Mark Field MP converts to English Democrats Policy

Johnny Hates Jazz · 29-10-2007, 11:51 PM

ConservativeHome's Platform: Mark Field MP: It's time to create a federal parliament for the United Kingdom

Mark Field MP: It's time to create a federal parliament for the United Kingdom
Mark Field is MP for Cities of London and Westminster.

The time has come for comprehensive constitutional change in the United Kingdom. Carried out precisely without partisan political consideration, I believe that we are capable of producing a solution which will benefit Britain for decades to come. My immediate proposal is for the creation of a new federal parliament.

It is an elegant solution designed to resolve effectively the four main domestic constitutional uncertainties of the United Kingdom, which have plagued the political arena during the last three decades. With a federal UK parliament and four elected national parliaments we would maintain the Monarchy, strengthen the Union, resolve the questions raised by an unreformed House of Lords, and give independent and equal parliaments to England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

There would be no extra MPs, no extra costly buildings or staff and our democracy would be strengthened not weakened as a result.

The British Constitution has been one of the success stories of modern politics. It has kept this country together, united under a common Crown and a common parliament, for over three hundred years. Not for us the coups, revolutions and counter-revolutions that have plagued Europe over that period. So successful has it been that we Britons had stopped thinking about it.

Until ten years ago no one lost any time worrying about constitutional niceties; we knew instinctively that, messy as it was, the British constitution worked well and worked for the whole British Isles. Then a Labour government under Blair and Brown changed everything. They reformed the House of Lords by removing the independent hereditary element and created hundreds of new Life Peers. In response to the demand of the people of Scotland and Wales, a demand, I acknowledge, that the Conservatives were too slow in accepting, they have created devolved parliaments and assemblies in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

There is a deep – and increasing – disquiet from many in England at the effects of devolution and the imbalances left by Labour’s partisan settlement. These are easily stated. MPs from Edinburgh and Cardiff can vote on health and education policies affecting Londoners and Mancunians, but not on policies affecting their own constituents. Why? That’s not just. Under the Barnett formula, residents of Edinburgh have 23% more spent on their healthcare and education than do my constituents. Why? That’s not fair. Scotland merits a parliament. Wales and Northern Ireland only merit an Assembly with vestigial powers but England is left with nothing. Why? That’s not equitable.

Our mission should be to maintain and strengthen the Union. Make no mistake this will play badly amongst Middle England voters who continue to value the Union and all it has meant to us. It also runs directly counter to the positive, optimistic messages that the Conservative Party is trying to cultivate elsewhere. It is all too easy for a negative sounding solution to the West Lothian question to be portrayed as putting the Union at risk. The English – indeed the British – like and respect the concept of fair play and there is a deep groundswell of unease about Labour’s one-sided deal.

Since the expulsion of most of the hereditary peers, I have, in principle, favoured the option of a largely-elected House of Lords. However, I recognise that such an outcome is unlikely to be within the realms of practical politics. For a start, the strongest opposition to an elected House of Lords comes from existing life peers from across the political spectrum. Their support for any reform will be essential if we are to avoid constitutional deadlock and the list of other practical difficulties is almost endless.

As a result, I now propose the creation of a completely new federal parliament. Four, full, national parliaments in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland with all the existing powers of the House of Commons and over them a federal United Kingdom parliament, which would debate defence and foreign affairs, make treaties and administer a cohesion fund for the poorer parts of the UK. It would be funded by a per GDP levy on the national parliaments. There would be no need for extra politicians, as the national parliaments would send representatives to the UK parliament and meet together for its debates, which could be held in the old House of Lords chamber, perhaps once a week. Abolishing the House of Lords means that the parliaments would be unicameral but that hasn’t proved a problem in Edinburgh or Cardiff over the last eight years.

This proposal cuts the Gordian knot of House of Lords reform and provides an equitable structure that respects national differences, whilst strengthening the ties that unite us as a nation of equals. It saves the cost of the House of Lords and the Scottish and Welsh Offices and reduces the total number of politicians.

It is a bold, indeed a radical, suggestion. I believe that the only way to restore the balance of the British constitution, which had served us so well for so long, is to offer the British people this fairer alternative in a referendum.

October 29, 2007 at 10:55 in Mark Field MP | Permalink
Comments

cassie · 30-10-2007, 11:17 AM

Funny! I can't see the words 'English Democrats policy' mentioned anywhere in the above piece.

More hyperbole from K*ntishman! No wonder we tend to believe politicians less and less. They are not to be believed.

Bluemerle · 31-10-2007, 01:27 PM

I like this idea very much. It will bring things nicely round to what we all had before devolution when Britain was a democratically run country.

