Building sub-national government
The best of Democratic Audit’s 2015 Devolution coverage
In the wake of the Scottish referendum, the debate around devolution in the UK, and in England more narrowly, has intensified. This post features some of Democratic Audit’s best 2015 analysis of national, regional and sub-regional devolution. Similar PostsEngland’s local elections 2018: the unusual case of Sheffield City Region’s mayoral contestThe current talks in Northern Ireland exemplify […]
The best of Democratic Audit’s 2015 Scotland coverage
This year, Democratic Audit launched their new Democratic Audit – Scotland blog, which aims to keep tabs on the health and strength of democracy north of the border in the wake of the 2014 referendum on independence. Here, Democratic Audit shares the best of both these posts, and early work by academics on Scotland’s democratic […]
A British departure from the EU will not inevitably lead to Scottish independence. Referendums are always unpredictable
Determining whether or not a Brexit will inevitably lead to the breakup of the United Kingdom is anything short of an educated guess. Jan Zurawski argues that the example of the volatility of Scotland’s public opinion regarding voting on the independence of their country may as well be replicated when it comes to the European […]
Will devolution bring an economic and democratic dividend?
Devolution – particularly to city regions in the North of England – is currently all the rage, with much of the discourse surrounding this policy area suggesting an inherent link between shifting policymaking power down a level and economic performance. However, Matt Wood and Daniel Bailey suggest here that such a relationship cannot at all be […]
Democratic participation can help to alleviate Britain’s housing crisis
Britain’s housing crisis is one of the biggest issues facing Westminster, with low building rates rocketing house prices – particularly in the South of England – locking young people out of the housing market. Here, Charlie Cadywould shares research which shows the role democratic participation can play in alleviating the housing crisis. Similar PostsThe best of Democratic […]
As Scotland and Wales demand greater devolution Northern Ireland is handing power back to Westminster
Social security has long occupied an ambiguous place in Northern Ireland’s devolution settlement. Mark Simpson of Ulster University discusses the implications of last month’s decision to temporarily hand legislative competence to Westminster. Similar PostsThe current talks in Northern Ireland exemplify the mistrust that has attended devolution from the outsetThe Northern Ireland Secretary’s suggestion that Stormont’s […]
An enduring legacy? The independence referendum may not herald the beginning of a new era of political engagement
The independence referendum fundamentally changed Scottish politics, with an extraordinarily high turnout of 84.6% leading some to speculate that a new era of political engagement had begun. But as Heinz Brandenburg, Zach Greene, Neil McGarvey and Stephen Campbell show, that may not be the case – with those who were brought to the polls for the first time likely […]
Barnett and beyond: time for a new system for funding devolution?
Last Wednesday’s Autumn Statement and Spending Review set out spending limits for the rest of the parliament, not only for UK government departments but also for the separate Scottish, Welsh and Northern Ireland governments. Akash Paun explains how this works, and how it’s growing more complicated. Similar PostsScottish devolution will now have a bigger fiscal […]
Current proposals for English devolution are characterised by democratic, constitutional, financial and strategic deficits
The issue of devolution is squarely on the agenda. Yet despite appearing to have obtained the coveted policy position of a principle without political enemies, the devolution mission itself is not guided by any clear principles, writes Bob Hudson. Instead, actions have been tactical rather than strategic, while current proposals are characterised by democratic, constitutional, […]
Evolution or revolution: Spending Review implications for local government and the Northern Powerhouse
Despite being trumpeted as a “devolution revolution”, the detail of the Spending Review suggests that the government’s approach is distinctly evolutionary; the Treasury is far happier passing down the axe than cutting local government loose. But that doesn’t mean there isn’t a positive story to tell about local growth and the Northern Powerhouse, writes Ed Cox. […]
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