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Neil Herron

McConnell drums up support for English devolution
HAMISH MACDONELL
The Scotsman
2nd November
SCOTTISH POLITICAL EDITOR
JACK McConnell warned voters in the north-east of England yesterday that they would put back the cause of devolution 25 years if they rejected plans for a regional assembly. The First Minister travelled to Newcastle to make a last-ditch appeal to voters to support the government’s plans for devolution in the area.

But he ended up delivering the dire warning - the first Labour politician to do so - that a “no” vote in the referendum would end all hope of devolution for the area for at least a decade, and probably longer. Mr McConnell compared this week’s vote to the failed Scottish devolution referendum of 1979 and warned that decision had put back the devolution cause in Scotland by 25 years. He also claimed a “no” vote would send out a signal to the whole of Europe that the North-east was not confident enough to run its own affairs. Mr McConnell’s surprisingly strong words in the debate over regional devolution for England represents the most forthright intervention by any Labour politician in the campaign. Other senior figures, including John Prescott, the Deputy Prime Minister, have tried to play down the implications for the government of a “no” vote.

Couple of points;
I thought devolution was about the regions of England ruling themselves, if that is the case perhaps Mr McConnell should return to Scotland and mind his own business. He is already part of a system that is breaking up Great Britain as a unit, as a Scotsman he has every right to make comments about Britain but not about the devolution of England.
As far as Britain is concerned perhaps he could start by answering a simple question; if the British Parliament were to try to take Britain out of the EU that would also include Scotland, what would the Scottish Parliaments reaction be to that.

A No Vote will also send a signal to all of the EU (Mr McConnell) that the English people do not want their country to be broken up into little pieces so that rules from Brussels can be better installed.