Rifkind revives West Lothian question

LABOUR will find itself under renewed pressure to tackle the West Lothian question after last week’s election results, according to Sir Malcolm Rifkind.

The newly elected MP for Kensington and Chelsea said that the new make-up of the House of Commons made the issue of why Scottish MPs should vote on English affairs even more pressing.

He was speaking as analysis showed that, with Tony Blair’s majority cut to 67, Labour now relies entirely on the 70 seats of Scottish and Welsh MPs to pass legislation, even though those MPs do not represent their constituents on devolved matters.

The West Lothian question was first posed by former Labour MP Tam Dalyell. He asked if it was fair, post-devolution, for MPs from Scotland to be allowed to vote on English affairs when MPs in England could not vote on devolved Scottish matters.

Rifkind said: "Decisions that only effect England should only be decided by MPs in England. What this election has done is to emphasise that the politics are moving against the Labour party."