Left wingers are getting a bit scared

[NDA]

rex said:

MarshPhantom said:

Do voters care about the "West Lothian" issue? I think most people couldn't care less.

Spoke to a few people about this since Thursday. All are very much in the do care about this issue and want it changed. I am unsure why you think people couldn't care less.

The independence vote has brought it into the limelight and I cannot imaging CMD letting it slip out of people's consciousness.

I don't think people did care.

They do now. Very much so.

[MiniMan64]

Asterix said:

steveT350C said:

Hannan in the Mail

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/article-2763063/...

Funny - my first thought of where to home a newly created English Parliament was also Winchester.

Wouldn't happen though, if only for the reason it's far too 'South' in a number of ways.

Why should we spend money on a new parliament when we've already got a perfectly good one? Just tell the Scots MPs they don't need to show up when English domestic policy is being decided and debated.

Gaspode said:

I quite like the idea of making the House of Commons into an English parliament, scrapping the House of Lords and replacing it with a Federal assembly.

This is a much better idea.

[Asterix]

Troubleatmill said:

Asterix said:

London424 said:

Asterix said:

FiF said:

Don't know tbh. I suspect there really is appetite for change amongst ordinary folks, though hardly any appetite amongst the troughers.

The ordinary folk, those that keep their heads down and work hard just to get by, probably hadn't fully realised the disparity between the various regions. Now the Scots have jumped up and been a bit shouty, it's been plastered all over the front pages so everyone is fully aware now.

And it also mean politicians can openly talk about it again...I get the feeling it was the dirty family secret that everyone just chose to ignore.

Agreed - also the fact that, as has exactly happened, Labour wouldn't entertain losing the Scottish MPs. Their hand is forced now, they have to come up with a very compelling reason why Scottish MPs can vote on English matters while it's not possible the other way round - there isn't one and they know it.

On Newsnight last night - Andrew O'Neil tore shreds out of a Labour MP on this issue. Asking him to name 3 Scottish Labour MSP's was brilliant TV too.
Do watch it on iPlayer. 21 Minutes 20 seconds in.

Edited by Troubleatmill on Saturday 20th September 10:42

It's going to be a very tough few weeks for Labour. Their conference couldn't be at a better time.

They have nowhere to hide.

[johnxjsc1985]

Asterix said:

It's going to be a very tough few weeks for Labour. Their conference couldn't be at a better time.

They have nowhere to hide.

they have nothing to offer either. Dave has sewn them up like a kipper over the changes they all agreed upon and seeing Gordon Brown perform so well makes ED look even worse than he really is and that's quite difficult to do isn't it

[Asterix]

MiniMan64 said:

Asterix said:

steveT350C said:

Hannan in the Mail

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/article-2763063/...

Funny - my first thought of where to home a newly created English Parliament was also Winchester.

Wouldn't happen though, if only for the reason it's far too 'South' in a number of ways.

Why should we spend money on a new parliament when we've already got a perfectly good one?

Awwwwww - I was hoping for a Round Table and everything.

[FiF]

I think part of the issue with the previous public disinterest in the West Lothian question has been the way politicians have treated the matter when the issue has been raised. Too often the response / comment has been along the lines which plays the "well it's really complicated and a bit too difficult for members of the public to understand."

Patronising gits. It's not difficult and a lot of people now show they do understand it.

[MarshPhantom]

NDA said:

rex said:

MarshPhantom said:

Do voters care about the "West Lothian" issue? I think most people couldn't care less.

Spoke to a few people about this since Thursday. All are very much in the do care about this issue and want it changed. I am unsure why you think people couldn't care less.

The independence vote has brought it into the limelight and I cannot imaging CMD letting it slip out of people's consciousness.

I don't think people did care.

They do now. Very much so.

Fair enough - how many people will vote for a party because they pledge to solve the WL issue. Many?

[AstonZagato]

NDA said:

rex said:

MarshPhantom said:

Do voters care about the "West Lothian" issue? I think most people couldn't care less.

Spoke to a few people about this since Thursday. All are very much in the do care about this issue and want it changed. I am unsure why you think people couldn't care less.

The independence vote has brought it into the limelight and I cannot imaging CMD letting it slip out of people's consciousness.

I don't think people did care.

They do now. Very much so.

This.

I don't think there is appetite for regional assemblies. But having English MPs sit at Westminster and decide for England will be a vote winner at the next election. And Cameron knows it. Millibars will try for Regional solutions so that Labour will control some. I don't think the English want that.

[LeftmostAardvark]

MarshPhantom said:

Fair enough - how many people will vote for a party because they pledge to solve the WL issue. Many?

I think it will be very decisive with many of the swing voters, which will have a big effect on the next election result.

[Asterix]

LeftmostAardvark said:

MarshPhantom said:

Fair enough - how many people will vote for a party because they pledge to solve the WL issue. Many?

I think it will be very decisive with many of the swing voters, which will have a big effect on the next election result.

