Building sub-national government
Whatever the outcome, the petitioning electors from Orkney and Shetland should be applauded for their case against Alistair Carmichael
A recent internal government inquiry found that the then-Secretary of State for Scotland, Alistair Carmichael, was responsible for a leak which saw the details of an alleged conversation between Nicola Sturgeon and the French Ambassador to the UK end up in the hands of the press. Here, Heather Green gives details of a case launched […]
Localism and decentralisation must be part of a much wider political reform agenda
Decentralisation and localism have become the “motherhood and apple pie” of British politics, with all main parties (to varying degrees) committed to furthering the scope and power of local, municipal and regional government. But how does this link up with change at the national level? John Tizard argues that democracy can be re-invented and renewed if […]
Unless we change the way we think about transparency, open data is unlikely to have a significant political impact at the local level
Open data and transparency have long been heralded as welcome innovations by policymakers and politicians, and the current Government has made it a priority at both a national and local level. But when it comes to the latter, how effective has it been and how much have citizens made use of it? Mark Frank argues that […]
The case against Directly-Elected Executive Mayors
In a speech in Manchester recently, Chancellor George Osborne spoke of a ‘revolution in the way we govern England’. As a result, the Queen’s Speech included a bill for a ‘radical new model of city government’, giving more control over policy areas such as housing, planning and transport to English cities. In return, these cities would […]
Local government needs fiscal devolution, more power in the hands of councils and communities and respect from the centre
What does the result of the 2015 General Election result mean for local government? Jonathan Carr-West of the LGiU think tank argues that local government should not be forgotten amidst all of the new announcements, and that the sector needs more power of spending and services, and more respect and space from the still-dominant political […]
The Scotland Bill implements and improves upon the Smith Commission recommendations
The Government recently published the Scotland Bill, which in essence should implement the recommendations of the post-referendum, cross-party Smith Commission, and provide for new powers in a range of areas. Adam Tomkins – a member of the commission representing the Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party – argues that this is most welcome, and can move us […]
The UK is at a constitutional crossroads and major change is needed if it is to work effectively
The The Bingham Centre for the Rule of Law undertook a major Review of the implications of devolution as it is developing for the UK as a whole. Here, Alan Trench summarises the main findings of the report, and highlights its specific proposals for a Charter of the Union, a reformed system of funding, and […]
The myth of ‘self-government’ is threatening both the UK’s place in the EU and Scotland’s place in the Union
The UK government is expected to publish a draft bill on 28 May outlining a framework for the country’s referendum on EU membership. Andrew Glencross writes that UK politics is now increasingly defined by two different kinds of ‘exceptionalism’: a push within the UK for self-government outside of the EU, and Scottish demands for self-government within […]
Can ‘gender equality’ exclude feminist politics? The case of the Radical Independence Campaign
The Scottish independence referendum saw the voters opt to remain within the United Kingdom, al biet by a relatively narrow margin. One of the voices arguing for a ‘Yes’ vote was the Radical Independence Campaign (RIC), who took an overtly left-wing, class-based position, in contrast to the traditional SNP position. Jenny Morrison looks at the way […]
How do nationalist parties reform their organisational profiles? The cases of Plaid Cymru and the SNP compared
The SNP swept Scotland’s electoral map at the General Election, winning almost all of the Westminster seats on offer. But what of its organisation? Craig McAngus argues that ‘stateless-nationalist-regionalist’ parties like the SNP and Plaid Cymru have, in response to the introduction of devolved assemblies and the incentive of power, become more ‘normal’ in organisational […]
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