Indyref

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Scotland has a female First Minister, who competes in Holyrood with a female Leader of the Scottish Labour Party, as well as a female leader of the Scottish Conservatives. While this should be welcomed, we should not assume that the problem of women’s under representation is solved for good, and instead look at what statutory measures could do to achieve lasting positive change, argue Meryl Kenny, Fiona MacKay, and Cera Murtagh.

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One year ago, Scottish voters were called to decide whether the nation should become an independent country or stay in the UK – essentially the question on the ballot paper was about Scotland’s future constitutional status. The referendum debate itself though, like most current debates about the future of Scotland and the UK, was and is closely connected to a range of policy issues.
 
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Since the independence referendum a year ago, unionists have been trying to find a way to define what it is and a core and purpose of 'Britishness'. If they continue in this vein, says Michael Keating, they run the risk of destroying the very thing they are trying to save. 
 
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A year has passed since the historic referendum on Scotland’s future but its imprint upon politics and politicians across the UK remains indelible.
 
One of the overlooked effects of the referendum has been its impact upon English sensibilities.
 
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  • supreme court

    The Scottish Continuity Bill Reference

    18th December 2018
    Brexit, Devolution

    Aileen McHarg looks at last week’s decision by the Supreme Court in the UK Withdrawal from the European Union (Legal Continuity) (Scotland) Bill reference which demonstrates both the strength and the weakness of Holyrood as a legislature.

  • Brexit legislation in the Supreme Court: A Tale of Two Withdrawal Acts?

    17th December 2018
    Brexit, Devolution

    The Supreme Court's ruling on the Scottish Continuity Bill gave both sides something but acknowledged that the vast bulk of the Bill was within Holyrood's competence at the time it was passed however, suggests Sionaidh Douglas-Scott, the strong feeling that devolved interests are not taken seriously highlights underlying fractures within the Union.

  • Brexit Jack

    Brexit, Borders and Backstops

    14th December 2018
    Brexit, borders, Northern Ireland

    Disagreements about the border between Northern Ireland and Ireland are about more than practical considerations of where customs checks should be performed, says Michael Keating.

  • Scottish notes

    Analysis of the 2019/20 Scottish Budget

    14th December 2018
    budget, Fiscal Policy

    Derek MacKay’s third budget of this parliamentary session was doomed to be overshadowed by events at Westminster.

  • Belgium

    A Belgian conundrum

    12th December 2018
    Belgium; EU;

    Although the N-VA has insisted it left the Belgian government to pursue ’principled opposition’ those principle are, says Coree Brown Swan, at the very least informed by a strategy that allows it to maintain policy influence from outside government while countering the electoral threat posed by a resurgent Vlaams Belang.

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