William Hague, the Leader of the House of Commons, was in Burnham-On-Sea on Wednesday (February 18th) to back a campaign for ‘English votes for English laws’.
Mr Hague threw his support behind local Conservative parliamentary candidate James Heappey’s ‘Fair Votes for All’ campaign, which coincides with the run-up to May’s General Election.
In his role as patron of the ‘Fair Votes’ campaign, Mr Heappey was joined by the First Secretary of State in Burnham as he gathered signatures for a petition.
William Hague, who has drawn up much of the proposals for English Votes for English Laws, spoke to several Burnham residents to gather support for the campaign.
The petition, online here, states that ‘when Parliament makes decisions affecting only the people of England, or England and Wales then those decisions should be made only by the Members of Parliament elected to represent England, or England and Wales; and; the Petitioners therefore request that the House of Commons creates fairness in the devolution settlement by ensuring decisions having a separate and distinct effect on England, or England and Wales, are decided only by the Members of Parliament elected to represent England, or England and Wales.’
Mr Heappey said: “I’m very grateful to William for joining us as I launched the ‘Fair Votes for All’ campaign in the Wells Constituency. It’s an important matter for local residents here. Why should someone elected in Braemar continue to have a say on what happens here in Burnham when we will soon have no say on what goes on up there. The SNP have made no secret of their intention to throw their weight around in the next Parliament, especially if part of a coalition with Ed Miliband. People in Somerset need the security of knowing that Scottish MPs cannot hold us to ransom and that we all have a fair say.”
William Hague with campaigners during his visit to Burnham on Wednesday (photos by Mike Lang)
