronouncements about said place becomes something of a dicey business. (Stephen Bloom discovered this recently: though on our Twin Cities adventure this weekend, it was universally decided by the four of us- The Missus, The Quiet Man, Nurse Ratchet and I that had he written exclusively about Fort Dodge, people might have actually agreed with him.) But the constant and increasing debates about the future of the United Kingdom fascinate me and it boils down to a question that so far, Prime Minister Cameron and none of the political establishment have seemed interested in addressing: what to do about England?

As it stands now, English MPs in Parliament cannot vote on matters that have been devolved back to Wales or Scotland. However, Scottish and Welsh MPs can vote on matters that pertain more to England than their own respective regions- as a result this sets up something of a constitutional muddle that results in a general disparity between how Scotland, Wales and England are treated in the grand scheme of things. When the English bitch about Scotland wanting independence because they have to pay tuition fees and the Scots (I believe) don't- it makes a certain amount of sense. The real issue confronting the UK then is not the future of Scotland but rather the future of England.

I've said it before and I'll say it again: take it to it's natural conclusion. Give England a Parliament (or devolve more powers down to the local level) and make Westminster a truly Federal Parliament. It's the only way to redress the imbalance in the system and it might be a deal that all parties could agree too.

Or this could all be a moot point: if Spain vetos a Scottish entry into the EU- hell, if there is a Euro left by the time they even vote on this stuff, independence might be looking a lot less attractive to the Scottish than it does now. But Cameron should take devolution to it's natural conclusion and untangle the constitutional muddle left behind by Tony Blair- even if he accomplishes nothing else in his time in office- that alone would be legacy enough.