Who speaks for the English?

AT face value, the Government’s decision to establish a new commission to look at the potential consequences of Scottish independence – and whether MPs from Scotland should be excluded from English-only matters in the House of Commons – appears to be a timely move to counter the threat posed by an emboldened SNP leader Alex Salmond.

Such an approach would certainly find resonance here in Yorkshire. At a time when regional governance and leadership is viewed as ‘work in progress’ as RDAs like Yorkshire Forward are wound up, English taxpayers will not take kindly to another power shift in Scotland’s favour, whether it be full independence or further powers under ‘devo-max’.

How to secure the best deal for regions like Yorkshire must be a priority for the Government and the newly-formed Hannah Mitchell Foundation in these parts; the issue of Scottish independence needs to be looked through the prism of what is best for the future of UK as a whole.

Yet, as the Institute of Public Policy Research makes clear, this issue is already fraught with difficulty. For, contrary to popular opinion, there has not been a post-war election in which Scottish MPs have turned a Conservative majority into a Labour one – or vice versa.

Furthermore, there are very few instances when Parliament passes legislation pertaining solely to England. Even new laws paving the way for tuition fees had clauses relating to the eligibility of students from north of the border.

Given this, can any government actually deliver English-only votes, especially if additional powers at Holyrood lead to leaders from Wales and Northern Ireland looking to boost the status of their respective assemblies?

The difficulties do not end here. The still unspoken question, 10 days on from David Cameron trying to call Mr Salmond’s bluff over the timing of the referendum, is the Barnett Formula – should each Scottish resident receive £1,500 more than every individual here in Yorkshire? And how can the SNP’s wish for a UK-wide foreign and defence policy work when Scotland may end up in the EU? This review buys Mr Cameron time, but it is no substitute for a policy that defends the interests of every corner of the United Kingdom.