By Scott Fleg-Monger, Our Westminster Correspondent

Westminster spent nine hours this week, discussing a proposal that not a single Parliamentarian voted against. In a wonderful display of Unity in Unionism, MPs and Lords decided that attacking dictatorial separatists was preferable to sorting out England’s problems.

Unionist leader, Alastair Darling, explained the importance of the debate. “We in England’s green and pleasant land (well, pleasant for bankers and private health firms) will be deeply affected by the loss of Scotland. Not only do we give extensive subsidies to Scots scroungers, but the loss of their exports would mean disaster for the UK economy – and I’m an expert on producing that.

"While we trust our Conservative and Lib Dem allies to continue our dismantling of the welfare state, there is a real danger that the example of a successful social democracy to the north would threaten that project among potential Labour voters."

Many in the debate pointed out that Scotland wasn't a democracy in any case. Who could disagree with Anas Sarwar's accurate description of Holyrood as "not a democratic place in the conventional sense. It is a dictatorship of one man sitting in Bute House, who will do not what is Scotland's interests, but what is in his own or his party's interests. He is just like President Obama in that respect, and we understand the NRA's concerns.

"No UK Parliament has ever had a PM who acted in their own or their party's interests. Thatcher and Blair were the ultimate consensual leaders, who always worked in co-operation with other parties - well Blair and his ministers, at least, always worked closely in Tory interests."

Sarwar continued, "We in Scottish Unionism are deeply hostile to abuse of power - except in politics. The plebs should continue to vote for the likes of Michael Martin and me. Our dads bought our constituencies fair and square."

Minority expressions of reasonableness by Mark Lazarowicz and Dafydd Wigley were fortunately rare in their respective Houses of the only democratic Parliament representing Scotland.

Lord Wallace of Tankerness rapidly summed up the Lords debate for the Government.

Some commentators noted his considerable agitation and expressed concern as to his apparent discomfort with needing to support the transfer of further powers to Scotland.

BBC Scotlandshire wholly dissociates itself from such mean-minded concerns.

However, we would respectfully recommend to him that Tena for Men Products would enhance his ability more comfortably to endure the speeches in their Lordships House.

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