England's grievances would be addressed by a new Act of Union The spires of Lichfield Cathedral, in my Staffordshire constituency, look out across the very middle of middle England - both demographically and geographically. In recent years, as our Union has continued to evolve, this part of the UK has remained mainly silent. So as its MP, I want to press the case - whatever the outcome of the Scottish independence referendum - for a new Act of Union that addresses the interests of all the nations within it. As a piece of legislation, the Act of Union - or, to be more precise, the Union with Scotland Act of 1706 and the Union with England Act of 1707 - is among the most successful of all time. A fusion of separate countries has become one of the world's most important and enduring single markets: a beacon of free trade, democracy and entrepreneurial endeavour. What is remarkable about the Act - passed 69 years before the creation of the United States, and 82 before the storming of the Bastille - is how much of it is still relevant. Of the 25 articles, 15 are about taxes and trade - and today it is almost inconceivable to imagine there not being a currency union in the UK, or barriers being placed on goods travelling within it. But a country must be united by more than just economic purpose. It needs political purpose, too. And in recent years, devolution has altered our Union for good. England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have already diverged over the delivery of public services; with the Silk Commission in Wales, and the clamour for "devo-max" if the Scots stay in the Union, taxation and fiscal affairs could follow suit. Hence the need for a new Act of Union - to replace a clumsy, often incomprehensible system of differing powers with one that offers the same rights to all. This Act would strengthen our single market and currency union, enshrine the fairness of wealth distribution from richer areas to poorer, and reinforce the social and cultural ties that go beyond politics. It would also address the grievances of the largest part of the Union: England. My constituents see their health and education services voted on by MPs who, because of devolution, are completely unaffected by that legislation. While there isn't an appetite for yet another tier of government in the form of a separate parliament, there is a demand for only English MPs to be able to vote on English laws. The nature of the changing Union has seen power edging away to the nations. Next year's referendum in Scotland might go even further. Now is the time to fix the parameters so everybody feels their voice is counted equally, and decisions are made by people they elect - whether in a devolved institution or not. It is not just Britain that is changing - the world is, too. When Scotland first formed a union with England, nobody imagined we would now be in a similar customs union with France and Germany. As our relationship with a European Union of 40 years" standing begins to change, we must first secure the older and stronger union: the United Kingdom. A new Act of Union would be about more than just legislation. It would be the chance for a full and frank re-evaluation of the bonds between us. And we should have the vision to recognise that without it, the remorseless push for the break-up of the UK will continue - whatever the outcome of next year's referendum. Alex Salmond shouldn't be able to decide the future of our Union in 2014. We all should. Michael Fabricant is Conservative MP for Lichfield