devolution
Scotland: a case for compulsory voting
The Mercat Group argues for radical action to revive democratic engagement. A look around the world shows that Scotland could do better.
Scunnered Scotland but energised England?
Voter turnout is down in Scotland’s parliamentary elections but up in England local elections. What does that mean?
Enough campaigning. Is the next Scottish government prepared to govern?
Hot on the heels of Anton Muscatelli’s hard-hitting report comes Jim Gallagher’s rigorous investigation into Scotland’s failing governance. Fixing Broken Government comes with positive recommendations for a radical re-set in time for the May 2026…
Political change across Britain and Ireland (2)
“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…
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
The UK needs a reformed second chamber
Nicola Sturgeon announced her decision not to run in the next Holyrood election, echoing sentiments from other longstanding MSPs. The House of Lords lacks Scottish independence supporters and fails to represent Scotland’s interests. A reformed…
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…
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…
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…
Options and challenges for Wales’s constitutional future
In her latest European Conversations podcast the author talks to a member of the independent commission on the constitutional future of Wales about its findings – and their relevance for Scotland
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…
