For many years, the United Kingdom was one of the most centralised states in Europe. This is now changing, with some substantial steps taken towards devolution.
However, there is still too much centralisation in the British political system, and much of the devolution has been administrative rather than political. The links below lead to more information about devolution in the different parts of the United Kingdom.
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To have Government accountable to communities and based within those clearly identifiable communities is good for democracy. From feudal England to contemporary Britain, the reality of Government boundaries is that the only ones that have much meaning to most people are either based around neighbourhoods or around traditional Counties or regions. These have a shared identity, cultures , traditions and cohesion. The manipulation of boundaries for political ends to suit Party political advantage and agendas,as witnessed in 1974 and often since, undermines this cohesion and connection with the democratic process. Subsidiarity implies regionalism, for it is there that decisions can be debated whilst still being a coordinating centre of local and federal Government, particularly in the City regions, where most wealth is generated and where most people live. That’s why regionalism is a live and relevant debate. Regional Government is both functional , realistic , sustainable and accountable, whilst providing economies of scale, reducing duplication (ideally) , whilst still maintaining a human scale and community resonance. Using traditional County boundaries to map out those regions would engender more enthusiasm than newly-negotiated ones, I feel , for the aforementioned reasons.
In May 2011, there’s going to be a referendum in Wales on having full law making powers. I fear it’s turned into an argument where if you vote “no” you immediately hate Wales. I personally am going to vote no, as I think it’s digging ourselves deeper into a hole. I’m trying to campaign why voting no means that you not only love Wales, but you’re intelligent enough to know what’s good for it!
(Posted this on a sub-thread but it seems just as relevant here)
The devolved legislatures of Scotland, Wales and NI have all been remarkable successes, developing policies and strategies to suit their own circumstances and there is no denying life in these nations has improved dramatically since devolution. It says it all when none want to revert back to pre-devolution days but all are seeking more responsibilities and powers.
Even the considerably weaker London Assembly (weaker despite a population and economy greater than Scotland, Wales and NI combined) has proven incredibly successful for London, turning the city into one of the most dynamic and successful cities in the world. Pre-Assembly, London as a city was ranked below the likes of Paris, Rome, Sydney and Milan. Today, it sits with New York at the top of the rankings as a world economic, political and cultural centre.
Currently, each and every English region is run by the largest party in Westminster, even if that region did not vote for that party. For 13 years, the Conservative-supporting south were run by a Labour government. Today, the Labour-supporting north are run by a Conservative-led coalition. How is that democratic? Wouldn’t it be fairer if regions were governed by the parties they voted for?
When the various regions have little in common regarding socio-economic needs (London has little in common with the NE, which has little in common with the SE, which has little in common with the SW, which has little in common with the Midlands etc.etc.), why does it make any sense for them to be subject to a series of England-wide one-size-fits-all policies, instead of policies that meet their particular needs?
And to suggest ‘this would have led to the break-up of England’ is a shrill over-reaction to say the least. Has county government without an English parliament broken up England? No, of course not. So why would regional government?
That the rest of England has been denied this due to the vote of one region is an unjust tragedy. We should all have been polled, with those rejecting the move remaining under the control of Whitehall, while those that accepted were given the powers to run their own affairs.