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Proceeding contribution from Michael Connarty (Labour) in the House of Commons on Tuesday, 15 March 2011. It occurred during Debate on bill and Committee of the Whole House (HC) on Scotland Bill.


Scotland Bill

I should like Glasgow city council—which is a wonderful council—to be properly resourced, rather than having its budget cut by 3.7%. That is what the Scottish Government have just done, at a time when the city needs more resources. Other areas with a large proportion of SNP councillors are experiencing very small cuts. That is another abuse for which the people will take the Government of Scotland to task, and will take the SNP to task in particular. Proportionality has not worked in our system. I do not approve of the single transferable vote. I do not believe in that kind of proportionality, because I think that it moves so far away from the idea of accountability that the public reject it, and I do not think that we will get very far with any other amendment that appears to distort what we have in the House of Commons at present. When a Member of Parliament is elected, he or she is accountable. People know whom they elected, why they elected them, and how to get rid of them. If we cannot introduce a system that provides some credibility, the Scottish Parliament will go spinning off into the future with no credibility at all. I therefore hope that the Committee will pass new clauses 1 and 2.


Secondary information

Type
Proceeding contribution
Reference
525 c201 
Session
2010-12
Chamber / Committee
House of Commons chamber
Subjects
Devolved matters Constituencies Devolution Crown Estate Food Labelling Electoral systems Powers Railways Scotland Scottish Parliament Seas and oceans Territorial waters Summertime Rescue services Maritime and Coastguard Agency Scottish Government Regional members
Legislation
Scotland Bill 2010-12
Link
View this Proceeding contribution on www.publications.parliament.uk