I have long supported the idea of devolution within a federal United Kingdom, so I should have a natural propensity to vote ‘yes’ in the forthcoming referendum on more powers for the Welsh Assembly. However, it is no longer that simple. If I am to be persuaded to vote ‘yes’ I will need to be convinced on three issues.
Firstly, I need to be convinced that more powers for the Assembly is not merely a milestone on the way to full independence for Wales. Devolution is not the same as independence and it is devolution that I want and not independence. Living in rural Mid Wales, I don’t want to move from domination by a distant Westminster to domination by a slightly less distant Cardiff Bay. I want to be governed by an administration that understands the problems of my locality and is keen to improve my lot. I have been appalled by the priorities of the One Wales government who are doing their utmost to ruin local healthcare by severing the long established links between Powys residents and English hospitals in general, and Hereford Hospital in particular.
Secondly, I need to be convinced that there is a transparent and effective method of scrutinizing legislation created by the Welsh Assembly with their additional powers. Westminster has a second chamber which houses probably the best scrutineers of proposed legislation in the world. What will the Welsh Assembly be able to offer in terms of scrutiny?
Finally, I need to be convinced that the Welsh Assembly with its additional powers will act to the benefit of ALL people living within the borders of Wales and not just for the benefit of those living in the so-called’ heartlands’. To date the residents of East Wales, those areas adjacent to the English border, have had a rough deal from Cardiff Bay. Little regeneration, no recognition of the particular problems caused by rurality and little support for its tourism and agriculture industries. Worst of all there has been no support to help us sustain our vulnerable communities, only more school closures, more post office closures and no support at all for our village pubs and shops.
So if the ‘yes’ campaign are to secure my vote in March, they have got a lot of work to do. There is far more scepticism among the people now than in 1997, then there was hope for a better Wales. Now there is the realisation that devolution has benefited only favoured parts of Wales, the rest has been ignored. This cannot be allowed to continue.
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2 comments:
One counter to the question you pose is: why should MPs from Durham or Dunfermline have a final say over what laws Welsh people have decided they need, in an area in which they otherwise have competence? That is the effect of the LCO system.
I need to be convinced that there is a transparent and effective method of scrutinizing legislation created by the Welsh Assembly with their additional powers.
There I certainly agree with you. The committee system, widely praised when the Welsh Assembly was set up, has been drastically cropped by Labour, who prefer the hot air of plenary sessions. They also abolished the regional committees, which took examination of policy out into the Welsh regions.
The 'West Lothian' question, a version of which you allude to, would not arise if the UK had created a full-fledged federal system of government. The division of responsibilities between the federal government and the various regional governments would have been resolved in a properly written British constitution.
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