I'm also guessing it will significantly increase turnout as well. Most voter apathy is because there is almost nothing to distinguish between the main parties in may people's eyes. If one party wants to make the change and one party doesn't, that will get people out of bed.

[CDP]

Asterix said:

LeftmostAardvark said:

MarshPhantom said:

Fair enough - how many people will vote for a party because they pledge to solve the WL issue. Many?

I think it will be very decisive with many of the swing voters, which will have a big effect on the next election result.

I'm also guessing it will significantly increase turnout as well. Most voter apathy is because there is almost nothing to distinguish between the main parties in may people's eyes. If one party wants to make the change and one party doesn't, that will get people out of bed.

I don't think Labour have any choice now.

[Asterix]

CDP said:

Asterix said:

LeftmostAardvark said:

MarshPhantom said:

Fair enough - how many people will vote for a party because they pledge to solve the WL issue. Many?

I think it will be very decisive with many of the swing voters, which will have a big effect on the next election result.

I'm also guessing it will significantly increase turnout as well. Most voter apathy is because there is almost nothing to distinguish between the main parties in may people's eyes. If one party wants to make the change and one party doesn't, that will get people out of bed.

I don't think Labour have any choice now.

If they try and postpone the debate, let alone action, while Scotland get a whole bunch of devo - and this is going on before the next GE... As they say in France, 'they'll be fked'.

[gruffalo]

MarshPhantom said:

NDA said:

rex said:

MarshPhantom said:

Do voters care about the "West Lothian" issue? I think most people couldn't care less.

Spoke to a few people about this since Thursday. All are very much in the do care about this issue and want it changed. I am unsure why you think people couldn't care less.

The independence vote has brought it into the limelight and I cannot imaging CMD letting it slip out of people's consciousness.

I don't think people did care.

They do now. Very much so.

Fair enough - how many people will vote for a party because they pledge to solve the WL issue. Many?

I do not think it is emotive enough to become a one topic election winner but I would expect it to be in the manifesto of any party I voted for, if not I would have to work out the pros and cons of the other policies and if they then get elected lobby my MP to work at getting the WL question answered.

[LeftmostAardvark]

gruffalo said:

I do not think it is emotive enough to become a one topic election winner but I would expect it to be in the manifesto of any party I voted for, if not I would have to work out the pros and cons of the other policies and if they then get elected lobby my MP to work at getting the WL question answered.

For those who normally vote, maybe. For those who have been alienated by past politics, it may be just the catalyst to take an interest (emotion has been stirred in the English by the way in which the referendum has been carried out).

Things are going to change, despite the best efforts of career politicians (from all camps). In retrospect, we should probably thank the Yes campaign for that - even if that wasn't their intention.

[Johnnytheboy]

MarshPhantom said:

Fair enough - how many people will vote for a party because they pledge to solve the WL issue. Many?

To put it another way, how many people will vote for a party that refuses to solve it?

[RYH64E]

Johnnytheboy said:

MarshPhantom said:

Fair enough - how many people will vote for a party because they pledge to solve the WL issue. Many?

To put it another way, how many people will vote for a party that refuses to solve it?

Politics is very tribal, a large percentage of voters will vote for the party they've always voted for (often the party their parents voted for) come what may.

[toppstuff]

RYH64E said:

Johnnytheboy said:

MarshPhantom said:

Fair enough - how many people will vote for a party because they pledge to solve the WL issue. Many?

To put it another way, how many people will vote for a party that refuses to solve it?

Politics is very tribal, a large percentage of voters will vote for the party they've always voted for (often the party their parents voted for) come what may.

It's always been that way. Power is won by winning the swing voters in the middle. And it usually involves just a few percent.

Any sense of unfairness out of this issue will become important. I think Labour are in real danger of running against the mood of people here and it could affect these vital swing voters.

[mph1977]

RYH64E said:

Johnnytheboy said:

MarshPhantom said:

Fair enough - how many people will vote for a party because they pledge to solve the WL issue. Many?

To put it another way, how many people will vote for a party that refuses to solve it?

Politics is very tribal, a large percentage of voters will vote for the party they've always voted for (often the party their parents voted for) come what may.

especially in the depopulated former industrial / mining Labour rotten boroughs...

though it will be interestign to see what happens if the increasing numbers of now naturalising EU accession state workers who came to do the work the locals refuse to do in these places become more politically active .... ( and yes being a forkie for Aldi or IKEA is not paid as much as working down t'pit but it;s a whole lot safer and you won;t get black lung ...

[Mr_B]

Ed made it pretty clear on the Andrew Marr show this morning that he couldn't give a toss about it. He'd better start some kinda secret funding of Ukip to win him the next election.

[davepoth]

Mr_B said:

Ed made it pretty clear on the Andrew Marr show this morning that he couldn't give a toss about it. He'd better start some kinda secret funding of Ukip to win him the next election.

He's going to be made to care eventually, I think. It's just a question of how many weeks of being battered with "YOU DON'T CARE ABOUT ENGLAND" in PMQs it will take.