John Redwood says it is “Time to speak for England” while over at ConservativeHome Paul Goodman argues that this is something which needs to be addressed. As he notes the Tory manifesto does contain a theoretical commitment to answering the West Lothian Question and creating a de facto English parliament.
And in theory there’s nothing wrong with that. Quite the contrary in fact. Few people in Scotland, I think, would consider this either unfair or unreasonable. Indeed, if my memory is correct, polling suggests that a majority of Scots think this would be a fair way forward.
Certainly, there are excellent arguments for revisiting the Barnett Formula – though Barnett was actually, remember, created as a means of reducing disparities in public spending. Hence the famous “Barnett Squeeze” – and, more generally, the question of what counts as “English only” legislation is more complicated than some allow.
Comments
Join the debate for just $5 for 3 months
Be part of the conversation with other Spectator readers by getting your first three months for $5.
UNLOCK ACCESS Just $5 for 3 monthsAlready a subscriber? Log in