News and opinion

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?

CCC Fellows Coree Brown Swan and Daniel Cetrá's co-edited special issue has been published State and Majority Nationalism in Plurinational States. This comes after a CCC international workshop last February and our Majority Nationalism blog series last April/May. 

Paul Cairney and Emily St Denny, University of Stirling, evaluate the challenges and likely outcomes of preventative policy making in their blog for Universities Policy Engagement Network (UPEN). Can academic research solve the problems for preventative policy?

The Shared Prosperity Fund (SPF) is intended to replace the EU structural funds, worth around £2.1 billion per year. David Bell, University of Stirling, discusses whether the UK Government will see this as a mechanism for highlighting their role in supporting regional policy across the UK, or will it lead to further disagreements between the devolved institutions.

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.

Fishing and Brexit go hand in hand. The UK fishing industry is dominated by Scottish production, and the Scottish Government will argue for a prominent role when negotiations around EU market access take place, states David Bell. But, how will this impact intergovernmental relations between the Scottish and UK Governments?

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. 

What are the options for Scotland's relationship with Europe? Kirsty Hughes discusses how Brexit has radically changed the implications for an independent Scotland in the EU.