The West Wiltshire Question

[danieldwilliam]

My Lovely Wife’s nephew and his girlfriend came to visit just after New Year. Their visit followed the earlier visit home of Bluebird. All three visitors were complaining vociferously about Michael Gove, his actual policies and the way he makes them.

Education is a devolved matter. The Scottish Parliament and Scottish Government handle education policy and local governments in Scotland deal with the provision of actual education. So far, so good. My vote and my efforts in civic society have as much of an influence on my son’s education as anyone else’s. 

My daughter lives in West Wiltshire.

In theory my Edinburgh MP has a vote on English education policy. In practise, I’m not sure how much of an interest he takes in the matter. I certainly have no say in the running of the local authority that is delivering my daughter’s education.

As a Scot, living and voting in Scotland, should I have?

Comments

[f4f3.livejournal.com]

Well Gove is a Scot, and he certainly has.

[danieldwilliam.livejournal.com]

He's Aberdonian.

I am ashamed.

[f4f3.livejournal.com]

Well one of you should be...

[andrewducker]

I wouldn't say you have _no_ say. A stiffly worded letter to the education authority (or equivalent) about their treatment of your daughter would probably get as much traction as one written from anywhere in England.

Beyond that, I'm not convinced that you should have any more say than if your child was being educated in France. Or Australia, where she would at least get a cool t-shirt.

[danieldwilliam.livejournal.com]

So, I’m not convinced that I ought to have a say either but, it is an issue in which I have an obvious interest and something which I’m being asked to pay for through my tax contribution.

I’m not *sure* I’d feel any less ambivalence about the matter if BB lived in Australia.

So is it a question of nation-state or nationality? Or administrative simplicity?

I get more of a say over education policy in Orkney, where I have no children.


(I’ve been struggling to think of a way I could have an appropriate amount of influence over West Wiltshire education policy (as the parent of someone who is a client) but not end up with an inappropriate amount of influence over other policy areas in West Wiltshire that aren’t really a legitimate concern of mine.)

[f4f3.livejournal.com]

Come to think of it, I have more say over educational policy in Scotland than anyone with a child being educated here who lives in England. Maybe I should offer to act as someone's local advocate...

[danieldwilliam.livejournal.com]

Well, indeed.