The English question holds the key to victory (A Devolution of the UK?)

Telegraph UK ^ | 29 September 2007 | Frank Field

[shrinkermd]

A Newsnight survey found that a clear 61 per cent of English voters think they should have their own parliament and that this proposition was supported by a majority of Scottish voters. Another poll revealed that a greater proportion of English voters wanted independence for England than did Scottish voters for Scotland.

The English question is the great giant in British politics that is now beginning to awake from slumber induced by the first devolution of power to Scotland. "English votes for English issues" is fed by a number of specific grievances that increasingly grate with English taxpayers.

• Frail citizens in Scotland do not pay fees for personal care delivered in their home or in a residential setting.

• Scottish citizens are treated with the drug Lucentis for macular degeneration of the eye, while their English counterparts lose their sight while awaiting action from the National Institute for Clinical Excellence.

• Scottish university students do not pay top-up fees of £3,000 a year, but English students do.

• There is talk of the Scottish Executive abolishing prescription charges following the Welsh Assembly's decision to do so. Most English voters pay £6.85 per item for medicines.

The sense of grievance will be heightened still further once Parliament begins its new session. The Queen's Speech is likely to contain measures that will apply to my constituents but not equally to the constituents of the Prime Minister, Gordon Brown. And unless the Government changes track pretty smartly, the public expenditure levels for 2008-10 are likely to leave in place an injustice whereby Scottish citizens gain an extra £1,236 a year from the Exchequer that is largely met by English taxpayers.

[shrinkermd]

Well, some are more equal than others.

[calex59]

If I recall correctly, Scotland(and Ireland)fought tooth and nail to remain free of England but the English just had to take over their country. This is many hundred of years later, but, as the old saying goes, you reap what you sow.(posted by A Scot-Irish descendant whose ancestors died fighting for their freedom both in Scotland in the 1600s and in America during the American revolution).

[britemp]

‘If I recall correctly, Scotland(and Ireland)fought tooth and nail to remain free of England but the English just had to take over their country.’

Just like the Native Americans fought tooth and nail to remain free of the white settlers, but you just had to take over their country. ;-)

If England hadn’t been a nation of conquerors invading other peoples countries, do you think you would have had the opportunity to fight the American revolution, or indeed, to converse with me in English from your successful country based on the English language, English law and founded by Englishmen?

None of this, of course, has anything to do with the article, which has been caused by the entirely socialist scots being given free reign by the Labour party resulting in English conservatives being forced to pay for Scottish socialism.

[jjw]

i think the english just want some more handouts too

[RavenATB]

The trouble with Scotland is that its full of Scots.

[yankeedame]

When push comes to shove it’s always a case of “Follow the money”.

[britemp]

‘i think the english just want some more handouts too’

No we don’t - we’re the ones who have to pay for them. If it wasn’t for Scottish Labour votes, England would have elected the Conservatives at every election since WW2! English taxpayers pay for the socialist freebies that the scots get, without getting them ourselves. We don’t want them and we sure as hell don’t want to pay for the scots to have them!

If America could ‘devolve’ the states responsible for regularly voting in the Democrats and thereby ensure a Republican victory at every election, you’d be keen to do so, I dare say! :)

[Lil'freeper]

English conservatives being forced to pay for Scottish socialism.

This is the element of the SNP that is so perplexing. They shout for independence. *All* of their problems will go away if they can just have independence. Independence from the UK. Independence from Westminster! .... Just so they can join the EU?

Another baffling one, is the idea that all their poverty will be eliminated if only they had control over the North Sea oil. They will divide the revenue among the population and *presto* no more poor Scots. They claim to want the vibrant economy of Ireland, only without all that distasteful "profiteering". Just yesterday I was reading about the housing boom in Inverness and how the cost of housing has just skyrocketed. 'There should be price controls!' the comments said. 'No one should be allowed to charge that much!' Amazing. Where was Adam Smith from again?

[calex59]

None of this, of course, has anything to do with the article, which has been caused by the entirely socialist scots being given free reign by the Labour party resulting in English conservatives being forced to pay for Scottish socialism.

First, I am sure that my ancestors would have rather stayed in Scotland as free people to begin with. Secondly, my statement has everything to do with the subject at hand. The English turned Scotland into what they are today, they are now reaping what they sowed. If Scotland was a free independent country England wouldn't have to worry about giving them freebies would they?

I guess you are a big proponent of world conquest since you seem to think it was a great idea for the Brits to take over half the world in their heyday.

As to freedom, the reason we fought the brits was so we would have some and yes, we based some of our law on English law, but a whole he** of a lot of it was not based on English law. Too bad the Brits didn't follow suit, they wouldn't be a socialist he** hole now with freedom being a dim memory for most of the subjects.

[Mangani]

“”Too bad the Brits didn’t follow suit, they wouldn’t be a socialist he** hole now with freedom being a dim memory for most of the subjects.””

News to me that Britain is a “he** hole” with no freedoms.

I live here and I think it’s a damn fine place...and I’m as free as a bird.

Do you live here? If not, what gives you the right to make inane comments??

[Mangani]

“”If England hadn’t been a nation of conquerors invading other peoples countries, do you think you would have had the opportunity to fight the American revolution, or indeed, to converse with me in English from your successful country based on the English language, English law and founded by Englishmen?””

If England hadn’t been a nation of conquerors invading other people’s countries then people like calex59 would be living in a 3rd world country probably speaking Spanish by now.

[Lysandru]

First of all, speaking as an Anglo-phile descendent of Scots and Orange Irish, the ranting here about English attempts to conquer Scotland are moot. In the first place, the unification of the crowns came from a Scots King, James VI, becoming King of England. Kind of ironic, eh? And it has been over 261 years since Bonnie Prince Charlie got whupped at Culloden. It's time to "get over it." And I recommend that everyone read How the Scots Invented the Modern World. The Scots embraced and prospered as the vanguard of the British Empire.

And as for the Welsh, Edward I has been dead for 7 centuries-- get over it!

Now, since I have don't claim the quarrels of the Old Country(ies) as my own, I look at this through American eyes. I think that the English are on to something here. My first reaction to the devolution plans of the Blair Government was, "what about England?" After all, if you are going to try the federalism thing, why not do it right? If the new "Cool Britannia" is to be a federal system, then give England her due.

[Red Boots]

If I recall correctly, Scotland(and Ireland)fought tooth and nail to remain free of England but the English just had to take over their country. This is many hundred of years later, but, as the old saying goes, you reap what you sow.

Aye, and just think what Scotland is sowing now.

[the scotsman]

Apologies, but I find the basic American knowledge of Scotland, England,Ireland and Britain to be a wee bit faulty...

The Scots DID remain free of English conquest.We were never permanently conquered by England and joined the UK in 1707.And the first joint king of England and Scotland was a Scot, James VI/I in 1603.

Great that you cherish your Scots and Ulster Scots heritage,btw.

All the best.

[the scotsman]

No’ these days ,laddie.....lol

[the scotsman]

Calex, Scotland isnt a part of England!.

The UK is a state made up of four sovereign nations: Scotland, England, Wales and NI.

The UK/Great Britain/Britain isnt ‘England’.The English dont ‘give us’ anything, as we are not a part of their nation,but a partner with them in the larger British state.