Support for a new federal constitution for the UK could help cement a Labour/ SNP deal, Alistair Lexden argued in a letter in The Times on May 6 (see below).
Sir, A government formed as a result of a Labour/SNP pact could overcome the charge that it would be “fundamentally unfair” on the rest of the UK (leader, May 4) by committing itself to the introduction of a new federal constitution for the country. All four parts would have full internal self-government. A federal parliament at Westminster would preserve the Union on a much looser basis. The advocates of such a scheme could argue convincingly that it is the only way of achieving constitutional stability, assuming that Scottish Nationalists, like Irish Nationalists a century ago, would accept federalism.
Lord Lexden
London SW1