Constitutional Change in UK is a Neccessity

[aka Calum Da Jazbo]

i confess to a federalist and regional governance thinking myself; this article is a closely reasoned and evidential argument for such a viewpoint:

http://www.renewal.org.uk/articles/the-upas-tree-the-overdevelopment-of-london-and-the-under-development-of-br

[needless to say i am also a republican but let's not cloud the issue with that until we have a new King]

[Gordon]

I tend to agree to some extent but have some concerns about the long term consequences. I need to read that article more carefully but I would worry about devolution becoming a mantra and am concerned if it would actually deliver what people expect from it eg in terms of economic improvement etc. Why not just beef up local government rather than add another layer of administration and its consequential bureaucracy?

Aeolium's other thread about anxiety etc is I think relevant here because the rise in calls for more devolution than just Wales and Scotland [N Ireland a special case perhaps?] surely have to do with a growing perception that the centre [it's not the centre of the nation and it's actually too strong!!] has failed to convince the whole of the UK that their interests are being addressed. Why do people feel they want more control over their regional interests and what makes them think it will be better with a federal system? All parties at Westminster carry some of the responsibility for that but the problem is much older than modern times. The fact that the seat of government is where it is does not help as the article asserts.

As for Republican tendencies, again I have sympathy but the devil is in the detail as usual. Another subject altogether!!

[aka Calum Da Jazbo]

for me the local authority level could pretty well disappear if there were effective regional institutions no one turns up to vote or pays any attention to local councils who are in any case pretty well over determined by Westmister

[Beef Oven!]

I'm interested in people's reasons for a more regional level of government. What would the goal be, and what are the benefits?

Putting the monarchy question aside, I'm in favour of a significantly devolved government process and would not necessarily see the current local government arrangements being part of it.

[Gordon]

The Westminster parliament comprises over 600 MPs representing all the UK with a nominal, at least, equal status in the lower house [maybe the wet gets in in the Lords?]. Once in that house they are traditionally arranged according to party lines. Perhaps that is where the first problem arises.

How do they associate at Westminster? Do they come together along party lines perhaps through excessive whip pressure or do they also meet about common regional issues too? It is their primary job to represent the interests of their people - ALL of them not just those that voted for them. Some of the apparent discontent with the present form of government lies firmly in the present system where the MPs as a group may not be doing their jobs properly. I get the feeling that Scots do this already West Lothian Issue notwithstanding. Regional matters can be dealt with by block voting where the issues demand it but I have a suspicion that party lines do get in the way.