Scotland Act
Drop the EU Continuity Bill
‘It would be unreasonable of the Scottish government to object to temporary reservation as a matter of principle…Equally, it would be unreasonable of the UK government to insist that such temporary reservations can be without…
Toxic referendums and territorial constitutions
“People often talk about federalism as if it were a solution for the UK. In truth the UK is already moving beyond it, to a more confederal solution. But a confederation needs policies and institutions…
Integrating British Transport Police on a ‘shoogly peg’
‘It is difficult to see the logic in saddling Police Scotland with more structural upheaval,’ the author argues about the planned integration of British Transport Police. The Scottish Government is wrong to say that the…
Brexit makes independence inevitable…
Post-EUref and the vote fo0r Brexit the case for a No vote in a second Scottish referendum has, ironically, got stronger but it’s more than likely that Scots will now vote Yes. Here’s why!
Swinney frets – or frits – about SRIT
The row over a 1p rise in income tax or SRIT has for once put the SNP and Scottish Government on the back foot. And that’s before increases in tax allowances kick in. This leaves…
Scotland through the fiscal looking glass
The Scottish Government has dismissed pressure from Labour to offset cuts in spending on local services with a 1p on the Scottish Rate of Income Tax. It rejects pressure from the Treasury to agree a…
Window for a Scottish natural resource fund closing
Time is running out for Scotland to create a Norwegian-style sovereign wealth fund based on oil revenues. But what if the Scottish Government decided instead to establish a renewables-based fund? A Dane looks at the…
Could private discussions kill the Scotland Act?
The Secretary of State for Scotland wrote to me this week telling me about progress on the Scotland Bill. I don’t know David Mundell and I imagine I am just one of hundreds, if not…