LUDLOW MP Philip Dunne has spoken out against the commitment made by the three party leaders in the run-up to the Scottish referendum.

The Minister for Defence Procurement believes that the promise by his Prime Minister David Cameron, Labour party leader Ed Milliband and Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg to keep to the formula by which funding is allocated to different countries in the United Kingdom is not right.

“An issue of legitimate concern in England is the continued application of the Barnett formula under which Scotland, Northern Ireland and to a lesser extent Wales receive a higher proportion of public spending per head than England,” said Mr Dunne.

“In my view, as tax raising powers are increasingly devolved to national parliaments, so too should there be a corresponding reduction in the Barnett formula.”

He said that the time had come for a fairer deal for people living in England but defended the move by David Cameron after the referendum vote to retrospectively make changes in England a condition of honouring the so-called pledge to people in Scotland.

“Just as Scotland will vote separately in the Scottish parliament on their issues of tax, spending and welfare, so too England as well as Wales and Northern Ireland should be able to vote on these issues,” Mr Dunne added.

“Agreeing the details for the other nations of the UK should place in tandem with and at the same pace as the settlement for Scotland. This should be done on a cross party basis.”

But the Ludlow MP said that he had doubts about the merits of establishing a separate English parliament which he said could increase both the number of politicians and the cost.

“Separate votes for English MPs seem to me a better way to achieve this fairness for England,” Mr Dunne added.