The issue of English votes for English laws (EVEL), commonly known as the West Lothian question, refers to whether MPs from Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland should be able to vote on matters that affect only England. Some argue that because of the Barnett formula, issues in England greatly affect Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. The Barnett formula automatically adjusts levels of public spending in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland based on the population of each nation and which powers are devolved to them.
Narrow down the conversation to these participants:
@52N94HW5yrs5Y
Yes, only if England can do the same
@9992HTR 2yrs2Y
Yes, all MPs should be able to vote on all issues, and parliament should be reformed to have more proportional representation.
@92PS3444yrs4Y
Break up the UK into independent states
@BCVPJ8C5 days5D
Yes, because England and Westminster clearly has a say on how legislation is made in Wales etc. Not directly, but financially they control the budget that ultimately each country has, so indirectly they have a say. So we should have a say on that.. for example HS2 would not be a Wales & England project if this was implemented, and Wales would be owed billions in funding!
No but the same should apply to England for a vise versa scenario
@BCRH9QS1wk1W
No, and Northern England, Southern England, and Cornwall should have devolved administrations. All devolved governments should have the same powers.
@BBQGW3Y2mos2MO
Westminster and Assembly legislation should be seperated. However some legislation for laws affecting only part of the UK will exist and all MP's should vote on that.
@BCRLCMS 1wk1W
It is very unlikely legislation will only affect England.
@BBHTSYZ2mos2MO
No. The UK should be a federal system, but there should be votes where there are cross-border implications to prevent unilateral communication and encourage co-operation between federal states to benefit the whole.
@B8KPRQF5mos5MO
Yes, as long as English MPs can vote on legislation that only effects Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland too.
@B6WQPYW8mos8MO
No, They should only be able to vote for laws affecting their own country, including England voting on Welsh laws etc
@9WQKFWK1yr1Y
I believe a Confederation is more ideal and allow each region to decide their own legislation in their own regions.
@B9DZ6RW3mos3MO
Yes, all MPs should be able to vote for all laws in Parliament. England also has a supermajority of parliamentary representation and Welsh, Scottish and Northern Irish MPs often abstain on England-only legislation anyway.
@B9DKQ953mos3MO
No, all MPs have a right to vote on all legislation that goes through Parliament. England has a supermajority of the parliamentary representation so Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish MPs wont tend to make a massive impact and many abstain on many England-only legislation anyways.
@9ZV4F9Y1yr1Y
No, but introduced a devolved Parliament where english matters are voted on instead of having Westminster vote on English matters
@9ZGY5RYConservative1yr1Y
Westminster MP's from anywhere should have the ability to vote on issues that affect anywhere in the union
@9M6SKGP2yrs2Y
No, no MP should be entitled to vote on legislation which only affects a region they are not an MP within.
@9M5YHWG2yrs2Y
If England can still vote on policies that affect other regions then those regions should also have a say in policies that affect England
@9L9XJ9F2yrs2Y
Yes, as things currently stand the UK is highly England-centric and as such it would be hard to draw a definitive line
@9K2WQV72yrs2Y
Not able to voted on law issue what have being to nation parliament and full voted on budget so there full questionable for there voted on ot
@9K2BXTR2yrs2Y
Law that not impact on budget only and if for example education matter then why Scottish MPs when fully controlled by Scottish Parliament
@9HVFGG52yrs2Y
Yes, the UK must be dissolved, Scottish, Welsh, Irish and English must vote only on legislation that affect their own countries, and there should be no common legislation (which is inevitably bound to be always English-led)
@9G5MCLJ3yrs3Y
They should be using the Barnett formula, but should only vote on legislation that has cross-border implications.
@9FM4K3P3yrs3Y
Yes, they are a part of the British empire and deserve to have a say in what goes on in the country.
@9F3GDHK3yrs3Y
Reform the United Kingdom back into a personal union under a constitutional monarch.
@9BCX7YF3yrs3Y
Individual countries should be independent and become a republican state.
