DAVID Cameron risks the first major test of his Government's slender majority as the Conservatives set out proposals to restrict the voting rights of Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish MPs today.
The Prime Minister's 'English votes for English laws' (Evel), which he announced in the wake of the independence referendum, is understood to be going to be put to a Commons vote within the next fortnight.
A Downing Street source said that ministers were confident that they would win the vote, despite Mr Cameron's majority of just 12. "We do not set out to lose," he said.
But opposition parties said that they would seek to vote down any changes.
A Labour source said: "We may have the votes to defeat this".
Labour, the SNP, the Liberal Democrats and Northern Ireland's DUP, a party the Conservatives are expected to try to woo during tight votes over the next five years, as well as other smaller parties, are all expected to oppose the plans.
Sources also indicated that they expected a number of Tory rebels to join them.
"This important constitutional issue for some," one said.
Earlier this year former Conservative Scottish Secretary Lord Forsyth of Drumlean expressed his opposition to evel, suggesting the policy would play into the hands of nationalist parties.
The vote, less than a week before MPs depart Westminster for the long summer recess, could also test Tory party organisation as well as discipline.
Mr Cameron will be able to rely on the support of the majority of Conservative MPs.
They argue that their constituents have had a raw deal from devolution for too long.
The proposals are designed to answer the famous 'West Lothian Question', first asked by the then Labour MP for the area Tam Dalyell, who wondered why he would be able to vote on health issues in Blackburn, Lancashire, and not Blackburn, West Lothian.
But opponents accuse the Conservatives of planning to create a second class of MP.
They also warn that because of England's size within the UK, many apparently 'England-only' decisions, such as on the English NHS, have significant ramifications north of the border.
The SNP have condemned an early draft of the plans, published before the General Election, which suggested that the Speaker John Bercow would get the ultimate say in whether or not a Bill was 'England-only'.
Newly released figures from the Commons Library show that excluding Scottish MPs would have changed the outcome of just 0.7 per cent of votes since 2001.
SNP MP Pete Wishart said the problem with the "rushed and undemocratic" proposals was not the number of votes but their budgetary impact.
"If there is one vote on a supposedly English matter that reduces Scotland's budget then that is one vote too many - and that is exactly what this plan paves the way for," he said.
The SNP have also objected to the Tory Government plans to restrict voting right by changing the House of Commons Standing Orders.
The party has warned such a mechanism would mean decisions will not be subject to legal challenge.
Instead, they have called for an evel Bill, which they say would also allow full parliamentary scrutiny of the reforms.
Other parties have also condemned the proposals.
In a Westminster Hall debate on the issue yesterday Labour MP Paul Flynn warned evel could destroy the Union between Scotland and England.
"We're moving towards the break-up of the United Kingdom and the [best] way to go forward to that - which I'm sure is not their intention - is English votes for English laws," he said.
Pressed on the issue at Prime MInister's Questions Mr Cameron denied trying to create two classes of MP.
He said: "All MPs will still vote on all Bills, but what we are saying is that laws which apply only in England should pass only if they are supported by a majority of English MPs.
"That seems to me-in a devolved system where Members of the Scottish Parliament can determine their own future on health, housing and an increasing number of subjects-to provide fairness across our United Kingdom."
The Commons Library briefing paper says that of approximately 3,800 votes between June 26 2001 and March 26 2015 just 25 (0.7 per cent ) would have had a different outcome if Scottish MPs votes had not been counted.
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