Devolution

Former Member

Ken Livingstone's failure to black PPP on the London Underground can be seen as yet another example of the limitations of devolution. The Northern Ireland Assembly has more or less failed to gain any progress on the Good Friday Agreement (ie: Decommissioning), thus requiring Blair and Ahern to forge their own separate plan. The Scottish Parliament and Welsh Assembly have both been accused of being mere 'talking shops'. Perhaps it is fair to say that the government has simply not given the devolved bodies enough power - either to enact their own laws, or to overrule the government when interests come in to conflict. However, there have been a number of benefits for the areas with devolved bodies - greater control over healthcare, education etc.

My question is: has devolution failed as an exercise this time around, and if so, what should be done - should the system be scrapped altogether, should the devolved bodies be given 'real power', or should the system be restructured in order that everywhere can have a regional assembly?

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Nolite te bastardes carborundorum

Former Member

I don't mean to sound silly but devolution is an evolutionary process. I think greater autonomy will eventually be enjoyed by Scotland and Wales. The world of politics can move very slowly sometimes. The economic ties wityhin the UK are quite strong and I don't see devolution happening right away. I do think it will happen.

Look at the Basques and the crowd down in the Balkans. Look at the Czechs and the Slovaks.

Devolution can be violent or peaceful. It can be quick or slow to come! Look at the devolution of the Soviet Union. It is interesting to see the formation of the EC just as so many little nations are coming into being.

I think devolution will take place but I think that economic ties will keep the UK together in some form. Only time will tell!

Former Member

Interesting that when talking of Devolution, we all mention Scotland, Wales and NI but no one mentions England. Never any mention of England getting its own parliament. Westminister may be located in England but it certainly doesnt work for the English.

When Blair sells off this country to the EU in exchange for a future job then England will cease to exist. The word England will not be on the map once the EU have split it up into regions.

The English are being screwed over now. England currently finances Wales and Scotland and both get substanitally more investment by the government per capita than England...If they want Devolution than damn well give it to them and get out of this state of limbo. Lets see how well they do without England to subsidise them. Give it a few years and Scotland will be begging, once again to be allowed into the Union.

I, for one, am fed up with paying taxes that are for all intents and purposes, being spent by the government in another country, soon to be a sovereign nation.

Devolution now..
English parliament now!

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"An Englishman's never so natural as when he's holding his tongue." --Henry James

Former Member

Originally posted by Balddog:
Interesting that when talking of Devolution, we all mention Scotland, Wales and NI but no one mentions England. Never any mention of England getting its own parliament. Westminister may be located in England but it certainly doesnt work for the English.

Yay another 'English Separatist', thought I was the only one.