Section 4.2. Parliament consists of one hundred and eighty-eight Members of Parliament, elected from sixty Mainland constituencies and four Island constituencies – namely the Outer Hebrides (Na h-Eileanan Siar), the Inner Hebrides, the Orkney Isles and the Shetland Isles.
Please scrutinise all the proposed amendments and replies before commenting or voting. Short comments are most often read and must not exceed 100 words. You can propose an Amendment at the bottom of this page - please read the guidelines .
Note that the original wording appears again first below and sustains the same comment & voting regime as all other amendment proposals.
Section 4.2. Section 4.2. Parliament consists of one hundred and eighty-eight Members of Parliament, elected from sixty Mainland constituencies and four Island constituencies – namely the Outer Hebrides (Na h-Eileanan Siar), the Inner Hebrides, the Orkney Isles and the Shetland Isles.
Section 4.2. Population changes, hence numbers needed change. Or aspects of parlt's functioning may evolve in future in ways now unforseen, changing the effective membership.
So to fix numbers in the constitution asks for future anomaly + crisis. Remember how the English, soon to become British, parlt got its seats fixed in aspic in the constitution of 1689, for 140 years there could not even be seat boundary reviews; it ended up ridiculously mismatched to changed reality, even with buyable unpopulated seats, + not allowed to provide new seats for the new industrial cities, until the great reform 1832.
Section 4.2. If constituencies have only three members each, the elections are not likely to be as proportional as may be wanted. The Electoral Reform Society has analysed numerous elections under various systems, and should be consulted. They would prefer four or five members per constituency.
Section 4.2. 4.2 Potential to widen constituency representation.
Parliament consists of one hundred and eighty-eight Members of Parliament, with five Members elected from each of thirty-six Mainland Constituencies and two Members elected from each of four Island Constituencies - namely the Outer Hebrides (Na h-Eileanan Siar), the Inner Hebrides, the Orkney Isles and the Shetland Isles.
Section 4.2. Fewer constituencies, each with a higher number of elected representatives will provide the opportunity for smaller parties to achieve representation and provide a wider range of interests and capabilities.
Section 4.2. The proposed amendment seeks to penalise island communities based on proportion of population and ignores the vast natural resources (Seabed, Fishing, Wind Energy, Tidal Energy, Oil, Gas) of the island communities, this would detract from the elected members ability to serve the interests of the islands by unbalancing parliament in favour of mainland constituencies.
Section 4.2. This proposed amendment takes into account that the population of the mainland constituencies would have a population that is on average more than five times that of the individual island constituencies and also takes into consideration that the mainland constituencies possess considerable under-utilised natural resources.
Section 4.2. Referring to this and the later proposed amendment by Skeggi, I'll need to think further on the respective electorate in each constituency. I'm well connected in several of the Inner Hebrides and support stronger representation but for practical reasons they'll not make a constituency, assuming it is intended to embrace Skye, Raasay, the four Small Isles, Mull, Iona, Coll, Tiree, Islay, Jura and Colonsay, etc. They were well-connected during the Lordship of the Isles but not since!
Section 4.2. Section 4.2. Section 4.2. Parliament consists of one hundred and eighty-eight Members of Parliament, elected from sixty Mainland constituencies and four Island constituencies – namely the Outer Hebrides (Na h-Eileanan Siar), the Inner Hebrides, the Orkney Isles and the Shetland Isles. Each member will be limited to two full terms in office.
Section 4.2. Limiting the number of terms an MP can remain in office... an interesting idea which needs some thought. It would end the concept of 'career politics' and encourage many more public spirited people to participate knowing they would be returning to a private life afterwards. We would lose the old experienced hands who currently fill the senior and leadership posts... it would probably raise the profile of the Civil Service ... I think this would need a lot more debate before it became a constitutional matter.
Section 4.2. 4.2. Equal number of elected members of Parliament per constituency.
Parliament consists of one hundred and ninety-two Members of Parliament, elected from sixty Mainland constituencies and four Island constituencies – namely the Outer Hebrides (Na h-Eileanan Siar), the Inner Hebrides, the Orkney Isles and the Shetland Isles.
Section 4.2. This proposed amendment is alongside my proposed amendment to section 4.6, where I propose that each constituency is represented by three Members of Parliament, bringing equal Parliamentary representation to each constituency.
Section 4.2. Referring to this and the earlier proposed amendment by Bennachie I'll need to think further on the respective electorate in each constituency. I'm well connected in several of the Inner Hebrides and support stronger representation but for practical reasons they'll not make a constituency, assuming it is intended to embrace Skye, Raasay, the four Small Isles, Mull, Iona, Coll, Tiree, Islay, Jura and Colonsay, etc. They were well-connected during the Lordship of the Isles but not since!
Section 4.2. Section 4.2 Parliament consists of one hundred and eighty-eight Members of Parliament, elected from thirty-six Mainland constituencies and four Island constituencies - namely the Outer Hebrides (Na h-Eileanan Siar), the Inner Hebrides, the Orkney Isles and the Shetland Isles.
