The Dangers of Devolution

Interesting article in yesterday's Belfast Telegraph:

Because of the mounting evidence that in terms of both legislation and public policy, huge differences are emerging between England and Scotland.

Yes.

The issue has been brought into dramatic relief over the past six weeks with the election of a minority Scottish Nationalist administration in Edinburgh, the growing possibility that Plaid Cymru could have a share of power in Cardiff, and the restoration of devolution to Belfast.

Important to note, however, that in Scotland and Wales, pro-Union parties still received a much larger number of votes than the separatists. The DUP are not a Unionist party, so it is probably true to say that, in terms of votes cast, the pro-union electorate (or at least, those who voted) were in a minority in N.Ireland's last Assembly Election. Despite that, I believe that a firm majority of 20% plus of the population, still wish to remain within the UK, hence the reluctance of both the SDLP and Sinn Fein to push for a Border Poll at this moment.

But, yes, devolution in Scotland, Wales and N.Ireland is a real danger to the cohesion and ultimate survival of the United Kingdom. With separate laws and procedures on education, health, never mind social questions such as gay rights developing in Wales, Scotland and N.Ireland, we can no longer claim to be a united kingdom. And with the English tax payer effectively still subsidising all three countries’ budgets, the temptation for the Tories to capitalise on understandable resentment and push for an English “parliament”” will increase.

I regard myself as British first, Irish second and as an Irish Unionist I believe that we should only have one sovereign parliament and one set of laws which cover every part of the United Kingdom. I will be explaining in a future post how I believe such a system of government could work benefiting every citizen in the four constituent parts of my nation.