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Sceptical Scot

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James Mitchell

About James Mitchell

Professor of Public Policy at Edinburgh University. Former member of the Christie Commission and now member of the 'Enabling group' advising Scottish Government and Convention of Scottish Local Authorities on the review of local governance.

SNP tensions: causes and effects

February 21, 2021 by James Mitchell 19 Comments

‘What we are witnessing is the kind of internal bloodletting normally associated with the aftermath of a major defeat.  Much is a function of frustration and an inability to manage internal debate.  The SNP needs a period in opposition to sort itself out.  It has no credible roadmap to anywhere other than victory at the next Holyrood elections.  It hopes that a big win will restore Nicola Sturgeon’s authority.  If that happens, it is likely to be short lived.’

Boris is the new Maggie, Brexit the new poll tax

February 7, 2021 by James Mitchell Leave a Comment

‘Devolution was grafted onto an unreformed centre, an unreformed state.  Without addressing what is literally the central problem, the prospect of constitutional stability looks remote. There are glimmers of hope. The assumption that there is no demand for reform in England ignores recent, albeit rudimentary, developments in need of leadership, elaboration and mobilisation.’

Why language matters

November 15, 2020 by James Mitchell 5 Comments

“The EU, of course, makes a mockery of sovereignty.  It might be argued that Brexit is evidence of its enduring relevance.  But what it really shows is the pernicious legacy of the myth. The UK is losing control of its affairs. The hope that a second Trump Administration would ensure a good trade deal with the US has been shattered but even had this happened it spoke of the UK as limited and accountable, more as the 51st state than having ‘taken back control’.”

Compromising unity (never)

September 6, 2020 by James Mitchell 6 Comments

‘There was a day when anyone associated with the Duke of Buccleuch would have been anathema to the SNP but in its desperation not to frighten the horses, the current SNP leadership is willing to abandon what its membership in its heart knows is required. The SNP is simply letting a good crisis go to waste.’

Binary choice and multi-party politics

August 16, 2020 by James Mitchell Leave a Comment

‘.Like the Bourbons, the Conservatives have learned nothing, and forgotten nothing.  But Labour are in danger of the same.  Time is running out for a reasonably well developed alternative option that might be included in a future referendum.  Not only would this enrich a stale debate but would allow Labour to escape the potentially lethal embrace of working with the Tories again.’

Local governance reform in Scotland

June 28, 2020 by James Mitchell 2 Comments

‘Every major party in Scotland has contributed to the process of centralisation and this has undermined local responses to the crisis. Scotland’s constitutional status is an important issue but not at the cost of considering the need for reform of local governance….’

Leadership, learning and knowledge: lessons from COVID-19

May 17, 2020 by James Mitchell 3 Comments

‘Not everything is about the constitution.  We need to find a way out of the lazy constitutional rut Scottish politics has descended into.  This is not to suggest that the constitutional question or relations between London and Edinburgh are unimportant, only that there are other ways of looking at politics and policy.  Even in the midst of this crisis, this needs to be a learning exercise and not only when we look back and seek to learn lessons retrospectively.’

GE2019: the Scottish dimension

November 26, 2019 by James Mitchell Leave a Comment

Ahead of the Westminster election on 12 December, James Mitchell explains how party competition in Scotland is shaped by interrelated questions of policy, competence, independence and Brexit…’

Looking back five years on….

September 19, 2019 by James Mitchell 2 Comments

‘In both camps, there are those who are closer to those in the other camp than the binary choice would suggest. The challenge five years on is to allow the richness of the debate that emerged to find voice again and to play a more direct role in the next stage of Scotland’s continuing journey.’ Self-government fully debated stages a comeback? asks Prof Mitchell

Local government blame game

February 14, 2019 by James Mitchell 5 Comments

‘Fiscal responsibility is the flip side of fiscal autonomy. Those who argue for more money from the Scottish Government without proposing new powers for local government to raise own revenue are also playing a blame game.’ First in a series on centralisation/local autonomy

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