More power to all of us...
In the last Scottish Independence Referendum, the SNP said this would be a “once in a generation” vote. Now they want another one.
May’s push for a Hard Brexit has given First Minister Nicola Sturgeon the excuse she needs to do it again. I reckon the majority of Scots still want to stay in the UK. The fall in the oil price destroyed the SNP’s economic argument. But that’s for Scotland to decide.
South of the border, us Northerners, Midlanders, Welsh and people in the South West look on with envy. We don’t get a vote on more powers. We don’t get a say over more control over our own destiny. Brexit will transfer billions of pounds of resources and powers back to the UK – the most centralised government in Europe. Regions like the North are greater in population and wealth than Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland together.
Brexit now opens the debate about constitutional change, not only with Europe, but also within the United Kingdom. The growing inequality between the North and South, economically, politically and socially, requires constitutional change of a greater decentralisation.
That also opens the possibility of the reform of the House of Lords to a Senate to reflect the nations and regions and hold central government to account.
Gordon Brown and I are looking at ways we can do this with Labour’s Jon Trickett and the leaders of Scottish and Welsh Labour, Kezia Dugdale and Carwyn Jones.
This can’t just be an argument between Sturgeon and May.
I hope Scotland stays in the UK. But ALL the people should benefit from more power and money. Not just the Scots.