Johnny Hates Jazz · 31-10-2007, 01:58 PM

Yes but the word "ass" is in your name Cassie !

Little Englander (sour) · 31-10-2007, 02:06 PM

Cassie - Big, bold letters do not make the statement true nor more audible.
In fact it makes you look a bit silly.

mkpdavies · 31-10-2007, 05:41 PM

Yes, let us divide the turd into 4 and call it a federal turd.

Little Englander (sour) · 31-10-2007, 09:03 PM

Better than dividing the turd by 12 so as to be unrecognisable.

Britannist · 31-10-2007, 11:02 PM

The rival Parliaments in Edinburgh and Brussels must go.

There must be only one Parliament for the British people - the national 'Parliament' of the UK.

UKIP proposes that we leave the EU; abolish the rival Parliament in Edinburgh (and the Welsh Assembly) and that MPs elected to the Commons do the work of the present Scottish Parliament/Welsh Assembly at less cost and with bureaucracy cut (MPs would divide and meet regularly in different parts of their home nations of the UK with English constituency MPs remaining in the Commons to deliberate on specifically English matters while the Welsh, Northern Irish and Scottish constituency MPs were away).

UKIP policy on this matter would resuilt in their being a direct link between the national UK Parliament and the devolved bodies (i.e. MPs in the House of Commons would sit in both).

Johnny Hates Jazz · 31-10-2007, 11:33 PM

We know what the UKIP position is.

But with an SNP Scottish Goverment there is no way that the UKIP policy will ever come into reality.

The best a Unionist can now hope for is a Federal UK.

It may however now be too late to save the Union.

cassie · 01-11-2007, 08:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kentishman

Yes but the word "ass" is in your name Cassie !

Good to see that you've conceded the point!

Once again the true nature of nasty K*ntishman and the English Democrats is demonstrated by resorting to insults. On this evidence, you are unfitted to hold elective office.

The fact is that you and your gang have no monopoly of this idea, despite your puffed up claims, and to use Sour Puss's argument, this is no less true for being in smaller font size.

29-10-2007, 11:51 PM	#1 (permalink)
Johnny Hates Jazz Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Posts: 1,973 Party: English Democrats	Mark Field MP converts to English Democrats Policy ConservativeHome's Platform: Mark Field MP: It's time to create a federal parliament for the United Kingdom Mark Field MP: It's time to create a federal parliament for the United Kingdom Mark Field is MP for Cities of London and Westminster. The time has come for comprehensive constitutional change in the United Kingdom. Carried out precisely without partisan political consideration, I believe that we are capable of producing a solution which will benefit Britain for decades to come. My immediate proposal is for the creation of a new federal parliament. It is an elegant solution designed to resolve effectively the four main domestic constitutional uncertainties of the United Kingdom, which have plagued the political arena during the last three decades. With a federal UK parliament and four elected national parliaments we would maintain the Monarchy, strengthen the Union, resolve the questions raised by an unreformed House of Lords, and give independent and equal parliaments to England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. There would be no extra MPs, no extra costly buildings or staff and our democracy would be strengthened not weakened as a result. The British Constitution has been one of the success stories of modern politics. It has kept this country together, united under a common Crown and a common parliament, for over three hundred years. Not for us the coups, revolutions and counter-revolutions that have plagued Europe over that period. So successful has it been that we Britons had stopped thinking about it. Until ten years ago no one lost any time worrying about constitutional niceties; we knew instinctively that, messy as it was, the British constitution worked well and worked for the whole British Isles. Then a Labour government under Blair and Brown changed everything. They reformed the House of Lords by removing the independent hereditary element and created hundreds of new Life Peers. In response to the demand of the people of Scotland and Wales, a demand, I acknowledge, that the Conservatives were too slow in accepting, they have created devolved parliaments and assemblies in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. There is a deep – and increasing – disquiet from many in England at the effects of devolution and the imbalances left by Labour’s partisan settlement. These are easily stated. MPs from Edinburgh and Cardiff can vote on health and education policies affecting Londoners and Mancunians, but not on policies affecting their own constituents. Why? That’s not just. Under the Barnett formula, residents of Edinburgh have 23% more spent on their healthcare and education than do my constituents. Why? That’s not fair. Scotland merits a parliament. Wales and Northern Ireland only merit an Assembly with vestigial powers but England is left with nothing. Why? That’s not equitable. Our mission should be to maintain and strengthen the Union. Make no mistake this will play badly amongst Middle England voters who continue to value the Union and all it has meant to us. It also runs directly counter to the positive, optimistic messages that the Conservative Party is trying to cultivate elsewhere. It is all too easy for a negative sounding solution to the West Lothian question to be portrayed as putting the Union at risk. The English – indeed the British – like and respect the concept of fair play and there is a deep groundswell of unease about Labour’s one-sided deal. Since the expulsion of most of the hereditary peers, I have, in principle, favoured the option of a largely-elected House of Lords. However, I recognise that such an outcome is unlikely to be within the realms of practical politics. For a start, the strongest opposition to an elected House of Lords comes from existing life peers from across the political spectrum. Their support for any reform will be essential if we are to avoid constitutional deadlock and the list of other practical difficulties is almost endless. As a result, I now propose the creation of a completely new federal parliament. Four, full, national parliaments in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland with all the existing powers of the House of Commons and over them a federal United Kingdom parliament, which would debate defence and foreign affairs, make treaties and administer a cohesion fund for the poorer parts of the UK. It would be funded by a per GDP levy on the national parliaments. There would be no need for extra politicians, as the national parliaments would send representatives to the UK parliament and meet together for its debates, which could be held in the old House of Lords chamber, perhaps once a week. Abolishing the House of Lords means that the parliaments would be unicameral but that hasn’t proved a problem in Edinburgh or Cardiff over the last eight years. This proposal cuts the Gordian knot of House of Lords reform and provides an equitable structure that respects national differences, whilst strengthening the ties that unite us as a nation of equals. It saves the cost of the House of Lords and the Scottish and Welsh Offices and reduces the total number of politicians. It is a bold, indeed a radical, suggestion. I believe that the only way to restore the balance of the British constitution, which had served us so well for so long, is to offer the British people this fairer alternative in a referendum. October 29, 2007 at 10:55 in Mark Field MP \| Permalink Comments __________________ *English Democrats SAY NO* To European Union English not British** not European *- It's time to decide at the 2009 European Elections*

