Early day motion 1235

That this House notes the findings of a Gallup poll published on Friday 9th June on Labour's proposals for a constitutional shake-up of the United Kingdom; welcomes the fact that 56 per cent. of all voters feel that the creation of assemblies for Scotland, Wales and the English regions would weaken national unity, with only 21 per cent. seeing Labour's plans as likely to strengthen the United Kingdom; further notes that 50 per cent. of Labour voters believe that Labour's plans would weaken the United Kingdom; further welcomes the fact that mistrust is highest amongst the 18 to 34 age group with 59 per cent. opposing Labour's plans for the break-up of the United Kingdom; and believes that these findings are complete vindication of the Prime Minister's strong commitment to the union of the United Kingdom.

leave out from `notes' to end and add `that it is Her Majesty's government which has weakened national unity and threatens the cohesion of the United Kingdom by the imposition of an unpopular central dogma which is foisted on all parts of the United Kingdom regardless of local cultures and priorities; and recognises that Labour's policy of constitutional renewal, aimed at decentralising decision making and bringing government closer to the people, will in fact strengthen rather than weaken national unity by ensuring a fairer distribution of power and influence across the United Kingdom.'.

leave out from `Kingdom' to end and add `further notes a Market Research Scotland poll of January this year which showed that a 37% of Scots wished to see Scotland becoming an independent country compared with 19% who opted for the status quo; draws attention to a MORI poll of February 1995 which showed 43% of people in Great Britain do not oppose constitutional change for Scotland compared with only 27% who opposed change; welcomes the victory of the SNP at the Perth and Kinross by-election which the Conservative party portrayed as a referendum on the Union; and believes that Scotland's constitutional future is a matter for the Scottish people to decide and not honourable Members nor the Prime Minister.'.

at end add `and further notes that Labour proposals for a tax raising and legislative assembly in Edinburgh, in isolation, would be unworkable within the United Kingdom's unwritten constitution and unitary parliamentary structure and, if implemented, would provide the European Union, via the Maastricht Treaty structures and subsidiarity, the excuse for dealing direct with Edinburgh, thus increasing the risk of the break-up of the United Kingdom.'.

leave out from 'Kingdom' to end and add 'further notes that the Beaufort Research poll on 1st March showed a two-to-one majority in favour of an elected parliament or assembly for Wales; believes that that the constitutional future of Wales should be decided by the Welsh people and not by the Conservative Party which has never secured an electoral mandate from Welsh voters; asserts that it is their total alienation from Wales that has led to the Conservative Party's slump in Wales from being the third party in the European elections, to the fourth party in the Islwyn by-election, to the fifth party in the unitary authority elections, and to their current all time low rating of under 10 per cent. in Wales as a whole; and challenges the Prime Minister to hold an immediate multi-option referendum which would allow the people of Wales to decide which system of government they prefer.'.