Proposed Amendments to Section
Please scrutinise all the proposed amendments and replies before commenting or voting. Short comments are most often read and must not exceed 100 words.
You can propose an Amendment at the bottom of this page - please read the guidelines .
Note that the original wording appears again first below and sustains the same comment & voting regime as all other amendment proposals.
Original Version
Section 4.2. Section 4.2. Parliament consists of one hundred and eighty-eight Members of Parliament, elected from sixty Mainland constituencies and four Island constituencies – namely the Outer Hebrides (Na h-Eileanan Siar), the Inner Hebrides, the Orkney Isles and the Shetland Isles.
Section 4.2. There is a strong likelihood that all three seats in mainland constituencies would be filled by the main political parties.
Section 4.2. Population changes, hence numbers needed change. Or aspects of parlt's functioning may evolve in future in ways now unforseen, changing the effective membership.
So to fix numbers in the constitution asks for future anomaly + crisis. Remember how the English, soon to become British, parlt got its seats fixed in aspic in the constitution of 1689, for 140 years there could not even be seat boundary reviews; it ended up ridiculously mismatched to changed reality, even with buyable unpopulated seats, + not allowed to provide new seats for the new industrial cities, until the great reform 1832.
Section 4.2. If constituencies have only three members each, the elections are not likely to be as proportional as may be wanted. The Electoral Reform Society has analysed numerous elections under various systems, and should be consulted. They would prefer four or five members per constituency.
Proposed Amendment to Section 4.2.
Section 4.2. 4.2 Potential to widen constituency representation.
Parliament consists of one hundred and eighty-eight Members of Parliament, with five Members elected from each of thirty-six Mainland Constituencies and two Members elected from each of four Island Constituencies - namely the Outer Hebrides (Na h-Eileanan Siar), the Inner Hebrides, the Orkney Isles and the Shetland Isles.
Section 4.2. Fewer constituencies, each with a higher number of elected representatives will provide the opportunity for smaller parties to achieve representation and provide a wider range of interests and capabilities.
Section 4.2. The proposed amendment seeks to penalise island communities based on proportion of population and ignores the vast natural resources (Seabed, Fishing, Wind Energy, Tidal Energy, Oil, Gas) of the island communities, this would detract from the elected members ability to serve the interests of the islands by unbalancing parliament in favour of mainland constituencies.
Section 4.2. This proposed amendment takes into account that the population of the mainland constituencies would have a population that is on average more than five times that of the individual island constituencies and also takes into consideration that the mainland constituencies possess considerable under-utilised natural resources.
Section 4.2. Referring to this and the later proposed amendment by Skeggi, I'll need to think further on the respective electorate in each constituency. I'm well connected in several of the Inner Hebrides and support stronger representation but for practical reasons they'll not make a constituency, assuming it is intended to embrace Skye, Raasay, the four Small Isles, Mull, Iona, Coll, Tiree, Islay, Jura and Colonsay, etc. They were well-connected during the Lordship of the Isles but not since!
Proposed Amendment to Section 4.2.
Term limits
Section 4.2. Section 4.2. Section 4.2. Parliament consists of one hundred and eighty-eight Members of Parliament, elected from sixty Mainland constituencies and four Island constituencies – namely the Outer Hebrides (Na h-Eileanan Siar), the Inner Hebrides, the Orkney Isles and the Shetland Isles. Each member will be limited to two full terms in office.
Section 4.2. Limiting the number of terms an MP can remain in office... an interesting idea which needs some thought. It would end the concept of 'career politics' and encourage many more public spirited people to participate knowing they would be returning to a private life afterwards. We would lose the old experienced hands who currently fill the senior and leadership posts... it would probably raise the profile of the Civil Service ... I think this would need a lot more debate before it became a constitutional matter.
Proposed Amendment to Section 4.2.
Section 4.2. 4.2. Equal number of elected members of Parliament per constituency.
Parliament consists of one hundred and ninety-two Members of Parliament, elected from sixty Mainland constituencies and four Island constituencies – namely the Outer Hebrides (Na h-Eileanan Siar), the Inner Hebrides, the Orkney Isles and the Shetland Isles.
Section 4.2. This proposed amendment is alongside my proposed amendment to section 4.6, where I propose that each constituency is represented by three Members of Parliament, bringing equal Parliamentary representation to each constituency.
Section 4.2. Referring to this and the earlier proposed amendment by Bennachie I'll need to think further on the respective electorate in each constituency. I'm well connected in several of the Inner Hebrides and support stronger representation but for practical reasons they'll not make a constituency, assuming it is intended to embrace Skye, Raasay, the four Small Isles, Mull, Iona, Coll, Tiree, Islay, Jura and Colonsay, etc. They were well-connected during the Lordship of the Isles but not since!
Proposed Amendment to Section 4.2.
Section 4.2. Section 4.2 Parliament consists of one hundred and eighty-eight Members of Parliament, elected from thirty-six Mainland constituencies and four Island constituencies - namely the Outer Hebrides (Na h-Eileanan Siar), the Inner Hebrides, the Orkney Isles and the Shetland Isles.