Capital Ideas

[steepholm]

A few posts ago I suggested that if David Cameron really wanted to spike Alex Salmond's guns (and stuff his mouth with gold at the same time) he could do worse than promise to move the capital of the UK to Glasgow in the event of a No vote in Scotland. It probably sounded like a joke, but it wasn't. Moving the capital would have numerous advantages.

• It would help reverse the ever-increasing concentration of power and population in London, which is not only in England but in the corner of England at the greatest distance from the other nations of the UK


• It would demonstrate the UK's commitment to Scotland


• It would encourage investment in travel infrastructure. Once the MPs who live out their days within the M25 experience what it's like elsewhere, cash will follow


• It would free up Westminster to become the seat of an English parliament. With the UK parliament located elsewhere, the absence of such a body and the injustice of the same would surely become apparent to all. (Alternatively, it could be the seat of the South-East Regional Assembly, with others in Plymouth, Birmingham, York and Runcorn - the last to avoid arguments between the Liverpudlians and Mancunians, and as a sly tribute to Hexwood)

An alternative suggestion is to choose a truly central UK location, and for this purpose I would propose Anglesey. It's an economically depressed area, and the travel links in North Wales are even worse than in most of the rest of the UK. Besides, there's historical precedent for it - look at the Druids!

The more I think about this, the more obvious a suggestion it seems.

Comments

[adaese.livejournal.com]

Alternative regional capitals - how about Bamburgh, York, Tamworth, Canterbury, Selsea and Winchester? Essex might want to consider moving their capital from London to Colchester, thus leaving London a deserted wilderness inhabited only by bandits, woses, bankers and the media.

[steepholm.livejournal.com]

I'm totally open to negotiation on the regional capitals - but your heptarchical suggestion definitely appeals!

leaving London a deserted wilderness inhabited only by bandits, woses, bankers and the media.

In stark contrast to the present day!

[oho.livejournal.com]

I would abolish the dated and pointless idea of the 'capital' completely.

What is the capital? A town where the parliament sits?

Here is a solution: there are 4 Kingdoms in the Union so each new parliament sits in a capital of the kingdom with biggest proportion of people bothered to come to a general election. However if it happens there are two (or more) kingdoms with same highest percentage (lets say 12% of all Scottish electorate and same 12% in Northern Ireland) then the capital is nominated to great town Da Shit, moreover it is now the official ‘ British Venice’.

[steepholm.livejournal.com]

It's appealing, certainly, in terms of increasing vote turnout (at least in the nominated cities); but even I worry a little about the duplication of office space, facilities, etc. The Strasbourg parliamentary white elephant is bad enough!

[oho.livejournal.com]

All debates shall be via Skype! Tolerating the bad breath of speakers while sitting opposite on the front bench - this is soooo last century.

[steepholm.livejournal.com]

Now you're talking!

[shewhomust.livejournal.com]

If Caerleon-on-Usk was good enough for Arthur...

[cmcmck.livejournal.com]

Restoration of home rule for Kent, I say! We could join up with Nord Pas de Calais and West Flanders.

Oh wait................

[veronica-milvus.livejournal.com]

I'm suggesting my home town of Stoke on Trent. Appealingly central, with good transport links. And very, very cheap second homes for MPs.

[steepholm.livejournal.com]

It should certainly be based somewhere that the economy needs a boost: there's no point in just making rich places richer..

[wellinghall.livejournal.com]

Anglesey is not central. It may be roughly half-way north / south, but that isn't the same thing.

[steepholm.livejournal.com]

It's pretty central if you take Northern Ireland into account.

[wellinghall.livejournal.com]

Good point.

[ethelmay.livejournal.com]

In homage to DWJ (and possibly even Bunyan), obviously there should be the PM's Progress.

[steepholm.livejournal.com]

In Cameron's case, it will probably be Regress (in homage to CSL).