“No” might just be the answer for Scotland

There has been a no-vote in the referendum! Great, I was sick of hearing about it anyway, business as usual then? Unfortunately not; every Westminster party has agreed to plans to devolve further powers to Holyrood. This has major consequences for the rest of union and not all good ones.

My anger at devolution was originally caused by the tuition fees increase, – an issue no doubt close to many hearts – when a Liberal Democrat MP Jo Swinson, defended her decision to vote for tuition fee increases for English students; despite her constituents – the Scots – receiving free higher education. Why could this person vote for me to have higher tuition fees? In reality, her vote was absolutely undemocratic, she helped force a narrow majority, in which she, her family and probably her friends would suffer absolutely no consequence. Unfortunately, this happens a lot more than we the people of the loyal union would care to think; think of all the votes in the commons on NHS England and Wales (The Scottish parliament deals with their own NHS) that are conducted, has Jo Swinson been helping to privatise our NHS? I actually don’t know but I think it relatively likely. This is a regular occurrence and one that should be stopped.

I sincerely hope that Scotland votes no; it is clear that the United Kingdom is better united

I actually agree to the notion that local governments are often a much more effective in spending and overseeing public money (although often these councils are breeding grounds for extremism – see state legislatures in the US). After-all who knows your local area better than local people? However there currently exists a massive constitutional crisis in the United Kingdom and one that needs to be addressed. As our politicians look north of the border, we need to look to Westminster.

It is clear that decisions that affect you should be voted on by your democratically-elected MP. So should we just stop Scottish MPs from voting? Despite there being no precedent surely this could be done? We would have English and Welsh MPs voting on our issues and Scottish MPs voting on theirs, perfect, right? Or is this just more devolution? Well this is where it gets complicated and why you get no politicians approaching the subject. Now in a very roundabout sense our tuition fees do affect Jo Swinson; if we didn’t pay them then government spending (or borrowing) would have to change too. This is why we have a collective parliament and why Yorkshire MPs vote on the London congestion charge and why inner-city MPs vote on greenbelt issues, it leads to compromise and good governance. However this is not what is happening with Scotland. It is leading to disproportionate inequality. Scottish people receive huge benefits that the rest of us are denied; such as free prescriptions and free higher education. Time and time again the UK parties have backed down to opportunistic separatists and given away more money and power while reducing our democratic rights.

If it is a no vote, more power will be given to Scotland, a deal agreed by all major parties. They will receive income tax powers among others. Picture this, Jo Swinson voting for you to pay a higher income tax than she pays in Scotland! It would appear that either way the referendum goes, British democracy will grow more and more impotent.

The answers are not easy to come by. We have gone too far down devolution road to simply turn around. Some have suggested an American-style federal system with an English devolved parliament with the same powers as Holyrood, with the Commons only deciding on foreign policy and defence – solving devolution with devolution! Others have suggested reducing the number of Scottish MPs, giving them less sway. Both ideas have their negatives and do not completely rectify the problem. However it is clear we cannot just not act. I implore the leaders of the main parties to provide a rhetoric of addressing these problems following the referendum.

I sincerely hope that Scotland votes no; it is clear that the United Kingdom is better united. It seems inevitable that regardless of the vote though that the brigand of charlatans that is the SNP will be given more power and cause yet more confusion on the constitutional rules on legislation that will leave the other members of the union without true democratic representation. We English, Welsh, Northern Irish are already at a severe disadvantage due to devolution, please don’t aggravate an already niggling wound. Westminster must provide the cure.

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Header image courtesy of flickr.com/stuartanthony