McLeish Beats the Federalist Drum

Henry McLeish has called for a federal United Kingdom on at least a couple of occasions in the past (one here), and here he is doing it again in the Holyrood Magazine:

The constitutional question will not go away! Labour and the other parties need to embrace the politics of identity, diversity and nationality (not nationalism) and evolve an intelligible and coherent alternative to independence.

This has to be a form of federalism. We need a solution for Scotland and not for any particular party; one that will secure all the practical benefits of independence while remaining within a UK union; will stop well short of independence as a political or constitutional reality; and offers the prospect of a radical reform of both Scotland and the Union.

Devo-max represents an option which provides the maximum powers, some form of full fiscal responsibility and retains Scotland within the UK. Independence, in sharp contrast, transfers all powers to Scotland, with full fiscal autonomy and breaks completely the historic, constitutional and political link with the UK. There is now an opportunity for Westminster to join this new debate around a serious alternative. Federalism is the powerful alternative which will allow us to address the “England question” as well as the Barnett formula, the West Lothian Question and the unresolved reform of the House of Lords.

I don't argue with the vision, it's the likelihood of it happening that's the problem. It really is a shame that the Calman Commission was tasked only with looking at - and securing - Scotland's place in Union, when what really needed to be looked at was the Union's place in the governance of England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. As usual we take a piecemeal approach and preferentially pander to whichever separatists make the most noise, failing completely to address the British Question or understand the nationalist equilibrium, particularly in regard to England's place in the Union.