The British system of government has for many years been one of the most centralised in Europe. Many more matters are decided at the national level than in Germany or Belgium, for example, where an effective level of regional government has been established.
Recent years have seen steps towards regional government, notably in Scotland and Wales but also on a smaller scale in England. But treating regional and national authorities as representatives of Westminster rather than representatives of the people in the areas concerned does not really change very much.
A federal system would be much better.
In England, some form of sub-national authorities (perhaps the existing regions, perhaps something else) would be directly elected and exercise clearly defined powers. Most of these powers would be drawn from those currently exercised by Whitehall. Such a system could bring the citizens closer to the decisions which most affect their lives. The power of distant bureaucrats would be reduced.
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The United Kingdom is desperate for federal governance. I have notice an increasing frustration expressed by fellow citizens here in the South of England that so much of our tax money is taken by a central London based government and distributed else where in the UK. A federal UK could give us the abilities to control our local services and provide the inhabitants of Southern England with the high quality services that our taxes should be providing.
Fully agree with the need for a Federal UK, and I think the time is right to start articulating for one – along with positive reasons for the Union to exist. I also think we need to offer the Overseas Territories the right to be part of the federation if they wish. Also, districts like Shetland and Cornwall could get autonomy within the larger federal units (Shetland could be an autonomous region of Scotland, in the UK), again if they wished.
I have written a blog on it at http://bit.ly/9Mgw3K
Talk of a federation is pointless unless we intend to get serious about sorting out the relationship of the UK (as in England/Wales/Scotland/NI) with the Overseas Territories and the Crown Dependencies. Each territory/dependency and constituent country should have a referendum on weather or not they wish to become completely independent or join a federal UK, so as to formalise, simplify and equalise the relationships between them.
Personally I favour the Spanish model of autonomous communities as a basis for a new UK arrangement including the “forgotten worlds” that we either ignore or trash by turning into static aircraft carriers.
The United Kingdom is desperate for federal governance. I have notice an increasing frustration expressed by fellow citizens here in the North of England that so much of our tax money is taken by a Manchester based government and distributed else where in the UK. A federal UK could give us the abilities to control our local services and provide the inhabitants of Northern England with the high quality services that our taxes should be providing.
I think Federalism is a must for this country, and failure to make serious moves in that direction will be the end of the Union.
People are angry and are sick of being ruled by Westminster (whether you are English, Scottish, Welsh or Irish). Federalism would be a great way to get rid of the London-centric nature of this country. Westminster has proven time and time again that blanket nationwide policies don’t work. We need more localised policies to deal with local issues.
The UK remains one of the most centralised states in the Western world. This needs to change.
‘Devo-max’ in Scotland will make the need for federalism even greater. Sign the petition for a Federation of British Nations.
http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/1107
Look at Australias system of State Governments and a Federal Government and see what a farce that is for example
It makes sense for the UK to federalise. We’ve pretty much been that way in all but name.
If we split into four four states, Scotland, England, Wales and Northern Ireland with their own parliaments then that would work better than the current system where we’re Federal in all but name.
This needs updating to cover tax. Particularly the new federal income tax system for Scotland. Things seem to have moved on since February 2012. Question is whether, in due course, there will be a federal corporate tax rate; and/or VAT rate. The EU has been developing a system for a Common Consolidated Corporate Tax Base. It’s well worth looking at it. It might work better for a properly federal UK than for the EU. Why? Same reason as the new federal income tax. Because Her Majesty will still be monarch of Scotland (1603 predates 1707; and it was a Scottish King who took the English throne and created the shared crown in 1603; things were different when the Acts of Union were signed). And because it’s already established that Her Majesty’s Revenue & Customs collect taxes in the UK. There is no equivalent, trusted, established body for the EU. Yet.
I am a strong supporter of the federal model for the future of the UK. However, devolving power from the UK with its 62 million population to England with its 52 million population seems a little pointless – the English citizen is almost as far removed from government as they are today. My proposal is to form a federal Great Britain from the following states ;
* Scotland
* Wales
* Northern Ireland
* English state of Northumbria
* English state of Yorkshire
* English state of Mercia
* English state of East Anglia
* English state of Essex, Sussex and Kent
* English state of Wessex
* English state of Cornwall
* London
I would further invite the following states to join the federation ;
* Isle of Man
* Jersey
* Guernsey
* Gibraltar
* Falkland Islands
Why not any of the other overseas territories and just Gibraltar and the Falklands? The Overseas Territories in North America and the Caribbean could provide the UK with access to developing markets in the Americas and in return give them equality in the running of our nation.