@8XT95FL4yrs4Y
Yes but they should practice restraint on voting on such issues unless they believe it directly affects their constituency
@9V3X3ZZ2yrs2Y
No, invade wales and Scotland. Now we are the United Kingdom of England and Ireland (yes, invade Ireland too). Hahahaha! 😂
@9NZZK8C2yrs2Y
Yes, Westminster MP's should vote on all UK legislation remembering there are 3 different judiciary systems; while devolved matters should be voted on in the Scottish; English; Welsh; & Northern Irish Parliaments.
@9NMKFSQ2yrs2Y
No. But if so, then English MPs should be entitled to vote on legislation which only affects areas of the UK outside England.
@9NKPDH92yrs2Y
independence for members of the uk and reunification of ireland but there should be a british isles union similar to the eu
@9NJXNNK2yrs2Y
Reform the UK into a federal system that duplicates parliament across all countries and keep the Crown as head of state.
@9N7DJSF2yrs2Y
All Westminster MP's vote on all Westminster and MP's in all other Parliaments inc England's new Parliament vote on theirs.
There should be a new English parliament then MP's can vote on matters across the UK within the UK wide legislature, but taking consideration that the UK still has (and should have) 3 judiciary systems. The excective must remember that while it puts bills before parliament on behalf of the Crown like the Crown the Executive is still subject to Parliament. It need not sit in Westminster (though it currently does) and if as King James once suggested it moved to Carlisle; then the English parliament shouldn't consider London but could consider another historic seat of England's parliaments, or even the fact that they used to move about!
@9N7DJSF2yrs2Y
Yes, and all MP's should vote on all issues that are in Westminster. England should have an English parliament not in Westminster so that Westminster MP's are all equal.
Reform the UK into a federal system; and rescind the Barnett Formula for once and for all, never to be restored.
No as; Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland should be entirely devolved to make their own laws and legislation.
@9N83WDT2yrs2Y
No, and so english mos should not be allowed to vote on legislation that only effects NI, Wales and Scotland
@9MYXHM9Count Binface2yrs2Y
No, the English government should have further power over Welsh, Scottish and NI legislation. We are a “United” Kingdom until one of them figures out how to successfully go independent.
@9M98F7H2yrs2Y
Abolish the UK and allow the countries to become independent and rejoin the EU if they require. Also Tax England for services being used that are based in other countries such as Scotland's Oil and Wale's wind and water.
@96Q59LV4yrs4Y
Scottish independence or a true federal system where Scotland controls 100% of it's affairs.
@9668N8LConservative4yrs4Y
Yes but decrease the level of power of devolved parliaments
@93TRT524yrs4Y
Whales and Scotland be aloud
@93QTGYX4yrs4Y
Yes but devolved bodies should be given less power to ensure parliamentary laws are followed across the entire nation
@93GT7XN4yrs4Y
Yes but reduce the power of devolved parliaments to give the UK parliament more power
@93CWHDX4yrs4Y
If England votes on Welsh, Scottish and Northern Irish issues then the same should happen in return
@92KVTKQ4yrs4Y
The premise of question is flawed. Since we are UNITED Kingdom, decisions affecting one region affect all others, whether directly or indirectly.
Grant independence to Scotland, Wales and NI
@8ZJ5BGGCount Binface4yrs4Y
England should be given its own parliament so this problem does not exist
No, and England should have a devolved parliament for these issues
@8SKCBMN5yrs5Y
No, and establish an English Parliament
@8SFC6MV5yrs5Y
@8SF6G4ZLibertarian5yrs5Y
Let Wales, scotland and northern ireland secede
@8S999N95yrs5Y
I support devolution if the relevant countries so desire. It is otherwise hypocritical given that we have left the EU.
Only if it could hypothetically impact the national economy, and thus the funding received by the devolved assemblies
No, and English MPs should not be able to vote on Scottish matters
No, as long as English, Welsh and Irish MPs cannot vote on Scottish matters.
