Is Gordon Brown too Scottish to be PM?
Back in May an ICM poll for the BBC’s Politics Show asked if, in light of devolution, it was right or wrong that a Scottish MP can become Prime Minister of the whole UK. Then only 45% thought it was right, with 52% saying no. Professor John Curtice cast doubt on the poll earlier this week saying that it was a leading question.
A YouGov poll in today’s Telegraph asks a similar question, but with slightly different wording. YouGov asked whether an MP for a Scottish constituency should be able to be Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, or if they should be barred. 56% thought they should be able to serve as PM, only 25% said they should be barred from serving.
The main differences in the wording are that ICM asked about right/wrong and YouGov asked if MPs from Scottish constituencies should actually be barred from serving as PM (it is possible to think that something is ‘wrong’ without thinking it should be actually banned), secondly YouGov spelt out in the text that Gordon Brown was an MP for a Scottish seat, so answers were more likely ot be skewed by pro-or-anti Brown sentiment, and thirdly YouGov’s actual wording said “a Westminster MP for a Scottish constituency” as opposed to “a Scottish MP” in the ICM/Politics Show poll.
Finally, a Populus poll for the Daily Politics on Friday asked whether “Now there is a Scottish Parliament and a Welsh assembly the next Prime Minister ought to come from England” – 40% agreed, 53% disagreed.
I shall leave it up to you to decide how fair you think the wording is the three polls – to an extent it is irrelevant anyway. What would matter is whether people felt strongly enough about the location of Gordon Brown’s constituency to prevent them from voting Labour under his leadership, and neither poll gives any idea of what extent, if any, that is true.
YouGov’s poll also asked about the position of Scottish MPs in general post-devolution, and the continuation of the Barnett formula. 55% of people thought that Scottish MPs should be banned from voting on matters affecting on England, and this included a plurality (46%) of respondents in Scotland. Interestingly though, this figure is falling, not rising – in February 2004 YouGov asked the same question and 67% of people thought Scottish MPs should not be able to vote on matters affecting only England and Wales. A very slight fall was also seen in a YouGov poll commissioned by the English Democrats Party which found support for an English Parliament fall by 1 point since 2004 to 23%, and support for only English MPs being able to vote on issues affecting only England falling 4 points to 43%.
On the Barnett Formula there were far sharper differences in opinion between Scotland and the rest of the country. Only 11% of respondents in England thought that Scotland should continue to receive extra spending, while 74% of Scots agreed; 70% of English respondents thought that the Barnett formula should be scrapped, only 12% of Scots did.
Finally (in the tradition of the rather more frivolous story about skateboarding dogs at the end of the 6 o’clock news), YouGov asked about Gordon Brown’s professed support for England in World Cup. 34% of people thought that Brown genuinely wanted England to win, 45% though he was just pretending.
Filed under: Populus, Scotland, YouGov
Simon Moore Says:
September 24th, 2006 at 10:35 am
Tony Blair IS Scottish.
TB gets my sympathy but rarely.
He is perceived as Scottish in England, and as English in Scotland.
He may have to choose if Scotland elects an anti-Trident, pro-Independence majority in May.
I think Simon, Kescomw and John have missed the point.
It isn’t a question of nationality, it’s about accountability.
Blair, a Scott was elected in an English constancy therefore
he as a mandate to represent his English constituents.
Brown was elected in a Scottish constancy but because of
devolution he as no say in what happens to his constituents.
He as no mandate in Scotland concerning devolved matters
and at the same time he as no mandate in England because
nobody voted for him.
If Brown was English and represented a Scottish constituency
the problem would still be the same.
Sorry, I forgot to check the spell checker ;o)
For constancy read constituency.
I think Gordon Brown is being picked on because of his ethnicity. His job is not to represent England, Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland. His Job is to represent us all as one nation and Britian can hardly be called one nation if everyone in England demand that all Prime Ministers be English.
Even if Brown didnt vote on English matters he would still be picked on for being Scottish. I also believe that if he is voted out next election that his ethnicity will be the main reason. Scotland is becoming more and more for seperation, so voting out a Prime Minister because he is Scottish is hardly the way to convince Scotland that we are all equal and better off together.
English MPs and Prime Ministers have ruled over Scotland for for 3 centuries now, so i think its very hypocritical and racist for England to now turn round and say Brown is unfit to lead Great Britian because he is Scottish.
If this is the case then Scotland may as well just vote for independence and she obviously wont be treated fairly in the Union.
It’s clear from Brown and Salmond that Scotland has evolved a very distinct ( rather in the same way that Northern Ireland has done) tradition from England. My feeling is that as long as it doesn’t cost any money Scotland can go as far as the average English voter cares.
Im sorry, but i believe England is very very prejudice towards Scotland and Scottish people in general. As one person has said in here, England PMs have ruled over Scotland for 3 centuries, so it is hypocritical for England to say a Scot shouldnt rule Britain. I think the reason is that most English people believe England is Britain and Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are just subjects. Scotland weilds alot of power and resources for such a small country so im not surprised English people resent this.
More to the point, Westminster Parliament is practically the parliament of England. And it can be argued the Conservative party is the National party of England. This would explain why they look set to win the next election as a Scotsman is currently PM.
Yes i believe in an English parliament, but somehow i dont think that would satisfy people in England, and Gordon Brown would still be hated as PM because he is Scottish. Borris Johnson now elected Mayor of London who represents the Conservative party said on national television that a Scotsman should never be PM, and this was before Gordon Brown was the PM.
Also look at the language used regarding Brown and the Labour party. They are refered to as the “Scottish Maffia” by English people and English MPs. Brown is slated as a Stalin like socialist bent on destroying England because he is a Scotsman. Overall i think England is bigoted and Scotlands only option is to vote for independence as she will never find equality in the British Union with England never showing any respect or decency to her.
@Mr Man – A few points: –
1, Do you consider all English people to be “bigoted” – that doesn’t do much for your argument as you automatically label yourself the same.
2, “Also look at the language used regarding Brown and the Labour party. They are refered to as the “Scottish Maffia” by English people and English MPs. Brown is slated as a Stalin like socialist bent on destroying England because he is a Scotsman” – No, we call him that beacuase he is that and it has nothing to do with where he is from. In fact Scottish friends of mine are critical of him (SNP Supporters) as being more pro england and the english system than Scotland’s.
Sorry but I have no problem with a scottish PM, I just struggle with a crap one.
It still sticks in my gullet when I hear Brown or other MPs from Scottish seats talking about matters such as education for which they have responsibility in England but not in relation to services in their own constituency. particularly when England is worse funded for the services in question than other parts of the United KIngdom. Ie. Labour has done nothing to address the “West Lothian question”.
Note that this is nothing to do with Mr. Brown’s ethnicity. He could have moved to England and sat for an English seat. Indeed Blair, who people tend to frget came from Edinburgh did just that.
However, I don’t think Brown is being picked on now because of his ethnicity in any case. His overwhelming problem is the state of the economy, exaccerbated by his poor political presentation.