Provisions for separate immigration and taxation policies in these states could be provided (creating a federacy).
It is fairly obvious starting with the Irish free state, the problems in Northern Ireland, the ascent of the Welsh Assembly and Scottish Parliament etc not to mention the North-South divide in England that the UK is breaking up. The obvious reason for this is lack of trust and good will towards London and the South-East, exacerbated more by shift of the economy towards Europe. Distrust has been further precipitated by the systematic running down of manufacturing industries by under investment (blamed conveniently on the unions) which has served as an excellent smoke screen to open the doors to new markets and promote further underinvestment in UK industry. It has become more and more clear that the UK is really run by the Banks with the obvious conflict of interests created by the Government, Financial institutions and newspapers being right next to each other in London.
As the world has changed (e.g. internet) there is now no need to centralise government (or more appropriately peripheralise government) and it is clear what is required is an ear for the aspirations of the regions which in turn this will also promote competition. I also espouse a ban of people speaking estuary on news tv in the North (no more barths or parths, or other tofisms .. ha ha) , enforced wearing of flat caps and mandatory ownership of ferrets. Cloggs will be phased in by 2020.
I am a strong believer in a Federal United Kingdom here in Britain. I feel there is a increasing sense of engaging with the political concept of a federal UK amongst the British public and indeed undercurrent within the UK.
The UK itself has a considerable abundance of Social, Economic and Political ability and leadership on a global level particularly given that Britain’s United kingdom has essentially pioneered a modern global Civilization from the days of empire and therefore means that we still have considerable responsibility within the world.
From the UKs range of democratic process of select committees to one of the most highly respected judicial systems in the world and yet at the political heart of the UK in the form of Westminster (Central Government) we have what I feel comes across as an temperamental, Impulsive and in some cases a erratic political process.
This specific political body and its current and long lingering cultural condition which I believe as a key factor is born out of previous centuries when parliament sought to further direct sovereign powers to it from the crown.
Subsequently it developed a somewhat impulsive set of tendencies I believes derives from a set of individuals representing parliament as it was bargaining for political and sovereign power sometimes forcefully from a other individual in the form of the crown. Something that unfortunately continues to exist within the political culture of parliament.
This aspect of parliament which exists in the form of the House of Commons specifically and to some extent the house of Lords has continued to dominate the political language of our Houses of parliament and a consistent commonality in Westminster.
The result I feel is a parliament that in some cases by its very condition is quick to pass judgement on what otherwise I believe should be a firm comprehensive political language of engagement and dialogue in the form of a well arbitrated federalized and progressive political approach.
One that does not allow for certain issues to be simply snatched by the narrowly and sometime confusing lines of front benches and pack bencher or a individual politician whom becomes the next subject of a sometimes heavy handed and I use that word again impulsive approach by certain members of the media.
Some areas of Media culture continue to feed upon this condition of parliament and I think the Pleb-gates and U-turns expense scandals continue to have a counter productive and disorientating effect upon the British Psyche if not public electorate as in my opinion shown clearly in recent months and years.
Hence to say is damaging to what otherwise should be a mutually comprehensive dialogue that I believe should exist between the public and parliament crucial I may add to promoting a healthy balanced democracy. Again I politically believe a Federal UK within Britain could be a significant step towards this. The Leveson Inquiry was a significant insight and step for the Public democratic interests.
However only covers I feel part of in some respects continuing cultural issue between Westminster and the Media. When looking at devolution within the UK and in some cases a more consolidated local form of arbitration you see a more succinct and progressive form of governance including in devolved national parliaments representing the constitutional countries of the UK, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, Except England which has no domestically devolved national government(s). So therefore by default essentially is run politically on a domestic level by central government.
I do agree with the idea of England having the opportunity to appoint a regionally devolved set of parliaments as countries and regions Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland currently enjoy with consideration also to the overseas territories of the UK.
I hope that we in this Country can look to further engage with the great potential a federalized UK could potentially offer to Britain and its people.