The Wardman Wire

Theme Month

This is my first contribution to the “Devolving England” series.

After a vigorous the debate from Garbo’s last article: “The great English parliament debate: Devolving England II” (58 comments and counting), this article tries to tease out some principles of devolution, after a cook’s tour through the different levels of government we may end up with if we simply add an English Parliament to the existing setup.

I sometimes lose track of the sheer quantity and depth of government between my front door and the politicians at the “top”, so I have used a a tour through the levels of government to which I am subject to set the context. Sometimes I feel that I am at the bottom of a monstrous wedding cake of layers of government. I admit that I’m not completely clear what all the elements of all the different levels do, and if those of us who take an interest in politics don’t know - then someone needs to help the general public.

The raw deal of the English
There is a perceived problem in England that the English are getting the raw end of the deal in the Union. The Scottish have their own Parliament that votes on issues exclusive to them while the English have no such thing. Yet Scottish MPs can vote on English [...]

Four areas of the UK now have devolved administrations of one kind or another: Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and, of course, London. One constituent part is notable by its absence - England.
How far is Westminster?
The UK is dominated - economically, politically, demographically - by England. The Welsh and Scottish nations desired greater autonomy as a [...]

One of the issues that’s always bubbling under is devolution in the UK. While three of the four home nations have their own parliaments, England is run from Westminster, where the West Lothian Question still holds - why can Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish MPs vote on issues that don’t affect
them? Should we give more [...]

I posted earlier about Oink the Water Buffalo in Darley Abbey.

I’m may not be forgiven for highlighting this, but he has a website now as well. Photo credit Snap Derby.

I guarantee that I will not be doing a podcast interview.

I will - however - cover any MPs who do a publicity photo wearing a viking hat with Oink though.

Given that it is Derbyshire, Ann and Nicholas Winterton would seem appropriate. Oink.

Speaking to a councillor at a Local Authority, I realised a couple of minutes into the chat that it wasn’t really a conversation - he was simply asking loaded questions to get a ‘vicar supports council policy’ answer out of me.

This post - the third in our series about the “Moral but No Compass” report commissioned by the Church of England looking at the role of the Church in the welfare delivery, is an initial response by David Keen, who writes a column here each week.

David Keen is a Church of England Vicar in Yeovil. He blogs at St Aidan to Abbey Manor.