31-10-2007, 01:58 PM	#4 (permalink)
Johnny Hates Jazz Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Posts: 1,973 Party: English Democrats	Yes but the word "ass" is in your name Cassie ! __________________ *English Democrats SAY NO* To European Union English not British** not European *- It's time to decide at the 2009 European Elections*

31-10-2007, 05:41 PM	#6 (permalink)
mkpdavies Uber Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Woking Posts: 30,837 Party: Libertarian Party	Yes, let us divide the turd into 4 and call it a federal turd. __________________ http://brits4ronpaul.blogspot.com/ http://wokinglibertarians.blogspot.com/ http://lpuk.org My ignore list Labour, Blue Labour, Lib Dems

31-10-2007, 11:02 PM	#8 (permalink)
Britannist Uber Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: London Posts: 22,896	Rival Parliaments in Edinburgh and Brussels must go, British people, UK, devolved The rival Parliaments in Edinburgh and Brussels must go. There must be only one Parliament for the British people - the national 'Parliament' of the UK. UKIP proposes that we leave the EU; abolish the rival Parliament in Edinburgh (and the Welsh Assembly) and that MPs elected to the Commons do the work of the present Scottish Parliament/Welsh Assembly at less cost and with bureaucracy cut (MPs would divide and meet regularly in different parts of their home nations of the UK with English constituency MPs remaining in the Commons to deliberate on specifically English matters while the Welsh, Northern Irish and Scottish constituency MPs were away). UKIP policy on this matter would resuilt in their being a direct link between the national UK Parliament and the devolved bodies (i.e. MPs in the House of Commons would sit in both).

31-10-2007, 11:33 PM	#9 (permalink)
Johnny Hates Jazz Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Posts: 1,973 Party: English Democrats	We know what the UKIP position is. But with an SNP Scottish Goverment there is no way that the UKIP policy will ever come into reality. The best a Unionist can now hope for is a Federal UK. It may however now be too late to save the Union. __________________ *English Democrats SAY NO* To European Union English not British** not European *- It's time to decide at the 2009 European Elections*

30-10-2007, 11:17 AM	#2 (permalink)
cassie Uber Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Posts: 2,852	Funny! I can't see the words 'English Democrats policy' mentioned anywhere in the above piece. More hyperbole from K*ntishman! No wonder we tend to believe politicians less and less. They are not to be believed.

31-10-2007, 01:27 PM	#3 (permalink)
Bluemerle Uber Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Dorset. Posts: 3,252	I like this idea very much. It will bring things nicely round to what we all had before devolution when Britain was a democratically run country.

31-10-2007, 02:06 PM	#5 (permalink)
Little Englander (sour) Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Portsmouth Posts: 949 Party: English Democrats	Cassie - Big, bold letters do not make the statement true nor more audible. In fact it makes you look a bit silly.

31-10-2007, 09:03 PM	#7 (permalink)
Little Englander (sour) Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Portsmouth Posts: 949 Party: English Democrats	Better than dividing the turd by 12 so as to be unrecognisable.

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