What do they think they are playing at?

My umbrella blog colleague The Huntsman has usefully picked up an article from Sunday's Scotsman about the West Lothian question. Both pieces are well worth reading. The Scotsman includes a contribution by Tam Dalyell explaining the origin of the phrase, while The Huntsman provides a fluent background summary from an unashamedly English viewpoint.

The main part of The Scotsman's article and The Huntsman's commentary concerns answers proposed by three scots Labour MPs to what they may call up there "The English Question". All have the political sense not to ask why scots Labour MPs can't simply say they won't vote on purely English laws (answer: it would make the Defence Secretary look silly, it would make the International Development Secretary look silly, it would make the Chancellor look silly, it would make the Prime Minister look silly, and it might stop Labour getting occasional English bills through).

Most of the MPs who commented followed the party line by saying it wasn't urgent, it would need further study etc and kicked it back into the long grass. But three self important scots Labour MPs decided to share their views with the reporters. The general thrust is that they think the english should have more devolution whether we want it or not.

Doubtless they have now had pretty frosty sessions in the Labour whips' office, and been reminded that party policy on this is to say nothing, since there is no course of action which can avoid causing Labour political damage - hence the stonewalling by Ruth Kelly, Jack Straw and Gordon McBroon among others.

Even if Labour did want to do something - and it doesn't - there is no chance whatever that this cautious scots Prime Minister would impose a Regional assembly on an english "region" after the thumping referendum defeat in the north east.

And of course there is even less chance that he would offer another referendum on the subject, since it would renew clamour for a referendum on the EU constitution and he would be 99.9% certain to lose it.

So what were these scots MPs doing? Is there some devious political game being played here? Probably not. These minor players let their self-importance get the better of them when a reporter asked for their opinions on something.

The whips' office probably told them they had better hope it wouldn't get picked up by the Tories or make the London press. As The Huntsman points out, so far it hasn't. Thanks to him, maybe that will change. Booker, anyone? Simon Heffer, maybe?