So would this be a single UK wide referendum or a separate vote in the 4 different parts? If each part of the UK has its own vote, why would Scotland, having been denied an independence referendum it might well by then have voted for in May, vote for this package instead? 2/7
If it’s a single, whole of UK vote, what happens if England votes yes and Scotland votes no? Does it get through? Imposing a new constitution on Scotland with English votes would be a pretty odd way to counter Scottish independence 3/7
Now let’s turn to Northern Ireland. If it’s a whole of UK vote, it’s the same issue as Scotland. If it’s a separate NI vote, is a 50% plus 1 majority sufficient? So an organised unionist bloc can carry the day? There are some pretty obvious problems there 4/7
And make no mistake - a referendum would be needed. Proper federalism in the UK can only work by scrapping the principle of Parliamentary sovereignty. Given that’s the bedrock of the English constitution for centuries, it would seem to meet the threshold for a referendum 5/7
Some unionists seem preoccupied with inventing federal alternatives. There aren’t any; at least none that are compatible with any recognisable version of the British constitution that could command sufficiently wide support. 6/7
At some point the penny will likely drop that there’s no alternative for Unionists to defending the Union on its merits and seeing if they can convince people, rather than offer invented and completely unviable alternatives 7/7
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Firstly, the ‘war’ does genuinely seem to be over. Congrats to Tom Scholar on his reappointment, kudos to the PM & Chancellor for a wise decision, and to Simon Case for whatever he’s done to bring these pointless hostilities to an end at such an important time (2/20)
But it’s worth asking: what has this latest attempt, accompanied as it has been by ferocious (if mostly anonymously briefed) rhetoric, actually involved?
The answer is, by historical standards, virtually nothing at all. There have been two discernible strands of activity (3/20)
- the message to millions who valued closer ties with continental Europe is: suck it up
- the message to Scotland is: we’re in charge. We’re bigger than you. We can impose our will on you. Know your place
2/4...
- the message to Northern Ireland is: we know we’ve hugely destabilised you. But we’re going to pretend we haven’t and we’d be grateful if you could pretend not to notice too. But most of all, we don’t really care because it was worth it to get what we wanted for England
It’s very strange that this speech about ethics in Government from the head of the committee on standards of public life hasn’t received a lot more attention.
Lord Evans, a superb former head of MI5, is someone who chooses his words carefully.
“Quite simply, the perception is taking root that too many in public life, including some in our political leadership, are choosing to disregard the norms of ethics and propriety that have explicitly governed public life for the last 25 years...” 2/
“and that, when contraventions of ethical standards occur, nothing happens.”