tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1638916042737526171.post4894981629933397644..comments2024-03-28T07:16:39.621+00:00Comments on Lallands Peat Worrier: A Scottish eye on Éire...Lallands Peat Worrierhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18276270498204697708noreply@blogger.comBlogger13125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1638916042737526171.post-51102300353416605052013-10-07T15:55:10.949+01:002013-10-07T15:55:10.949+01:00Nor I, Tony. I can see different balances of advan...Nor I, Tony. I can see different balances of advantage and disadvantage in all the different approaches. It seems important, however, to begin encouraging folk to think about some of the options and choices which might lie before us, soon.Lallands Peat Worrierhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07238432265194046726noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1638916042737526171.post-24078310269023568712013-10-07T15:52:29.149+01:002013-10-07T15:52:29.149+01:00I thought I'd pitch the geographical idea in t...I thought I'd pitch the geographical idea in there, as it is just the sort of thing which a common-sense, steady-as-she-goes unicameralism would want to overlook. Again, it is really all about the sort of values you want to see protected by your democratic procedures (including the decided will of the majority).Lallands Peat Worrierhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07238432265194046726noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1638916042737526171.post-28007824703769790182013-10-07T15:50:52.124+01:002013-10-07T15:50:52.124+01:00Which raises the possibility, to my mind, of alter...Which raises the possibility, to my mind, of alternative measures to achieve the same goals. Using a PR electoral system usually minimises the likelihood of an unrepresentative majority government being installed. Indeed, a bit of tinkering with the system - replacing d'Hondt allocation with Sainte-Laguë say - might represent an alternative step, in terms of protecting minority interests too.Lallands Peat Worrierhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07238432265194046726noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1638916042737526171.post-40390689864930582992013-10-07T15:48:13.698+01:002013-10-07T15:48:13.698+01:00As various folk pointed out on twitter yesterday, ...As various folk pointed out on twitter yesterday, second chambers do seem particularly susceptible to legitimacy crises and abolition. What are they for? What good do they serve?Lallands Peat Worrierhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07238432265194046726noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1638916042737526171.post-11781174016169500542013-10-07T15:46:20.056+01:002013-10-07T15:46:20.056+01:00Draft Commitment to the Common Weal.
Article 1. N...Draft Commitment to the Common Weal.<br /><br />Article 1. No lawyers.Lallands Peat Worrierhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07238432265194046726noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1638916042737526171.post-1783113417165473092013-10-07T15:45:31.920+01:002013-10-07T15:45:31.920+01:00Curiously, the theme of minority opinion has been ...Curiously, the theme of minority opinion has been on my mind lately. I'm always a bit bemused by the incautious way some of our commentators identify their own views with the Scottish public. As a life-long holder of minority opinions, the ease with which this projection seems to occur is decidedly puzzling.Lallands Peat Worrierhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07238432265194046726noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1638916042737526171.post-53179872450809219972013-10-07T09:53:11.913+01:002013-10-07T09:53:11.913+01:00It is an interesting, some might argue vital discu...It is an interesting, some might argue vital discussion for a form of constitutional convention after a YES vote. A unicameral system can work, but needs 'restraining' by appropriate checks and balances, and the last thing we should be going is replicating the Westminster model. <br /><br />But, governments tend to want to govern. Perhaps we (as citizens) are too used to parliaments passing legislation. Maybe there is too much unnecessary legislation, and that, often too quickly drafted (with unforeseen consequences once they are implemented) and are "knee-jerk" reactions to a horror story - e.g. Dunblane.<br /><br />I tend to favour an elected second chamber with equal representation from, say, 20 regions in Scotland, with 2/3 representatives form each. Similar to the US model in that each region has an equal voice. This may help to reduce the emphasis on the Central Belt where, let's be honest, most of the power currently lies.<br /><br />Thought provoking article, and I for one, have no fixed view yet.