This note of further evidence examines the implications for the Scottish Government’s UK Withdrawal from the European Union (Legal Continuity) (Scotland) Bill of the list of devolved topics interacting with EU law which the UK government wishes to reserve pending the agreement of replacement frameworks.Three main points emerge:No permanent reservations are apparently … [Read more...] about Drop the EU Continuity Bill
Scotland Act
Toxic referendums and territorial constitutions
The absence of a coherent strategy for getting the UK out of Europe is becoming increasingly clear. Brexit is construed ever more narrowly as simply a bid for independence, a search for sovereignty (not parliamentary sovereignty, it seems, as parliament will have no say in triggering the negotiations leading to the UK’s departure).This tells us something about referendums … [Read more...] about Toxic referendums and territorial constitutions
Integrating British Transport Police on a ‘shoogly peg’
In March 2015, shortly after the Smith Commission recommended that railway policing in Scotland should be devolved, the Scottish Government announced its intention to integrate British Transport Police (BTP) into Police Scotland.At the time of writing, a consultation as to how BTP should be integrated is underway. This, of course, is entirely different as to whether BTP … [Read more...] about Integrating British Transport Police on a ‘shoogly peg’
Brexit makes independence inevitable…
My gut says that there will be a second referendum on Scottish independence and that Yes will win comfortably.Yet, predicting political events and outcomes right now is like predicting the weather. The result is not inevitable, largely because the key factors prompting people to vote No have not gone away – and, in some ways, the No case is now stronger. I’ll explain this … [Read more...] about Brexit makes independence inevitable…
Swinney frets – or frits – about SRIT
So it won’t be a penny for education, or anything else.Still, there’s no denying that the last week has been educational. Now we know that the Scottish Government prefers passing on Westminster tax cuts to protecting public services in Scotland. You didn’t know that? Read on.The first critical piece of context here is that, from its less than usually sure footed … [Read more...] about Swinney frets – or frits – about SRIT