Here’s a Couple of quotes from an article he’s written in the wake of Kenneth Clarke’s and the Conservative Democracy Task Force "Answering the Question: Devolution, the West Lothian Question and the Future of the Union":
The logical solution to the West Lothian Question is an English parliament. Kenneth Clarke’s answer takes five pages to say what Disraeli said in one line: that England is governed not by logic but by parliament, and for the Conservatives that parliament remains Westminster.
I really hope that half-sentence is indeed the case, but as I’ve stated on numerous occasions here, I have my doubts (or, at least, doubts regarding the commitment of the Tories for a truly United Kingdom parliament at Westminster)
And:
Is any Unionist answer to the English Question now sufficient to satisfy English questions about the Unionist answer? That is the big unknown.
That "Unionist answer" being the extension of PR to cover also Westminster elections meaning a much more meaningful Tory representation from Scotland, Wales and, just possibly, Northern Ireland...the advantages of such a switch are clear for even a traditionalist Unionist to see; but for it to have any chance at preventing the increasingly growing “Ourselves Alone” wing of English nationalism being in a position to combine with its Celtic cousins in attacking the Union, then it must be in place for the next Westminster election and there’s next to no chance of that happening.
I recommend you to read the rest of Professor Aughey’s piece here.
9 comments:
"Celtic cousins"? Do you have to be "Celtic" (white) to be Scots, Welsh or Northern Irish then?
Sounds damned racist to me!
You must have read it too quickly; here is the relevant piece :
but for it to have any chance at preventing the increasingly growing “Ourselves Alone” wing of English nationalism being in a position to combine with its Celtic cousins in attacking the Union
The "Celtic cousins" not being people, but the abstract concepts of Irish, Scottish, Welsh nationalism.
But in the answer to your question; no, you don't have to be celtic or "white" to be N.Irish/Scottish/Welsh; you don't even have to be "white" to be a celtic or English nationalist.
Hope that clears it up for you.
I get the idea that more and more English are coming around to there being just an England. I'd rather we left on our own terms.
If I were unfortunate enough to hold outdated unionist ideas I'd be afraid, very afraid.
Any would-be answer to the English Question that fails to grant democratic parity to the English with the other nations of the UK will not satisfy the English. Nor should it because this is simply unfair and, by that token, un-British. The sooner unionists realise that the present, or any amended, asymmetric solution is not sustainable, the sooner we can all move towards a new federal model for the Union, which is almost certainly its only hope for survival.
The sooner unionists realise that the present, or any amended, asymmetric solution is not sustainable, the sooner we can all move towards a new federal model for the Union, which is almost certainly its only hope for survival.
I have never agreed with the devolution experiment, but a federal model is most definitely not the only "hope for survival".
So what would your solution(s) be, O'Neill? It's no use agreeing that the present situation is untenable but not coming up with alternatives of your own. It's this sort of drift that will surely lead to the total break up of the Union. If you want to save it, how would you propose doing so?
So what would your solution(s) be, O'Neill?
In the perfect world, the complete dismantling of the devolution experiment. In the world we've got to deal with at the minute, working to limit the power of the three parliaments/assemblies/talking shops.
At the minute the NI "coalition" is looking very shakey indeed and it would not surprise me one little bit to see a collapse and a reversion back to "direct rule" from Westminster well within 12 months. That happens and half of the UK will be again governed completely from Westminster.
The Welsh Assembly is really not that much of a step up from Prescott's NE Regional suggestion, very limited powers and I believe the referendum on extending these is by no means a foregone conclusion. The true Unionist tactic should be to work to ensure its defeat and then to concentrate on weakening further the W.A's powers.
Which leaves the infinitely more tricky proposition of Scotland. Firstly, we (Unionists) shouold be working to ensure two main things:
1. That the coalition of self-described "Unionist" parties do not decide to fight for more power and independence from Westminster.
2. Salmond's referendum is clearly and decisively defeated in 2010. Once established that there is no appetite for separatism in Scotland, then there can only be a detrimental effect on the SNP. If that's indeed the case, then, again, we should capitalise on the result and look to find ways to start reining in the Scottish parliament's powers.
It's a medium to long-term plan which might look unrealistic at the minute, but don't forget how quickly politics has been changed in the UK over the last ten years. It's a question of constantly identifying and exploiting the weaknesses in the devolution edifice in order to bring round public opinion to our way of thinking.
There are a lot of 'ifs' in your scenario; but at least you admit it. What about the English, though, and their growing appetite for self-governance? Or is England just Britain as far as you are concerned?
What about the English, though, and their growing appetite for self-governance?
The topic may dominate the thinking of bloggers, one or two politicians and journalists but actually as a real-issue which provokes a reaction amongst the general public? But anyway, that's besides the point, I've blogged on here before about the right of the English, like their Scottish,Welsh and Irish cousins, how they wish to be governed. They should have that referendum, although I guess we'd be fighting on the opposite sides.
Or is England just Britain as far as you are concerned?
England like Scotland, wales and N.Ireland is a part of the UK, the English are legally like the rest of us British citizens. How much the individual wishes to feel British is completely up to him-her, but that's true for everyone living in the UK.
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