02 September 2022
Remember the Sewel Convention (that Westminster will not legislate on devolved matters without the consent of the relevant Parliament, Senedd or Assembly)? In this week’s NLJ, columnist Roger Smith argues that it’s time to give Sewel ‘some teeth’
This will help preserve the collective of nations that is the UK. Smith writes: ‘Let there be no ways in which the national government can interfere in devolved matters under the control of the devolved governments. After all, you either have the confidence to devolve or you don’t.’
One sticking point is the doctrine of the sovereignty of the UK Parliament. ‘No UK Parliament can bind its successor. So, any constitutional settlement is beset by inherent uncertainty,’ he writes.
Smith weighs up the obstacles and political sensitivities, concluding in favour of reform.
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