Is it now time for an 'English' government?

[Plannergirl9]

The UK government has just published its strategy for coming out of lockdown. However the vast majority of the strategy is for England only.

Boris is the Prime Minister of the UK but is also the leader of the government in England even though it doesn't legally exist as England doesn't have devolution. Matt Hancock is the health Secretary for England only. Dominic Rabb however is the first secretary of state for the UK as defence minister.

Given some of the confusion about the changes in guidance announced yesterday and MSM not being wholey clear the changes are for England only, surely it is time to look to have a bit more distinction between both of Boris's roles and the powers he has for England only.

I am from Scotland and whilst I believe in a federal uk this isn't a thread about Scottish independence.

YANBU.

However, if we get an English assembly, it should be sited outside of London.

Birmingham & York have nothing been mentioned as locations for a relocated House of Lords. I think it would great if HoL went to one of those and am English assembly went to the other. That would spread power, (and public jobs) around the country a bit more evenly.

Personally, I like having some balance in UK parliament. Imagining a near 100% Tory majority in Westminster feels me with dread

We need to drop first past the post. That’s what causes these tilts.

I would love to see Scotland et independence - they would sink without our money

Thanks so much for sharing your gleeful unpleasantness @emz771
It's irrelevant to the OP's post, but don't let that get in the way of your need to be spiteful...

However, if we get an English assembly, it should be sited outside of London.

I think that's a great idea. Or keep that in London and move the much reduced UK parliament to somewhere nearer the middle of the UK, like Lancaster.

The amount of English ignorance on this thread is astonishing. I say that as an English person.

Rather than sitting there like toddlers pouting about 'why do Scotland have something we don't' - why not use your democratic powers to lobby for it. Y'know like the Scottish, Welsh and N Irish people did.

But you won't. You'll just slag off the devolved countries and wail 'it's not fair' whilst consistently voting for a government that doesn't give a shit...
Good luck.

I'd like to see Scotland get independence, I'm tired of the moaning about it all the time, just set yourself free and leave England in peace. Sturgeon is so divisive, she just hates England.

I think that over the current issues the shit that Nicola Sturgeon gets is just staggering.

4 nations looked at the science and listened to the experts. 3 decided "we'll stay as we are for another couple of weeks with very, very minor tweaks" and 1 decided to make big changes.

How is it one of the 3 that is being devisive?

@Veterinari

Well said. I've nothing to add to that!

Divisive even

Scottish here and I would be very happy for only English MPs to be able to vote on solely English issues.

I don't know if there are enough votes to justify a full English parliament though.

Why are we so desperate to keep hold of Scotland?

Scotland has;

32% of the UK's land mass.
90% of UK fresh water supplies.
96% of UK oil reserves.
63% of UK natural gas reserves.
81% of UK exploitable coal reserve.
60% of UK fishing grounds (which are 4 times as productive as other European grounds)
60% of UK timber capacity
92% of UK hydro production.
25% of EUROPE'S offshore wind and tidal energy potential.
32% of UK agricultural land.

That's why you're so desperate to keep hold of us.

Scottish here and I would be very happy for only English MPs to be able to vote on solely English issues.

That's already the case.

Why are we so desperate to keep hold of Scotland?

Well we have all the water for starters, you know that thing essential for life. England due to run out within 25 years meanwhile Scotland has more water in one Loch than the whole of England and Wales. Maybe we could sell it you for say £50 per litre

I've been thinking this for years. I did look into if any parties supported it before the last election, but the only one which did was the English Democrats - and I think I disagreed with ALL of their other manifesto promises!

England and the UK having the same government does make it look like the English are making all the decisions, and with things like coronavirus messaging makes it harder for the devolved governments.

It also means English people's voices matter less than they should when it comes to England-only issues. Some Northern Irish MPs voted against LGBT sex ed in English schools. I don't think they should be able to have a say on matters which only affect England.

And Scotland is full of wind too..........

No seriously, I remember some random fact from school that Scotland gets about 1/5 of Europe's wind- would need to check that fact put, but it can be a wee bit

wee bit blowy -

Which is how all that electricity that is sent to England gets made

Nicola sturgeon is divisive due to her bleating on about independence.
We voted to stay in the UK.. And the fact she keeps dragging it up is just dividing the country

In all the daily briefings I have not heard her 'bleat' on about independence. Have you?

It also means English people's voices matter less than they should when it comes to England-only issues. Some Northern Irish MPs voted against LGBT sex ed in English schools. I don't think they should be able to have a say on matters which only affect England.

That won't happen now with EVEL.

However, the NHS funding bill for example, was an EVEL issue despite the fact it affected the Barnett formula. So in cases English views get more of a say than non-ones as our MP had the sole votes on it.

This wasn't meant to be a Scottish independence thread.

Right now devolution is working the way it is supposed to. Scotland's R number is slightly higher than England so we are being more careful.

Looking at social media and here there is a lot of folk don't seem to fully get the limitations of the UK government.

Scotland has;

32% of the UK's land mass.
90% of UK fresh water supplies.
96% of UK oil reserves.
63% of UK natural gas reserves.
81% of UK exploitable coal reserve.
60% of UK fishing grounds (which are 4 times as productive as other European grounds)
60% of UK timber capacity
92% of UK hydro production.
25% of EUROPE'S offshore wind and tidal energy potential.
32% of UK agricultural land.

That's why you're so desperate to keep hold of us.

🙌🏻🙌🏻🙌🏻

Being a Scot now living in England, I would support an English Parliament or even regional assemblies.

In my humble opinion its made a big difference in Scotland. I don't necessarily support independence but I think I would if Scotland did not get a devolved Parliament.

I remember proudly voting for it

And yes, the roads are worse in Scotland than where I live.

My mum is from Edinburgh and moved to England to be with my dad. My dad says if Scotland got independence then that's where he would be moving to for all the reasons Buccanarab said and more. Scotland does have it's uses for the UK like it or not. He also says Nicola makes a hell of a lot more sense than Boris

Nicola sturgeon is divisive due to her bleating on about independence.

She hasn't mentioned it once recently.

And I think she's done a good job putting the journalists who've been desperately trying to draw her into a public slanging match with Boris back in their boxes.

I'm not an SNP fan at all (Scottish, lived in England since I was a teen), but she's done a thoroughly decent job through this.