“Underlying most of these is a deep disenchantment across the UK with its democratic credentials and constitutional settlements a generation on from devolution. Such issues have fallen down the political agenda amid a complacency about the need to address them…Support for Scottish and Welsh independence in the EU, and for referendums on Irish unity, grows in response and would accelerate under a Farage-led government.”
Local government
Scottish education: genuine partnership or pre-election fix?
“The Scottish educational establishment, over many decades, has been successful in resisting attempts to disturb its culture of complacency. Sadly, it may take a further decline in public confidence and trust before real change – as distinct from yet another exercise in public relations – can take place.”
Power from the grassroots
Why improving local democracy is vital: continuing a Sceptical Scot series of analyses from the Mercat Group of the Scottish Government wilful centralisation of power
Strangled by the purse strings
Unless, of course, the point is to keep that firm grip on the purse strings to actively prevent too much Local Authority autonomy – a view that has been expressed to me as a “good thing” by too many in political circles (including elected office) especially when the voters in a particular Local Authority had the temerity to vote for the “wrong” political party.
Too big to be local
The new UK government has made a commitment to devolution within England and to resetting the relationship with the devolved administrations in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. At the same time there is a growing debate about devolution within Scotland. An architect of the original devolution settlement 25 years ago examines our glaring democratic deficit.
Seven questions on the Council of the Nations and Regions
Keir Starmer is due to chair the inaugural meeting of the UK government’s newly created ‘Council of the Nations and Regions’ in Scotland this Friday. The summit is due to focus on investment and growth ahead of a much bigger international investment summit to be held in London the following Monday.
Budgets, ideas and lethargy in the Scottish Government
“Questions like – are free tuition fees a better use of money than directing it towards reducing child poverty? – remain unaddressed. The Scottish Government is reactive to UK policy and funding and therefore constantly in catch up mode.”
The paradox of Scotland’s ‘Gold Coast’
“Saving the Highland’s rural schools, and with them the traditions and future of the communities they serve, will take joined-up thinking and a strong and determined approach to regulation of the housing market.”
Scottish devolution – time to reboot
“If this centralisation trend continues unchecked, nearly all public services will be delivered by unelected quangos or Scottish Government departments with no effective local democratic control or accountability. That would make Scotland an outlier amongst western democracies where the role of local democratic organisations is embedded in constitutions, valued and supported.”
What do Humza Yousaf’s new policies mean for Scotland?
“It may be that the process of establishing and issuing the bonds is seen as strengthening the Scottish state in advance of a future independent Scotland. But in a constrained fiscal environment, it will be fair to ask whether borrowing in a more expensive way makes sense.”