Beorn
03-02-2010, 02:44 PM
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The number of English people who resent the level of public spending allocated to Scotland has almost doubled since devolution, according to a report published today by a leading think tank.
The report by the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) (http://www.ippr.org.uk/publicationsandreports/publication.asp?id=730) claims that 40 per cent of people in England now believe that Scotland receives more than its fair share of UK resources. That contrasts sharply with the views of English people in 2003 when just 22 per cent felt that Scotland was getting too much.
Just under half of respondents believe that England’s laws should continue to be made at Westminster, but 29 per cent back an English parliament — up from 18 per cent ten years ago.
The report’s author, Professor John Curtice, of Strathclyde University, said: “It is too strong to speak as yet of a widespread English backlash but the research does suggest there has been a marked growth in resentment about the level of funding that Scotland enjoys.
“Moreover, this seems in part at least to be generating increased support for the idea that England should have its own parliament.
“If these trends continue, then politicians may no longer be able safely to assume that England can be ignored in the devolution debate.”
Guy Lodge, associate director of IPPR said: “This report demonstrates that whichever party wins the general election will need to address the growing concerns of English voters about the impact of the devolution settlement.
“Politicians from all sides have ducked the issue of how England should be governed for too long and it seems that English public opinion is becoming increasingly frustrated.”
The report’s findings were based on interviews with 980 people living in England between June and November last year.
The Scottish government rejected suggestions that Scotland receives more than its fair share of UK resources. A spokesman for Alex Salmond, the First Minister, claimed the flow of resources was from north to south. --(Of course he'd say that:rolleyes: I wonder when Scotland is going to give back to England the sea it stole, hm?)--
“We also know that £50 billion of North Sea oil revenue will flow to London over the coming six years — more than during the previous six, and £10 billion up on the Treasury’s previous forecast. The UK is only being kept afloat at all by Scottish oil,” the spokesman said.
Jeremy Purvis, the Liberal Democrats finance spokesman, said: “We have long held the view that devolution to Scotland should be matched with devolution within England. It would be better for Scotland and the other nations in the UK if we moved to a federal financial structure.
“What we must guard against is a growing nationalism across the United Kingdom that begins to set the nations of the UK against each other. This is in no-one’s interests and only furthers the political agenda of the SNP."Source (http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/scotland/article7045969.ece)
The number of English people who resent the level of public spending allocated to Scotland has almost doubled since devolution, according to a report published today by a leading think tank.
The report by the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) (http://www.ippr.org.uk/publicationsandreports/publication.asp?id=730) claims that 40 per cent of people in England now believe that Scotland receives more than its fair share of UK resources. That contrasts sharply with the views of English people in 2003 when just 22 per cent felt that Scotland was getting too much.
Just under half of respondents believe that England’s laws should continue to be made at Westminster, but 29 per cent back an English parliament — up from 18 per cent ten years ago.
The report’s author, Professor John Curtice, of Strathclyde University, said: “It is too strong to speak as yet of a widespread English backlash but the research does suggest there has been a marked growth in resentment about the level of funding that Scotland enjoys.
“Moreover, this seems in part at least to be generating increased support for the idea that England should have its own parliament.
“If these trends continue, then politicians may no longer be able safely to assume that England can be ignored in the devolution debate.”
Guy Lodge, associate director of IPPR said: “This report demonstrates that whichever party wins the general election will need to address the growing concerns of English voters about the impact of the devolution settlement.
“Politicians from all sides have ducked the issue of how England should be governed for too long and it seems that English public opinion is becoming increasingly frustrated.”
The report’s findings were based on interviews with 980 people living in England between June and November last year.
The Scottish government rejected suggestions that Scotland receives more than its fair share of UK resources. A spokesman for Alex Salmond, the First Minister, claimed the flow of resources was from north to south. --(Of course he'd say that:rolleyes: I wonder when Scotland is going to give back to England the sea it stole, hm?)--
“We also know that £50 billion of North Sea oil revenue will flow to London over the coming six years — more than during the previous six, and £10 billion up on the Treasury’s previous forecast. The UK is only being kept afloat at all by Scottish oil,” the spokesman said.
Jeremy Purvis, the Liberal Democrats finance spokesman, said: “We have long held the view that devolution to Scotland should be matched with devolution within England. It would be better for Scotland and the other nations in the UK if we moved to a federal financial structure.
“What we must guard against is a growing nationalism across the United Kingdom that begins to set the nations of the UK against each other. This is in no-one’s interests and only furthers the political agenda of the SNP."Source (http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/scotland/article7045969.ece)