Big Sticks and Small Carrots

Scots are used to it, of, course, but we were so very. very close.

It is disappointing that we didn’t quite make it but the fact that we came so close is an amazing achievement. When the draw was made, I doubt there was a single Scotman in the country who thought we had any chance of qualifying. At that point, Scotland’s world ranking was in free fall (as low as 88 at one stage). Italy, France and Ukraine? Most of us were just hoping that it wouldn’t get too embarrassing.

Instead, we were one goal away from qualification with five minutes of the campaign left to play. We beat France twice and we’re currently ranked 13th in the world. With our new ranking putting us in the second group of seeds, we can look forward to the World Cup draw with some amount of optimism.

The team have done us proud. Cheers lads!

(Good luck to England on Wednesday, by the way. Although I’d quite like to see the return of the home internationals, I’d also genuinely like to see them qualify.)

There is clearly vital and compelling evidence of the need to extend the maximum period of detention without charge to 90, no, 28, no, 56, no, 47 days, 4 hours, 18 minutes and 29.5 seconds.

No, let’s try that again.

There is clearly vital and compelling evidence of the need to extend the maximum period of detention. I hope MPs don’t rue the day they refuse to acknowledge the vital and compelling evidence of the need extend the maximum period of detention without charge to 90, no, 28…

Drat.

One more try.

There is clearly vital and compelling evidence of the need for Gordon Brown to be seen to be doing something.

And we’re off.

According to the Guardian:

There is evidence that Gordon Brown has not yet formed any strong personal opinion and he is said to remain “genuinely open-minded” on his preferred option.

Much as I’d like to be optimistic, this is probably a reference to Brown being genuinely open-minded on the length of the extension needed, not on whether one is needed at all.*

But it’s no wonder he hasn’t made up his mind yet; there are serious issues to be considered here. Would an extra 14 days be enough to convey the sense of a competent, trusted statesman dealing responsibly with a complicated issue? Would going for an extra 28 days so soon after the last doubling add a suggestion of gravitas and decisiveness or would it look Blairish and hysterical?

It’s not an easy call.

To pass the time while Gordon decides what’s needed, feel free to submit your guesses below. There won’t be any prizes if you get it right, I’m afraid, but on the plus side, participation is unlikely to lead to entrants being imprisoned without charge for up to three, no, one, no, two months.

Every cloud and all that.

* I’d be more than happy to be proved wrong.

The Tories are suggesting that the solution to the West Lothian Question is to introduce English only votes on English matters. Oh dear.

First of all, let’s correct a myth regarding this. It is simply not true that English MPs do not have the right to vote on Scottish matters. Westminster retains the right to vote on Scottish issues and can overrule the Scottish parliament or even abolish it if the votes are there. For an informed analysis of the problem with English votes on English matters and on the West Lothian Question in general, you might want to read this post from the Sharpener archives.

That post has inspired (and by that I mean I’ve shamelessly copied) the following scenario on this proposed solution to a problem which doesn’t actually exist.

Consider the possibility that the Tories have a majority in England but Labour have an overall majority. It’s happened before and it’s very likely to happen again.

It’s Prime Ministers Questions. The Labour Prime Minister is ready at the dispatch box. A Lib Dem from an English constituency asks a question about a hospital in that constituency. The introduction of a new policy is causing problems and the MP is not happy. The Tories have a majority on English health, the new policy is their new policy. You can’t seriously expect hold the Labour PM to account for that.

…run around….

All the Tories cross the floor to sit on the government benches while all the Labour MPs move to the opposition side. The Scottish MPs leave the chamber.

The Tory Prime Minister (for England) answers the question. The next question is from a Plaid Cymru MP. It’s on foreign affairs.

… run around…

It’s not workable, is it? The policy sounds sensible but it’d effectively create another separate government for England which wouldn’t necessarily be run by the majority party in parliament. That way, chaos lies.

But something does have to be done. Whether the system as it currently stands is unfair on the English is open to debate. The perception south of the border that it is unfair is not. Neither is the growing resentment that this perception is generating.

What’s the answer then?  Now that’s a question.