Just Saying...

UK elections take place every 5 years, well they're supposed to but lately, it has all been a bit mental. Anyway, in UK Government elections all 4 nations vote and are represented in Westminster. As we are a union of equals it would seem fair that each nation gets the same number of MPs. Unfortunately, that's not how it works.

The UK parliament is made up of 650 MPs. To have an equal union each member nation should have 162.5 MPs however this is not what happens. Here is the breakdown of the UK 2019 election.

533 England
059 Scotland
040 Wales
018 Northern Ireland

As you can see England get 533 MPs and the other 3 nations have a total of 117. An English majority of 416 MPs - not exactly as equal as we are told. I know England has a higher population but that should not mean they should get more MPs, especially as we are told we are a union of equals.

Let's have some fun.
Here's a bit of fun to prove my point. Imagine if football was played using Westminster rules.

The big game has arrived, Scotland vs England so let's look at some stats.
Scotland has a population of 5.4m people and England has a population of 54m, which, in Westminster, equates to 533 England MPs and 59 Scotland MPs, a ratio of 9:1

By playing Westminster rules football the Scotland football team would get 11 players (the current standard) but as this is Westminster rules football, England would get 99 players. A bit like a simplified Barnett formula. It's not exactly a level playing field is it?

Clearly, it would be silly to play football like that BUT this is how we allow our political system to work. Sadly though, in politics, the ball is peoples lives and it doesn't often end well..

If we think about this in more detail, we then find that under Westminster rules football, the head of the football association that sets the rules (the UK PM) is also the manager of Englands football team. Not only that but and he/she is also the referee. They also get to steal the other teams resources in order to weaken the opposition.

The head of the football association (UK PM) also gets to set how much money each team gets for training facilities, wages etc.

Q1. What do you think the chances of Scotland winning are now?
Q2. Who do you think is going to get priority funding?
Q3. Why would you even bother taking part in a game that's so clearly one-sided?

A1. None
A2. England
A3. It's not about winning, it's about taking part (that's what they want you to believe).

Not so much fun when you realise that that is how politics actually works in the UK. Politics isn't a game and people are dying as a result of Westminster rules but Scotland still seems to want to take part in this charade. We vote, we elect and then wonder why we get pumped every time we try to play by the rules.

It's time to stop playing by their rules. It's time to pick up the ball and go home. Time to rewrite the rules for a fairer game.

Are You Yes Yet?

Andy