Lord Falconer rules out an “English Parliament” because it would “destabilise the Union”.  Perhaps New Labour should have thought about that when creating assemblies for Scotland and Wales.  However, to bring the subject back to point, I need do no more than quote Oliver Heald, the shadow constitutional secretary, who retorted,

“Having English only votes on English only-laws in the Commons is not tantamount to creating an English Parliament.  The Government knows that there is a problem with the current settlement, but it seems to hope that the West Lothian problem will somehow disappear.  It is not sustainable to have measures imposed upon England on the back of votes of Scottish MPs, when the same measures in Scotland are the responsibility of the Scottish Parliament.”

Of course, the argument in favour of English-only votes for English-only matters is irresistible.  Nearly everyone, including the Scots and Welsh, can see that.  The Government sees it too, but it suits it to obfuscate the argument.  It is not currently a question of whether there should be an English Parliament, but should the English part of the electorate consider that their legitimate grievances concerning Scots and Welsh MPs voting on English-only matters are not being heeded, it soon will be.  Then the Union really will go hang, and it will be all New Labour's fault.[1]