<br /><br />TonyTony Littlehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02008273900618097432noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1638916042737526171.post-84808486356772860522013-10-06T23:02:13.284+01:002013-10-06T23:02:13.284+01:00Worried makes a good point. The regional nature of...Worried makes a good point. The regional nature of the Australian Federal Senate was intended to ensure that less populous regions (States & Territories) were not overriden. A similar system in Scotland would go some way to mitigating concerns that a Scottish Parliament would only reflect the priorities of the Central Belt. Currently, triennial Australian elections have a full lower house election plus a half senate election. Each State and Territory uses a transferrable vote to elect a number of Senators. This would permit representation of Highlands, Islands, Shetland etc. in a way that would provide security in a house of review.Doughttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13866756432233805848noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1638916042737526171.post-58730585362237894972013-10-06T22:35:17.670+01:002013-10-06T22:35:17.670+01:00You absolutely must have a second chamber. In Quee...You absolutely must have a second chamber. In Queensland, the Government with an overall majority is writing and burning legislation as it sees fit, under the notion of a 'mandate'. It believes that because it secured a majority in the house that they have free reign to monopolise the State. Other Australian States have the checks and balances of an upper house, as does the federal government. The experience we are having in Queensland is I think the model of despotism that has no legal challenge, no constitutional challenge and is backed by a press corp that is partisan to the ideology of the far right party that runs the state. (70% of newspapers in Australia belong to Rupert Murdoch's Media Empire).<br />Stephenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10341288321874574699noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1638916042737526171.post-36148314428700178562013-10-06T22:32:41.905+01:002013-10-06T22:32:41.905+01:00Wikipedia : The NI Senate consisted of 26 members....Wikipedia : The NI Senate consisted of 26 members. Twenty-four members elected by the House of Commons of Northern Ireland using the Single Transferable Vote (STV), elected in blocks of twelve with each senator's term lasting for two parliaments (i.e. two terms of the House of Commons) and two ex-officio members: the Lord Mayor of Belfast and Mayor of Londonderry.Kilsallyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12355423947535095842noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1638916042737526171.post-66663784432788083562013-10-06T22:10:40.044+01:002013-10-06T22:10:40.044+01:00Northern Ireland also had a Senate chamber from th...Northern Ireland also had a Senate chamber from the old devolved parliament when they're was A Northern Irish Prime Minister (as opposed to current NI Assembly 5 party coalition & single chamber) Kilsallyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12355423947535095842noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1638916042737526171.post-83172296588489171582013-10-06T17:52:35.717+01:002013-10-06T17:52:35.717+01:00As ever, a thought-provoking piece. We might consi...As ever, a thought-provoking piece. We might consider the German model, where the revising chamber, the Bundesrat, is neither appointed nor directly elected but indirectly elected by the members of the regional (Land) assemblies. That seems to respect the principle of representation while assuring the primacy of the directly elected chamber.<br /><br />The idea of making eligibility for election to a revising chamber dependent on previous service to the comm weal (to be defined) might also be worth considering. Certainly patronage is not a good principle.Bob Waughhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13698190470561464487noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1638916042737526171.post-63084579969331271742013-10-06T17:43:15.870+01:002013-10-06T17:43:15.870+01:00Thanks LPW - as ever I am more enlightened from re...Thanks LPW - as ever I am more enlightened from reading you. <br /><br />The Irish senate in its post-indy era had one of the greatest of all speeches in English, by Yeats -<br /><br /><br />'. . .I wish to close more seriously; this is a matter of very great seriousness. I think it is tragic that within three years of this country gaining its independence we should be discussing a measure which a minority of this nation considers to be grossly oppressive. I am proud to consider myself a typical man of that minority. We against whom you have done this thing, are no petty people. We are one of the great stocks of Europe. We are the people of Burke; we are the people of Grattan; we are the people of Swift, the people of Emmet, the people of Parnell. . .'<br /><br />Full text here - <br /><br />http://historical-debates.oireachtas.ie/S/0005/S.0005.192506110009.html<br /><br />If we could have such speeches in our Brave New Scotland - but without the cause of course - then I for one would maybe (as Kent Brockman out it) welcome our new masters!<br />Edwin Moorehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05317173893948248954noreply@blogger.com