Tag: Devolution
Can Scotland avoid Brexit? It depends on politics, not law
The UK has voted to leave the European Union (EU), but 62% of Scottish voters, including a majority in every local authority area, backed Remain. This has triggered a debate about what power Scotland has to prevent itself being pulled out of the EU against the wishes of its government, parliament and voters. Akash Paun […]
Westminster must choose between leaving the EU and retaining the UK
What is more in Westminster’s interest – to follow through the result of the referendum by leaving the EU, or to secure the survival of the United Kingdom? Jo Murkens continues his discussion on Britain’s constitutional arrangement arguing that the power-sharing with Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland since 1997 has changed the UK constitution, allowing space for […]
Forget independence for London – but the capital now needs its own devolved government more than ever
London has vote to remain in the EU while the rest of the UK – and especially England – voted to leave. This has led to calls for London to declare independence. Independence is not going to happen. But as Tim Oliver argues, a fully devolved government for London is possible. It’s time the UK […]
Theresa May’s case for withdrawal from the ECHR: Politically astute, legally dubious, constitutionally naïve
Theresa May belongs to the Remain camp, yet favours leaving the ECHR. Mark Elliott analyses the arguments she has put forward to justify this position, and writes that although May’s position might be politically savvy, it turns upon legally specious distinctions between the EU and ECHR legal regimes, and is ultimately undermined by its constitutional naivety. […]
Watching from the sidelines: Wales and Brexit
From a Welsh perspective there’s a sense of having been watching the EU referendum from the sidelines until now. But now campaigning for both the Assembly and referendum votes have launched in earnest, the confusion of concerns and agendas will be hard to escape, writes Jo Hunt. Similar PostsHidden dragon: why is Wales ignored in London and […]
Southern Powerhouse: A chaotic process endangers combined authority deals
It may be Budget day before we learn whether any part of central southern England will reach an agreement with the government on a ‘devolution deal’. But the chaotic process of recent months may have damaged the credibility of what is, at its heart, a very good idea, explains John Denham. Similar PostsAssessing England’s metro-mayors: […]
The Budget will give clues as to how far English devolution marks a radical change for local government
For all the focus on Europe, it could be devolution that is the critical constitutional change of our era. Ahead of tomorrow’s Budget announcement, Andrew Walker looks in depth at the prospects for radical change in local government. Similar PostsAssessing England’s metro-mayors: a mixed pictureSouthern Powerhouse: A chaotic process endangers combined authority dealsThe territorial politics of coronavirus: is […]
If devolution in England is to be effective the government needs to address the lack of process
The PSA recently published a new report that highlights a number of problems with associated with the current approach to devolution to England’s cities, which is based almost exclusively on informal governance. Ed Cox writes that, far from blaming local areas alone for the apparent disintegration of so many current negotiations, the government must take […]
Scottish devolution will now have a bigger fiscal dimension
A deal has finally been struck on the fiscal framework for the Scotland Bill. Holyrood will now be supported by a mixture of shared UK resources and its own tax revenue, levied in Scotland, but supplemented by UK resources as well. Here, Jim Gallagher reviews the compromise and the negotiations leading up to it. Similar PostsThe […]
The survival of power sharing and devolution through another crisis is an achievement but the Northern Irish settlement remains fragile
The path to political “normalisation” has been a regular feature of debate about Northern Ireland over the past two decades, since the paramilitaries (mostly) laid down their arms and the main republican and unionist parties (mostly) committed to making a success of power-sharing and devolution. Akash Paun looks at the latest developments. Similar PostsAs Scotland […]
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