On English votes for English laws, Labour has been caught like a rabbit in the headlights.
On English votes for English laws, Labour has been caught like a rabbit in the headlights
In his annual pre-conference interview with Andrew Marr, responding to questioning on Labour’s position on English votes for English laws, Ed Miliband declared “we can’t do it in a back-of-the-envelope, fag-packet way”.
Let’s make no mistake about it, David Cameron’s statement just after the referendum in Scotland in which he called for action on the English question to proceed at the same time as further powers being devolved to Scotland blindsided both Labour and the Liberal Democrats.
It shattered the consensus that led all three main UK party leaders to issue their vows as Scotland considered divorcing the rest of the UK and opened a political trap which Labour is in very real danger of falling into.
First and foremost, the devolution package and timetable pledged by the leaders must be sorted out and kept to strictly. To do otherwise would lead to another referendum much sooner than anyone thought, with a near certain vote for Yes to independence rather than No.
But on English votes for English laws, Labour has been caught like a rabbit in the headlights.
The simple reality is that, for all the talk of Cameron playing politics with the issue, which he undoubtedly has, the argument that things are being rushed is simply not credible.
It was in 2013 that the former clerk of the House of Commons, Sir William McKay, published his report for the government on the consequences for the Commons and how it votes within the context of the devolution settlement.
In 2012, the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) published its ideas on the topic, which in many respects were reflected in the McKay Commission.
And ultimately, we have known since 2012 that Scotland would be going to the polls to determine the fate of the UK and plans should have been in place for a comprehensive response whatever the vote was.
One wonders what the party has been doing all this time if it hasn’t been figuring out a plan to answer the West Lothian Question given the wealth of material that has been published on the topic.
With roughly eight months to the general election, rather than opting for the long grass option of some sort of vague constitutional convention, Ed Miliband must give more concentre indications as to how Labour would deal with what is undoubtedly a lance that needs boiling.
The Labour chairman of the Local Government Association, David Sparks has already warned the party leadership of ingoing the anger that English people feel over being under-represented. Meanwhile recent polling by YouGov has shown that 71 per cent of the public would support the idea of English votes for English Laws.
Although those around the Labour leader are frustrated that that their agenda is being hijacked by what they view as constitutionally geekery, the reality is that the issue goes to the heart of Labour’s problem.
Having stolen the ‘One Nation’ mantra last year, Ed Miliband is fast looking like someone unable to command the attention of any part of the UK. In Scotland Labour remains’ in dire straits, as recent polling on voting intentions north of the border indicates, whilst south of the border it is the Conservatives who are positioning themselves as the guardians of the English interest.
Giving evidence to the McKay Commission, the former Welsh Labour MP and minister Kim Howells admitted that the government of which he was a part had made a “conscious decision” to “stay well away from” the West Lothian questions.
The danger for Ed Miliband is that history is repeating itself with all the electoral damage it could ultimately inflict on the party next May.
24 Responses to “Conference 2014: Labour is losing credibility on devolution”
Ges Rosenberg
It was also depressing to hear Ed Balls on Today defending what is an unsustainable and electorally untenable position. Labour needs to be bold and seize the initiative on issues of the day, rather than following the current leadership approach which clumsily tries to impose it’s own agenda in defiance of the contemporary debate – yes get the party message across, but also be confident enough to engage with issues of the day. On the issue of English MPs voting on English only issues, the party needs to be guided by fairness and equity, not narrow nationalism, and to frame its policy in terms of ‘representation goes with taxation’ (sic). So yes to English MP’s voting on English laws… but this is a necessary but not sufficient reform. Labour needs to learn from the success of Gordon Brown’s intervention by making the moral and practical arguments for a process of devolution, and set out down with a timetable to achieve it. Without this we risk being left high and dry with Cameron’s half-way reform – just like Lords reforms stalling with a half-baked reform only in place. Then what do we have – all of England under a Tory led Government for the foreseeable future. The last time the North-East voted in a regional assembly referendum voters will have thought why bother – we already have the left leaning Government we want so save the money. But now learn the lessons from the Scottish referendum. Act now – don’t let Cameron gain the initiative. Labour has everything to gain, providing it is willing to go further and commit to an ongoing process of devolution – it can still compete at the national level in all-UK elections, and also gain power in its heartlands of the North, Scotland and Wales and represent and govern for its voters in these areas. Unfortunately, the Labour leadership have adopted a weak ‘jam tomorrow’ position, that offers nothing tangible and no concrete response to an immediate political problem.
robertsonjames
“Milliband quite rightly doesn’t want to lose the Scottish MP’s votes”
I did at first think that was a typo, but no, you actually wrote it.
By the way, the fact that you and ideological zealots like you “fucking despise the Conservatives” and so think wholly biased arrangements which have the happy effect of preventing English voters getting a Conservative government even if (as in 2010) they elect a clear majority of Conservative representatives, does not constitute a rational, defensible or viable basis for a lasting constitutional settlement.
Jay
Its all quite easy – devolve powers to english regions – MPs still set overall policy and regions work within it – its the Tories trying to fix an English (southern) bias on the country – not Labout or LibDems – roll on PR again – do we really want any Westminster gov’t elected with 33%?
Kryten2k35
Eh the point is Scottish devolution can be a totally separate issue from the West Lothian question. By trying to force it now and delaying the devolution of Scotland, they’re risking losing Scotland entirely, and shouldering the blame on Labour, when it’s their doing entirely.
It’s a totally different debate to devolution and doesn’t need to be within the same scope.
And call me names if you like, but this country does not need another Tory government slowly dismantling the common peoples rights.
This is a left wing website, and Labour are more left than the Tories.
robertcp
There is a very good case for English votes for English laws (Wales and Northern Ireland would be included for some votes). I have done calculations and Labour should at least be the biggest party in England if it won a working majority in the UK as a whole.