Parliament passes EVEL law

Under the new law, the Speaker of the House will determine whether a bill applies only to England or to England and Wales only.

If this is the case it will go to a “Grand Committee” in which only English MPs or English and Welsh MPs will scrutinise it before all members vote on it.

Chris Grayling, Leader of the House of Commons, said: “It cannot be in any of our interests to see English people becoming cynical about the union and perhaps even wishing for its end.

“That is why I think these proposals will help to secure what most reasonable people would think was a fair settlement across the United Kingdom.”

But the Conservatives have been accused of risking the UK’s constitutional settlement with the new law.

SNP MPs said the move would create a stronger case for independence as it drives a wedge between Scotland and England.

Opponents have also said EVEL will create a tier of “second class” MPs.

The First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon, tweeted this morning: “Whoever advises Tories on Scotland is doing good job. Their position on issues like #EVEL will drive support for independence.”

Labour’s shadow Scottish Secretary Ian Murray said the Conservatives have taken “a wrecking ball to parliament”, adding: “David Cameron always puts his party before the country and, today, he’s put his party before parliament.”

The Father of the House, Labour’s Gerald Kaufman, said it was “a day of shame” for the Commons.

He described the Conservative government as one “with no respect for the House of Commons” and said the debate was “one of the nastiest, most unpleasant I have attended in 45 years”.