William Gladstone might have the answer to the ‘West Lothian’ question

The West Lothian Question has been a constant thorn in the side of devolution efforts for over 100 years. The McKay Commission was tasked with finding a meaningful answer, and finally reported in March 2013. Iain McLean, in reviewing the report, argues policy-makers should revisit a proposal which was explicitly ruled out of the commission’s terms of reference and would see a reduction in the numbers – though not the powers – of MPs from devolved territories in the way that applied to Northern Ireland between 1922 and 1979.