Martin Docherty, who won a landslide victory in May’s General Election to take the West Dunbartonshire seat from Labour MP Gemma Doyle, gathered cross-party praise for his first speech in the historic venue, in which he paid tribute to Ms Doyle for serving with ‘dedication and conviction’.

He was speaking on the issue of English Votes for English laws (Evel), which he said would have a ‘substantial impact’ on West Dunbartonshire.

Liberal Democrat MP Alistair Carmichael secured the emergency debate on Conservative plans to start Evel through changes in Commons rules as opposed to a change in legislation.

Mr Docherty was one of the 291 MPs who voted against the Evel plans, with two MPs voting for and the government abstaining.

Ed Miliband, of Labour, called the plans ‘an act of constitutional vandalism’, while the SNP said the Conservatives want to create a ‘quasi-English Parliament’.

However, ministers said it was vital England was treated fairly as further powers were devolved to other parts of the UK.

It was later announced the Evel plans are being rewritten and a final version will be debated after the UK Parliament’s summer recess.

Speaking after the debate, Mr Docherty said: “If the government is allowed to push these proposals through, the speaker will be forced to rule on every bill and clause before the house and decide whether English MPs have a veto. How will the speaker decide what is an English only matter? Responses from the Leader of the House have left me concerned that budget reductions for Scotland would be seen as minor issues by the government and hence not part of the speaker’s consideration.

“This will place the speaker in an impossible position, forced to take a highly political position and choose which MPs are to have a final say on decisions, ultimately excluding myself and fellow Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish colleagues from the final decision making process.

“I think it’s important to recognise the public appetite for English devolution, but creating an elite class of MPs to form a veto group is not what voters want. The government needs to properly consult the people and take time to draw up plans for real devolution. My hope is that the SNP, backed up cross party by opposition colleagues, have done enough to make the government think again.” During his speech, Mr Docherty asked the approval to address ‘directly, the communities of the great borough of Clydebank, the ancient borough of Dumbarton, and the mighty Vale of Leven’.

He added: “Since taking a seat on these green benches, I have heard members from various parties stress the importance of engaging with the population of these islands. Well, we seem to have had a profound failure within three months in the presentation of these proposals by the Leader of the House.” He said it was not MPs job to lead and constituents should dictate policies brought to parliament.

He mentioned several areas he represents, including ‘the people’s republic of Renton’ and added: “I invite you to come north to the 59 constituencies of Scotland—the greatest, of course, is West Dunbartonshire—if you want to see an engaged population. The people of Scotland and of my community have gained a new-found confidence in themselves and in the country that is Scotland. That sends a strong message to those in this House, on both sides, about who should lead and who should follow.”