Conservative politicians have questioned a proposed timetable for further Scottish devolution and raised the spectre of it creating a two-tier MP system.
Lord Kenneth Baker, who has backed legally addressing the so-called West Lothian Question over why Scots at Westminster have a say over purely English and Welsh matters, Cities of London and Westminster representative Mark Field, and Woking MP Jonh Redwood went on the offensive.
Mr Redwood called the current arrangement “lop-sided” and said the situation would be more strained if there is a No vote and more powers head north. Lord Baker suggested it could leave Scottish MPs with no say at Westminster when English issues are raised.
He said: “If I was still the member for Dorking, I’d be very resentful of Scottish MPs who can’t actually vote on their own tax in their own country would therefore have the right to tax my constituents in Dorking.
“I think you have got to find a way in which Scottish MPs will not be allowed, because it would be totally unfair for them to vote on domestic English issues when they can’t vote on their domestic issues in their own country. It’s a bizarre relationship.”
Lord Baker said the process would “take a long time” as it has to go through both the House of Commons and the House of Lords.
All three of the pro-UK parties have promised more powers over tax and other areas if there is a No vote and a timetable drawn up by former Prime Minister Gordon Brown has a new Scotland Act containing a joint agreement going before MPs ahead of next May’s general election.
In an article for CityAM newspaper, Mr Field wrote: “The creeping resentment from England, Wales, and Northern Ireland not to mention London and the regions may well boil over if so-called devo max follows a No vote.
“Indeed, London’s claim for more powers is arguably much stronger than Scotland’s, with near double the population alongside a far more successful economy with greater international reach.”
Mr Field argued for four full national parliaments in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, with all the existing powers of the House of Commons, overseen by a federal UK parliament, which would debate defence and foreign affairs, make treaties, and administer a cohesion fund for the poorer parts of the UK.