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This region is having a referendum soon, on the creation of a Regional Assembly.
Im in 2 minds on this...
On the one hand, it something that gets some power away from London.. and is a starting point to get more.
On other, whats the point if most of the power we want it to have, is kept at Whitehall?
Can some of the Welsh and Scottish members especially, give me their thoughts?
We had the same problems about it when Prescott announced the North-West one.
Dunno what happened in the end - IIRC Prescott withdraw the initiative before a Yes/No vote was done, due to their being a very vocal No campaign.
MHO was that it'd be a great idea in theory and if done right, but with this government and the other political parties it'd just end up as a smokescreen, claiming we had power when in fact north-west MPs (and the people they represent) don't get any more power but instead get more meaningless crap and red tape.
Probably would be the same for the NE assembly. Then again, I could see Prescott's wish for the north to have more power. However, if both assemblies were opened I doubt I could resist calling him "Two ass's" ;)
The most vocal "No" vote around here, are those that dont think there's enough power in the assembly.
I'd agree... however GETTING an Assembly must be the start, surely... :blink:
Yep, it's a start - But the core power would still essentially come from London, which while would do some good would kinda eliminate the essential point. :(
Anyway, like I said if we had a government we could trust then I'd have been all for the idea myself - But could you see Labour not ballsing it up? Or if another of the parties, if another gets into power, abusing the regional assemblies? Imagine if the Tories got into power with two Northern assemblies in their control... =/
Either way, at the time there was a very large Yes vote. So it's weird that the idea was withdrawn :huh:
They said that we would be the 1st Region to have a referendum, and that the results would determine wether there were ever going to be Referendums in the other Regions.... so watch this space I guess :unsure:
I can picture the spin whichever way it goes....
1/ Yes Vote: The North East is Labour Heartland...so it will be Controlled by the Labour Party.. a ringing endorsement for Labour.
2/ No Vote: The North East is giving a ringing Endorsement of the Labour Party in Central Government and doesnt want anything to change
:huh: :blink: :unsure:
If you look at the areas which are proposed to have regional assemblies in England, you will find they are all Labour strongholds. The idea is to take control away from Westminster for the future when Labour loses power there. The same was largely true for devolved power in Scotland and Wales. Scotland is almost certain to remain Labour for as long as anyone currently in power is likely to care, so they got the most powers. Wales is not quite such a certainty, so less powers there. Anyone who thinks this corrupt government had other reasons is deluding themselves.
Why no proposal for regional assemblies in Conservative strongholds? If the Labour party are truly concerned about regional government they would propose it nationwide, but they aren't and they won't.
Tinkering with democracy in this way is dangerous and smacks of gerrymandering.