Building sub-national government
Politicians are more likely to forward constituent inquiries to the appropriate level if they are of the same party as the recipient
The UK has enjoyed a significant degree of multi-tiered governance since the introduction of the Scottish Parliament in 1999, with recent events suggesting this dynamic will intensify further. Here, Audrey André, Jonathan Bradbury, and Sam Depauw look at constituent correspondence patterns, and find that politicians are much more likely to forward correspondence to the appropriate […]
Democratic revival can come from devolved democracy
The British state is being dramatically restructured by the ongoing wave of devolution deals but the focus so far has been on devolving economic powers and the delivery of public services. The next step should be to devolve decisions about how local democracy is organised to the cities, regions and local authorities, to help reinvigorate […]
How effectively does the Scottish Parliament scrutinise the Scottish government?
Scotland’s Parliament was set up with the partial intention of creating for Scotland a superior system of Government than was enjoyed at the UK level. But how effectively does is scrutinise its executive? In advance of the 2016 Scottish Parliament elections, which the SNP are expected to dominate, Peter Lynch looks at some of the […]
Scottish Labour’s move towards great autonomy raises difficult questions, but its logic is inescapable
Kezia Dugdale recently attracted attention for proposing that the party she leads, the Scottish Labour Party, should have a far greater degree of autonomy from the London-based British Labour Party. Eric Shaw looks through the ramifications, arguing that though the move raises questions, its logic is entirely inescapable given the SNP’s current dominance. Similar PostsEuropean […]
The prospect of greater regional and city devolution raises the spectre of the “Manchester Withington Question”
The Government’s plans for a “Northern Powerhouse” and the associated moves towards greater policy autonomy for Greater Manchester are combining to create a potential situation where MPs in Manchester and areas which may also in future enjoy similar powers can vote on matters which don’t effect their constituents. This, argue Andy Mycock and Arianna Giovannini represents […]
Recent events regarding ‘stop and search’ in Scotland should deliver some sharp lessons in political accountability
The rise and recent fall of mass stop and search in Scotland is an extraordinary phenomenon. Here, Dr Kath Murray examines the implications for human rights and argues that recent events in Scotland should deliver some sharp lessons in political accountability. This post originally appeared on Democratic Audit – Scotland Similar PostsBook Review: Politics against […]
The new top-up powers for Scotland on welfare represent the advent of ‘defensive devolution’
There is a lively debate in Scotland over the extent of the Scottish government’s new powers over welfare, with the Scotland Bill in Westminster being strengthened by Government amendments. Gavin Kelly discusses the political implications of the move, and describes the new arrangement as representing ‘defensive devolution’. Similar PostsDoes Nicola Sturgeon’s refusal to increase the […]
The current talks in Northern Ireland exemplify the mistrust that has attended devolution from the outset
Following an independent report assessing paramilitary groups in Northern Ireland last week, Rick Wilford reviews the current crisis and assesses prospects for institutional reform. He writes that while there are grounds to believe that progress is being made, the scope and scale of reform may fall prey to the temper of DUP-Sinn Féin relations which […]
Engagement at the local level should be citizen-led rather than institution-led
Simon Burall of Involve, a think tank specialising in democracy and public engagement, recently authored a new report entitled ‘Room for a View’, which focusses on the idea of UK democracy as a deliberative process. In responding to the piece, Jessica Studdert of the New Local Government Network looks at the potential for heightened engagement […]
Overcoming the UK’s constitutional crisis may require the development of more flexible relationships between the constituent nations
That the UK is in the midst of an ongoing constitutional crisis can no longer be doubted, with question marks hanging over Scotland’s membership of the union, as well as the UK’s membership of the European Union. Sean Swan looks at the parallels with a previous constitutional crisis, and makes the case for rethinking the […]
Democratic Audit's core funding is provided by the Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust. Additional funding is provided by the London School of Economics.