Labour warned of 'constitution mongering' with devolved assemblies holding 'radical' views: 'They're a waste of money!'

Labour warned of 'constitution mongering' with devolved assemblies holding 'radical' views: 'They're a waste of money!'

WATCH NOW: John O'Sullivan claims the devolved assemblies in Scotland and Wales are a 'waste of money'

GBNA
Georgia Pearce

By Georgia Pearce


Published: 15/07/2024

- 20:48

Former Labour Prime Minister Sir Tony Blair introduced the Scottish and Welsh devolutions in 1997

Political Commentator John O'Sullivan has warned Labour that the Governments of Scotland and Wales are "dangerous", as he claimed there is a rise in "radical views" held by the devolved nations.

In 1997, former Labour Prime Minister Sir Tony Blair introduced the Scottish and Welsh devolutions by holding a referendum, which was won for both nations.


Speaking to GB News, O'Sullivan explained that although the decisions were not seen as "dangerous" at the time, they are now a threat of "reducing the democratic control that voters have on Government".

O'Sullivan also claimed that the devolved Governments of the UK are a "waste of money".

Keir Starmer and John O'Sullivan

John O'Sullivan claims devolved assemblies are a 'waste of money'

PA / GBN America

O'Sullivan told GBN America Correspondent Steven Edginton: "The thing about 1997 is when you look back, and I didn't notice that at the time, but the second and third Labour victories were achieved on a small percentage of the national vote.

"And the kind of measures that they brought in didn't frighten people at the time."

Criticising the decision by Blair, O'Sullivan explained: "Those measures now look to have been quite dangerous in terms of reducing the democratic control the voters have over Government.

"One of those was the Human Rights Act, and another was devolution, the creation of Scottish and Welsh assemblies.

Sir Keir Starmer and Scottish Labour

Sir Keir Starmer recently invited Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar and the new intake of Scottish Labour MPs to Downing Street

PA

"The very nicest thing you can say about those decisions about devolution is that the two assemblies are, among other things, a waste of money."

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Sharing his view on why the devolved parliaments of Scotland and Wales have the potential to be "dangerous" for the UK, O'Sullivan claimed that they give a platform to people who hold "radical social views".

O'Sullivan said: "They give a platform to people who have quite radical social views and present themselves as nationalists who want to defend Scottish interests, but then have introduced some really objectionable, anti-libertarian, anti-liberal legal measures.

"For example, the Hate Crime and Public Order (Scotland) Bill that was introduced. It is a monstrous attempt to regulate free speech even in the home."

Issuing a warning to Labour, O'Sullivan claimed that the party's "constitution mongering" would "not play well" with the British voters.

John O'Sullivan

John O'Sullivan said Scotland and Wales's devolved assemblies hold 'radical' views

GBNA

He told GBNA: "That kind of thing never plays well in the long run with ordinary people. They sense that it's too much Government and Government that is too intrusive.

"If we're going to have more constitution mongering of that kind under this new Labour Government, as apparently, Gordon Brown is still influential with the party intends, I think that's going to be much more controversial this time.

"People are more alert to the dangers of constitutional tinkering, which turns out to be increasing regulations over people, not over companies, not over industry, but over people."

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