Britain on Thursday approved its biggest constitutional change in decades, giving English members of parliament a veto over legislation that only applies to England, despite fierce opposition from Scottish nationalists.
Critics say the plan, part of a wider scheme of devolution among Britain's constituent nations, deepens the divide between England and Scotland at a time when question marks hang over the future of their 300-year-old union.
After an impassioned debate, MPs voted 312 to 270 in favour of the reforms, which primarily seek to resolve the fact that MPs representing regions in Scotland can vote on legislation which only affects England.
The Conservative government promised ahead of May national elections to address the imbalance, saying that it was unfair to English voters and fuelled resentment.
"I want the United Kingdom to remain secure and intact," senior government minister Chris Grayling told parliament. "It cannot be in any of our interests to see English people becoming cynical about the union and perhaps even wishing for its end."
The issue, which has simmered in British politics since 1977, came to the boil last year after the government promised to expand the remit of Scotland's devolved parliament, in a late bid to persuade Scots to reject independence at a referendum.
That decision reopened old grievances over the balance of lawmaking power across the United Kingdom. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland all have devolved administrations with varying degrees of authority, whilst English laws are solely determined in the overarching British parliament.
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http://uk.reuters.com/article/2015/10/22/uk-britain-politics-scotland-idUKKCN0SG25720151022Good, and about effing time. Every damned time legislation comes up that only affects England, there are the damned Scots and Welsh with their hands out for a pay off not to block it. Screw em. Partial devolution works both ways.
