Hague to curtail power of Scots MPs

Members would not be able to vote on English issues

Conservative leader William Hague has promised to stop Scottish MPs voting on English laws within days of the next Tory government coming to power.

Mr Hague promised "English votes on English laws" to redress what he says is an imbalance in the UK's constitution that arose after the establishment of the Scottish Parliament and devolution.

It is clearly an unfair situation

William Hague

The Tory leader also said he wanted to see a reduction in the number of Westminster MPs from Scottish seats, reducing the total from 72 to 58.

Mr Hague's party failed to win a single seat in Scotland at the last general election.

But he dismissed a suggestion that his proposal would stoke up English nationalism, while the Scottish Nationalists have already labeled the proposals "anti-Scottish".

Dangerous English nationalism

The reverse was the case, argued Mr Hague. He said: "Try to ignore this English consciousness, or bottle it up, and it could turn into a dangerous English nationalism that could threaten the future of the United Kingdom."

He added that the Scottish people themselves backed his proposals saying: "All the evidence from public opinion in Scotland is that the Scottish people themselves would be happy with a fair settlement for England."

Spelling out the thinking behind his plans Mr Hague told an audience at Magdalen College Oxford: "If there are Scottish votes on Scottish laws it is only right there should be English votes on English laws and MPs for the whole of the UK should vote together on UK matters."

Priority measure

Turning to the timing of his policy commitment Mr Hague said if the Conservatives won a majority at the next election "it would be something we would bring about in the opening days".

"It is clearly an unfair situation at the moment when Scottish MPs can vote on what is happening in England but English MPs can no longer vote on what is happening in Scotland."

But Mr Hague's new policy has little light to shed on another post-devolution constitutional problem identified by the Conservatives.

At a future election it is possible that a government could lose the majority of the seats in England and yet still govern by relying on its strength in Scotland.

Mr Hague said that this constitutional minefield could result in, "a future government lacking a majority in England" and using "the votes of Scottish MPs to impose unpopular legislation on England".

Tory bandwagon

But Labour cabinet minister Margaret Beckett accused Mr Hague of attempting to create an "English nationalism bandwagon" to help his party back to power.

And the Liberal Democrats have already attacked the proposals as "a petty and small-minded attempt to seek revenge on the voters who rejected them".

Liberal Democrat constitutional affairs spokesman Robert Maclennan said: "Members of the Westminster Parliament speak for the United Kingdom as a whole.

"To propose second-class membership would diminish the House of Commons and pander to an insular English nationalism."

While speaking for the Scottish National Party's Westminster group Alasdair Morgan described the move as "anti-Scottish".

The MP for Galloway and Upper Nithsdale said: "Of course, the best arrangement and the real answer to the `West Lothian Question' is to have Independence for both Scotland and England, with no Scottish MPs at Westminster."

In the speech Mr Hague restated his party's commitment to other parliamentary reforms including a return to a twice weekly prime minister's question time and a strengthening of the Commons committee system.

He also said he would like to see an elected element in the House of Lords and curbs on further powers passing from Westminster to Europe.