Paul John Taylor of the “Campaign for an English Parliament” has a letter published in today’s Shields Gazette. Whilst the call for an English parliament is not a new argument, in today’s political climate it is increasingly becoming a popular one, and as such Mr Taylor makes some very valid points about Gordon Brown and national representation.
The issue here is not that Mr Brown is Scottish, but that he sits in an English parliament on behalf of a Scottish constituency. If he becomes Party leader and Prime Minister, Brown will be setting policy on education, the NHS and the environment. However, his Scottish constituents didn’t elect him on these issues as for them they are dealt with by MSP’s. As Taylor says;
“It is unthinkable an MP with a constituency outside of England should be allowed to spend most of his time making policy decisions affecting England, when nobody in England can hold him accountable at an election. To allow the MP to become Prime Minister with such a tenuous mandate is democratically wrong”
This is a fact that for some reason is underplayed at the moment by both the opposition and the media. Perhaps Cameron feels that this is more a “general election” issue, when more mileage can be gained from Browns Scottish mandate as opposed to his lack of an English one. For those in the Labour party who posses political vision, this fact is a very pertinent one in their opposition to Brown as a future leader. Perhaps Taylor is speaking to them when he says;
“While England is run by Scottish politicians, the only acceptable candidate for Prime Minister would have an English constituency”.
A veiled reference to Mr Miliband? I think so.
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