News and opinion

From the Scottish Centre on European Relations report 'An Independent Scotland in the EU: Issues for Accession', Director Kirsty Hughes, provides an overview of EU enlargement over the years, the development of the accession process, and asks, what would the process look like for an independent Scotland?

Boris Johnson recently discussed building a bridge between Scotland and Northern Ireland as a way to cement the Union, however, Anna Meine, University of Siegen, evaluates how territorial spaces are negotiated and argues that it will require more than a bridge to alleviate the challenges posed by Brexit.

Brexit has created new strains in the UK’s territorial constitution argues Nicola McEwen, University of Edinburgh, as she asks what next for Scotland now we've left the European Union?

Following the 2020 Irish General Election, Sinn Féin is the most popular party in Ireland by first preference votes. Jonathan Evershed, University College Cork, discusses the election result and what this might mean for the stages of the Brexit process and the constitutional question in Ireland.

Voters go to the polls on Saturday in the Irish general election, which will be one of the most intriguing in recent times. Framed around a narrative of change, new political trends and allegiances are emerging with implications for the island of Ireland and its nearest neighbour, the UK. Mary C. Murphy, University College Cork, discusses the five points worth noting.

The Scottish First Minister has requested the Prime Minister bring forward an order allowing the Scottish Parliament to approve a second referendum on Scottish independence. The Scottish Parliament has voted in favour of this, while the Prime Minister has refused. Here we present three blogs looking at the constitutional and political arguments about a second independence referendum. All views expressed are those of the authors and not of the Centre on Constitutional Change. 

Richard Parry discusses the latest SNP approach showing new levels of caution about holding an independence referendum without UK consent, and Conservative and Labour responses

By the time the Irish general election campaign enters its final week in early February 2020, the UK will have already formally left the European Union (EU). However, the shadow of the UK’s Brexit decision will linger over the Irish election, and its political consequences for the UK and Ireland will be felt long after the votes are cast, argues Mary C. Murphy, Senior Lecturer at University College Cork.

Unionism has come back to the forefront of politics following the election of the new Conservative government in December 2019. Jennifer Todd, University College Dublin, discusses unionism and what the future might hold for Northern Ireland's unions.