Building sub-national government
Sadiq Khan wants more devolution for London. But will he get it?
Sadiq Khan is keen for London to acquire more control over health, education and taxes – as well as powers to offset the likely impact of Brexit, such as a London-only work permit. But will he get his way? Akash Paun points out the powers of the Mayor and Assembly fall far short of the […]
Time to invite the ‘Others’ to the table: a proposal to make South Tyrol more inclusive
South Tyrol, an autonomous and predominantly German-speaking province in northern Italy, is regarded as one of the most successful cases of ‘consociational’ democracy – a political system in which people deeply divided along ethnic, linguistic, or other lines share power. One of the rights that speakers of German, Italian and Ladin living in the province […]
No longer fit for purpose: it’s time to change the way we elect London Assembly Members
London Assembly Members are elected using the Additional Member System. It’s a big improvement on first past the post, argues Charley Jarrett, but it’s now leading to inertia, with AMs lacking an incentive to tell constituents about their work. Ten of the 14 London seats have never changed party control and there is no way […]
In places where corruption is endemic, women struggle to become local councillors
Across Europe, while some regions elect relatively high shares of women to local councils, men almost exclusively dominate the councils of others. New research by Aksel Sundström and Lena Wängnerud suggests that informal recruitment practices are important in understanding why. Their study shows that in regions where corruption is endemic in local government, authorities elect lower shares of women […]
The Scottish Parliament would be as powerless in an independent Scotland as it is now
In spite of the ‘power sharing’ idea inherent in Scotland’s devolution settlement, concerns have been repeatedly raised about how power is wielded in the Scottish Parliament. These deficiencies have so far not been addressed in a convincing manner. Paul Cairney examines the use of Parliamentary Liaison Officers (PLOs), pointing out that such practices undermine the existence of any meaningful dividing […]
Beyond metro mayors and ‘secret deals’: rethinking devolution in England
As the guard changes in Westminster and new government seeks to differentiate itself from its predecessor, it is timely to review the state of the devolution debate, argues John Tomaney. Policymakers need to learn from the US experience and reconsider the fixation on mayors. Just as importantly, the problem with ‘secret deals’ must be addressed if devolution is going to […]
The Brexit shambles: Charting a path through the rubble
In a paper published this week by Nuffield College, Oxford Jim Gallagher argues that in responding to June’s Brexit vote the UK and Scottish governments must proceed rationally, on the basis of the evidence, and pursue the national interest. They should not feel bound by the Leave campaign’s promises and should seek to stay in, […]
Brexit and Northern Ireland: key issues and possible consequences
In this post Alan Whysall sets out the key issues for Northern Ireland in the upcoming Brexit negotiations and examines the likely consequences. He suggests that, if things do not go well, there is a risk of the unwinding of political and social progress. It is urgent that the options for Northern Ireland are quickly […]
Could a ‘reverse Greenland’ arrangement keep Scotland and Northern Ireland in the EU?
While no member state has ever left the European Union, Greenland opted to leave the EEC in 1985. Ulrik Pram Gad assesses what lessons the case of Greenland might have for the UK following its decision to leave the EU. He suggests that while the two situations are radically different, Greenland could serve as inspiration […]
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 […]
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