The old West Lothian Question

[Slainte]

The SNP are still comfortably in front in the Scottish polls and look certain to be the largest party in Holyrood, if not have an outright majority.

Surely this raises some dfficult questions for Gordon Brown. How can a man from Kircaldy take control of the United Kingdom just a matter months after his fellow Scots have elected a Nationalist First Minister to Holyrood. It must surely force some type of resolution to the West Lothian question; first asked in 1977 by Tam Dalyell, Labour MP for the Scottish constituency of West Lothian:

For how long will English constituencies and English Honourable members tolerate... at least 119 Honourable Members from Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland exercising an important, and probably often decisive, effect on British politics while they themselves have no say in the same matters in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland?

It is obvious that the current constitutional arrangements are unfair on the English. As well as the Conservative party who may well be able to win control of England at the next General election, but not control of the UK outright. You would then be in a position where a Scotsman is governing the UK, despite most Scottish people supporting a break from the Union and most English supporting the opposition.

This issue will surely soon start to create greater resentment between the countries of the Union and unless a suitable constitutional arrangement is found (which at this moment appears unlikely) make the break up even more likely.