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# The latest answer to the English Question
- URL: https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/the-latest-answer-to-the-english-question/
- Published: 2008-06-09T14:06:38.000Z
- Updated: 2019-02-14T22:40:44.000Z
- Author: Tom Griffin
- Tags: #en, #Migrated, #Import 2026-04-09 18:41

**Tom Griffin (London,** [**The Green Ribbon**](http://tomgriffin.typepad.com/?ref=opendemocracy.net)**):** [The Telegraph](http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/politics/conservative/2094103/David-Cameron-backs-Tory-plan-to-block-Scottish-MPs-from-voting-on-English-laws.html?ref=opendemocracy.net) has an interesting leak from the Conservative Party's long-awaited Democracy Task Force report. It claims that Ken Clarke's committee has rejected Malcolm Rifkind's proposals for an English Grand Committee.

*Instead, he is said to have advised allowing all MPs to vote on English legislation at the initial second reading stage of parliamentary scrutiny.* 
*But only English MPs would get to vote during the detailed committee stage of the legislative process, where real changes can be effected.* 
*At the third and final reading, all MPs could once again vote, but a new parliamentary undertaking would prevent any party using Scottish votes to block amendments made by English MPs.*

A sceptical Gareth Young has dubbed the plan ['English pauses for English causes.'](http://toque.co.uk/blog/?p=921&ref=opendemocracy.net) [Iain Dale](http://iaindale.blogspot.com/2008/06/english-parliament-clarke-solution-is.html?ref=opendemocracy.net) has denounced it as a sop.