The looming sense of crisis over the Union of the United Kingdom seems to thicken with each passing week. As we head towards the May elections, polls indicate that there will be a nationalist majority in the Scottish parliament, giving renewed vigour to the demand for a second independence referendum.

In a new blog from the ebook ‘Scotland’s new choice: Independence after Brexit’, Paul Cairney reflects on policy-making in an independent Scotland, concluding that independence would likely be a remarkable event with an unremarkable impact on policy.

In 2014, Scotland voted 55% to 45% that Scotland should not be an independent country, and many thought that settled the matter for a generation. But much has changed in the years since, most notably Brexit and Covid-19. Join Allan Little, Nicola McEwen and Ciaran Martin to discuss in the latest episode of our podcast Constitutionally Sound.

In a extract from their contribution to the recent ebook ‘Scotland’s new choice: Independence after Brexit’, Chris McCorkindale and Aileen McHarg explore the legal route to independence, but ultimately conclude the vote "will be a matter of politics and not law."

The first leader's debate focused on the prospect of a second referendum. As Malcolm Harvey suggests in this new blog, "the constitution is the only game in town".

Looking for feedback on your doctoral research? Want some career advice from leading scholars in territorial politics? Apply now for our online summer school, from 14 to 16 June!