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The Scotland and Wales Bill has passed' its sccond reading and is now in the committee stage. The main change has been that the government has agreed to hold a referendum Faced with this Bill the Tory party has descended to the vulgarity of public bickering. The front bench put down a three line whip to oppose the Bill. Large scale purges have made way for the rise of Teddy Taylor to new eminence. Mr. Taylor has since explained that the appointment of an anti-devolutionist as Shadow Scottish Secretary does not mean a change of Tory policy. Meanwhile Edward Heath has proclaimed that support for devolution is the only way to preserve the union.
Opposition has also come from within the Labour party. It consists in a chorus of horror at the evils of nationalism.
The SNP is supporting the Bill - either because they consider it the best deal that can be had or because it is as far as they want to go in such volatile political circumstances. It is not clear which.
An amendment has been put down to remove Wales from the provisions of the bill - mainly on the initiative of the Welsh Tories, few as they are. Two amendments one from the Tories and one from Jo Grimond of the Liberals aim to make capital from the disquiet felt in the Shetlands at the prospect of an Edinburgh government.
Attempts are also being made in committee to extend the economic powers of the assemblies.
This is unlikely to succeed as are the various attempts to ensure that clections will be by proportional representation. The main obstacle here seems to be that conceding PR for the assemblies would make it impossible to oppose it for Westminster which could put paid to the two party system. in addition there seems to be considerable fear of increasing the influence of Scotlands large urban working class. Onc MP has gone so far as to suggest that the votes of country dwellers should be counted twice!
Quite what will emerge from the clouds of dust thus kicked up in the palace of Westminster is currently obscure.
MARTIN O'LEARY