Since devolution was granted by the UK government to Scotland and Wales there have been an increasing number of people – influential and otherwise, many of them current and past politicians – that have questioned the role of Scottish MP’s sitting in Westminster, voting on issues that only affect England. And that accounts for approximately 80% of parliamentary business.

Tony Blair is a Scot but he represents an English constituency so his constituents are properly catered for. He can argue, debate and introduce legislation effecting only England – and that is fair and proper. The heir apparent however, Gordon Brown, represents a Scottish constituency.

The Campaign for an English Parliament News sums it up perfectly:

In Scotland the people elect a minister to the Scottish Parliament (MSP) to represent them on matters devolved to Scotland (health, education, transport, culture and sport). They also elect a Member of Parliament (MP) to represent them at Westminster on ‘reserved matters’. The people of Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath elected Gordon Brown on these reserved matters. No UK voter, whether they be English, Scottish, Irish or Welsh, elected Gordon Brown to represent them on health, education, transport, culture, sport, or any of the other policy areas that are devolved to the Scottish Parliament.

Yet should Gordon Brown succeed Tony Blair to become prime minister, he will hand pick a UK cabinet government to govern England and run English domestic policy. He will select which MPs become ministers of English departments – ministers with English portfolios, to run, for example, the English NHS, or the Department of Health to give it its correct name. He will have no such power over the Scottish government that affects his own constituents in Scotland, the people to whom he is democratically accountable. This is the so called West Lothian Question writ large. The majority of people in Scotland and England believe that it is wrong for Scottish MPs to vote on English matters, and whether or not it is acceptable for a Scottish MP to become prime minister is related to this.

The members of The Witanagemot Club in conjunction with others are carrying out a poll on whether Mr. Brown should become Prime Minister. You can add your voice by casting a vote. You can find the poll on the right hand sidebar of Yellow Swordfish. Let us know what you think.