@8S4BRBV5yrs5Y
The rule of the individual is more efficient than the government can ever be
@8S44KX25yrs5Y
We should have no government
Yes, if they’re allowed to vote on issues which don’t affect them.
@8RWR4HL5yrs5Y
@8RPJWGB5yrs5Y
Dissolve the Union. Independence for all countries
@8RNZ4SW5yrs5Y
Legislations in the UK should be applied to each UK nation and ammendments allowed by each nation's parliament but only with approval from the superior UK Parliament.
@8R8DYXG5yrs5Y
No, because they shouldn’t be able to vote on English affairs, because we aren’t one country. #indyref2
@8QR7QCL5yrs5Y
No because England will have devolution on a regional level and the House of Commons would only vote on issues affecting the whole of the UK.
There should be a United Ireland.
My answer depends on whether indirect effects on devolved nations e.g. are considered when determining whether or not a policy only affects England
@8QJZ4MN5yrs5Y
Yes, until an English Assembly is created
@8Q2Q37X5yrs5Y
Yes, as long as any MP can vote on matters that only effect one of the countries in the UK
@8KPC55R5yrs5Y
No, but we shouldn’t be able to do that for them either
@8KMLMVD5yrs5Y
No, The UK needs to end and all four countries gain independence.
@8JSPHMC6yrs6Y
Reform the UK into a more federal system and break up the nationalist-separatist dominated devolved parliamentary regions so they end up with less power. Devolve them into irrelevancy.
@8D9MDTC6yrs6Y
No, only for legislation that has cross-border implications. Also, English MP's should not be able to vote on legislation which affects only Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland
@9993Y323yrs3Y
As much as English MPs can vote on the other areas
@98W3JR63yrs3Y
No, and England should not vote on legislation that will only impact Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland either.
@96SMGRP3yrs3Y
On my opinion England is like the middle and the power and they should have the right to vote because they’re part of the United Kingdom to not only England.
This is the reason for an English Assembly
@92CFSQZ4yrs4Y
There should be Scottish Independence
There would be no need to establish it under Liquid Democracy as devolved assemblies would eventually collapse due to a new democratic order made by the people.
@8SYLYKL5yrs5Y
if it affects the countries yes but otherwise no
@8SNPKTF5yrs5Y
English MPs should not be allowed to vote on matters that impact devolved parliaments
@8RKPQM55yrs5Y
Yes but only if they abolish they're parliament.
@8KJS9695yrs5Y
Yes, because I think it helps to keep a solid democracy
Deleted6yrs6Y
No. Remove the Scottish and Welsh Assemblies and let all MPs vote on issues from across the island. Pro-Centralisation of Great Britain. Unite the nation politically whilst retaining what ever cultural and heritage differences that already exist between England, Wales and Scotland.
@9CN7S3D3yrs3Y
only is england can vote on issues in wales northern ireland and scotland
@9CMD3K23yrs3Y
No, only if English MP's in the house of Commons, cannot vote on issues in Scotland.
@9C3JYZH3yrs3Y
No, They should get to vote legislation if it affects all. So, English MP's wouldn't be able to vote for legislation that only affects Wales, Scotland and NI
@9C2CNX43yrs3Y
If English MP's can vote on matters that effect other UK countries then so should those countries vote on Emglish issues.
Yes if it would make English people more or less equal than Welsh, Scottish or Northern Irish people
@9BVMRS4Plaid Cymru3yrs3Y
Only if it affects those
Make it so English MPs cannot vote on Scottish, Irish or Welsh matters
@9BPL25V3yrs3Y
Wales should be independent.
@9BJNJBC3yrs3Y
Always the UK is united so weather England, Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland everybody must vote on legislation.
@962KL2Y3yrs3Y
Yes, but only through their house of lords delegations
@9B4QR3M3yrs3Y
Independence for England!
@9B3XPR53yrs3Y
As long as these three entities are occupied by the British, then they should absolutely have a say in what occurs in England. Ideally, this would not need to be a conversation as Wales and Scotland would be independent and Ireland would be reunited.
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