The appointment of John Reid to be the Health Secretary is an insult to every English MP. As a Scottish MP he has neither responsibility for nor any influence over the Scottish Health Service, which is under the control of the Scottish Parliament. This underlines the Heath Robinson botch-up of the Blair constitutional reforms.

The constitutional treatment of England is shameful. Scottish MPs, still massively over represented, can vote on matters that affect only English people in education,transport , health, planning and industrial development. The case for an English Parliament at Westminster grows stronger all the time. The voters of England need a Parliament with powers at least equal to that of England. It is a political need that cries out for a voice. I believe this is the only way we will in the years ahead hold together the federation of the United Kingdom.