Devolution in England: A New Approach

Variety has always been a feature of the United Kingdom constitution. This variety has allowed Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales to develop along their own paths to- wards decentralised self-government. However, England, the largest nation within the UK, has been left behind. Signs exist that English opinion is now turning against existing arrangements and the discrepancies involved. With these trends in mind, this paper makes the case for an English Devolution Enabling Act. It proposes a way forward that would allow localities and regions within England to take on powers previously exercised by central government, helping to close the democratic gap that has opened up with the remainder of the UK. The appendix provides a more specific idea of how the proposed English Devolution Enabling Act could work.