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Mark Harper talks bollocks

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I'm the proud owner of a letter from Mark Harper, in which he states "There is no link between the Barnett Formula and the West Lothian question".

Yesterday he wasn't daft enough to put such a view on the Hansard record:

Alan Beith (Berwick-upon-Tweed, Liberal Democrat)

Will the commission be able to consider what is really the Berwick-upon-Tweed question: how has it come about over so many years that Scotland seems to have had more money for schools and roads, and a great deal of say in the affairs of England?

Mark Harper (Parliamentary Secretary (Political and Constitutional Reform), Cabinet Office; Forest of Dean, Conservative)

Specifically, we have made it clear that the commission will not be able to look at the financial questions. The Government have committed to resolving them, but we have made it clear that the deficit must be dealt with first, and then those other matters will be taken forward by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor.

How peculiar that reform of the Barnett Formula must wait until the deficit is down. Why? If the Government manages to balance the books so that we have no deficit but still have a national debt of £1.1 trillion, why would that be any better time than now to reform the Barnett Formula? Answer: It wouldn't. In fact it could be far worse because people will have been living under austerity Britain for longer and will be more severely affected by a fall in central government funding.

If Harper was being honest he would have said that the Government want to wait until after the referendum on Scottish independence before debating whether to cut the budget of the Scottish Government by £4.5 billion, by which time they hope that Scotland will have voted to remain in the UK and the Scotland Bill will give the illusion of financial accountability, better enabling the UK Government to blame the Scottish Government when the axe falls on Scotland's public services.

As I have said before, I think Unionist politicians will regret not having reformed the Barnett Formula in times of plenty.

Regular readers of this blog will be aware of the 'Upper West Lothian Question'. But Mark Harper isn't. Mark Harper doesn't think that the West Lothian Question has any bearing on reform of the House of Lords:

Sandra Osborne (Ayr, Carrick and Cumnock, Labour)

I thank the Minister for that answer. I am sure he will be aware that constitutional change in one area can affect other areas. How might any changes suggested by his West Lothian commission affect reform of the House of Lords?

Mark Harper (Parliamentary Secretary (Political and Constitutional Reform), Cabinet Office; Forest of Dean, Conservative)

I am not sure that those two matters are connected at all. The commission’s terms of reference are specifically to consider the effects and consequences for the House of Commons of the devolution arrangements in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. The hon. Lady will know that we have appointed experts to the commission. They will come back to the Government with their recommendations, and I have committed then to talk to all parties in this House about how we might proceed further.

Who put this Harper idiot in charge?


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