David Harding-Price

By David Harding-Price davidhardingprice

Tomorrow Scotland votes on the biggest decision our islands have faced in generations – whether they should gain independence. However, less than 10% of the population of the United Kingdom will get a say in the fate of the Union.

I do think it is right that Scots are able to vote on whether they become an independent nation. The problem lies in that if they do vote in favour of leaving the United Kingdom, it will have a serious impact on the remaining countries of the United Kingdom. If the media are to be believed, there are no contingency plans in place in the event of a ‘Yes’ vote. The impact could well be chaos.

However, what should happen in if Scotland decides to stay? Can everything stay as it was? The ‘Better Together’ Campaign has already announced new powers will be given to Holyrood Parliament if a ‘No’ verdict is reached. But what about the rest of the United Kingdom?

The Welsh Assembly is likely to get an increase in the powers it currently has, similar to Scotland. These are likely to include measures to vary income tax and devolve control of policing, which would be in addition to health and education services currently controlled from The Welsh Assembly.

The big question is what about more powers for England? This issue has been running since Scottish devolution in 1997, with Scottish MPs still being allowed to vote on matters that did not affect Scotland. This so-callled ‘West Lothian’ Question is yet to be answered, but it is likely that it will have to be resolved sooner rather than later.

One answer is to have a series of Regional Assemblies with certain powers transferred from Westminster. Personally, I see difficulties in the working of this, especially if NHS and education powers would be transferred, creating a difference across the UK in treatment and educational standards. It has been suggested that areas with a unique and cultural identity such as Cornwall or Yorkshire might have these Regional Assemblies, but that still leaves most of England with mixed messages.

Another option would be the establishment of an English Parliament. Giving all the four devolved parliaments equal powers and responsibilities, this would see a reduction in the role of Westminster and the creation of a federal system more akin to that in Germany or the United States.

The most likely solution would be a reorganisation of business at Westminster, allowing time in the House for England only or English-Welsh only matters, with Scottish MPs excluded from those sessions. It is not the perfect solution, especially if the minister in charge of the department is Scottish.

I personally hope that Scotland stays within the UK family. As Aesop points out we are a stronger nation together, and despite our differences, we have shown through our sporting endeavours, we are all too alike to be apart. However, one thing is certain: whichever way the vote goes on Thursday, we will see changes in our great country.

David is a retired NHS nurse, but is currently the Royal College of Nursing’s Council Member for the East Midlands and is Honorary Treasurer of the RCN. David was also a Lib Dem MP candidate for Lincoln in the past. He has two grown up children and enjoys photography and swimming in his spare time.

By David Harding-Price davidhardingprice

As the summer holidays end and children head back to school, so will hundreds of thousands of teachers across the country. But is this profession at breaking point?

From speaking to teachers in Lincoln, one thing that strikes me is that they care passionately about children and about giving them the best education possible, but increasingly they feel their work is being undermined and the focus is being taken away from teaching by ever-increasing workloads, constant changes to the curriculum, and the negative rhetoric coming from the Department of Education, particularly from the recent Education Secretary Michael Gove.

Around 40% of newly qualified teachers leave the profession within the first five years. If I ran a business where that many of my new recruits left, then I’d be seriously looking at my processes and working practices.

The government’s response however, seems to be to encourage even more people to train to be teachers, rather than work to retain the current workforce.

Primary school teachers in particular seem to be most under pressure. Endless targets, assessments, planning and regulations leads to a classroom full of numbers rather than personalities which need to be nurtured and developed.

It is important teachers are in the classrooms inspiring our children to learn new things, not being distracted by endless paperwork.

Education is important in providing opportunities for all and this week the Liberal Democrats are launching our pre-Manifesto, which includes a big commitment on education, namely protecting the education budget, ensuring every child is taught a core-curriculum by a qualified teacher and tripling the early years pupil premium to ensure the poorest children get the best start to their education.

As more and more exasperated teachers’ stories are published in the national media, most recently an article in this weekend’s Independent, awareness over the issues the teaching profession faces increases.

I feel the government needs to address teachers’ concerns in order to provide our children with the best possible education – something I care passionately about.

My message to the new education secretary Nicky Morgan, and to whoever holds the post after the general election is: talk to teachers, go into schools and see what works and what doesn’t, collaborate with educators in order to find the best way forward for the profession in order to provide the best education to our young people.

That is the way to ensure a world-class education system – not a doctrine inspired vision of how one individual sees their own education of old.

David is a retired NHS nurse, but is currently the Royal College of Nursing’s Council Member for the East Midlands and is Honorary Treasurer of the RCN. David was also a Lib Dem MP candidate for Lincoln in the past. He has two grown up children and enjoys photography and swimming in his spare time.