Devolution / Independence

Devolution “The settled will of the people” John Smith Labour Leader

Was meant to be a block on nationalist

ambitions but it hasn’t worked out that way.

Texts

King, The British Constitution Alan Trench, Options for Devolution

Finance, Political Quarterly Vol 81, Issue 4, 2010

Morrison, Public Affairs p31-42

Contents

Between Local and Central Government Scotland Wales Northern Ireland London Police & Crime Commissioners Key Issues

Between Local & Central Government

National Bodies:

Scottish Parliament/Government

Welsh Assembly/Government

Northern Ireland Assembly

Regional Entities:

Mayor of London/London Assembly

Police & Crime Commissioners

Scotland: The Road to Devolution

1707 Act of Union – abolished separate parliaments

1979 – Referendum did not attract necessary 40% electorate support for devolution

1989 – constitutional convention talks 1997 – 74% support for Scottish

Parliament

Democratic deficit 80’s and early 90’s

Labour in Scotland Tories in Westminster Poll Tax Civic society get together 1989 –

constitutional convention talks (SNP boycott) PR to avoid one party rule

Road to devolution

http://www.bbc.co.uk/scotland/history/modern_scotland/the_poll_tax/

SCOTLAND: Blair’s Legacy

Scottish Government/Executive:

Scottish Parliament:1998 Scotland Act devolved decision-

making on domestic issues from the Westminster Parliament to Scottish-based bodies

Tax-raising powers limited to 3p in the £

Dewar’s legacy

http://news.stv.tv/politics/201551-donald-dewar-a-very-reluctant-leader/

Scottish Government & Parliament

First Minister (= Prime Minister) currently Alex Salmond (Leader of SNP)

20 Ministers 129 MSPs (members of the Scottish

Parliament) Presiding Officer (= The Speaker) Annual Budget approx. £29b.

Scotland: Division of Powers

Devolved powers on day to day issues: Law & Order Health Housing Education Environment Farming & Food

Scotland: Division of Powers

Not devolved: Foreign affairs & defence Main economic, fiscal & financial

issues International development Social Security & employment

Scotland – as seen from Westminster

59 MPs representing Scottish constituencies

West Lothian Question

The Barnett Formula: total public spending £53.1b.

Scotland: After Devolution

May 2011: SNP wins overall majority

Relations with other parties

Oct 2012: agreement between Cameron & Salmond on referendum

2014: Independence referendum

Scotland: Options

“Better Together” v. “Yes Scotland”

Stay the same

Devo max: more powers devolved

Scottish “independence”

Scotland: Referendum

Current Cameron/Salmond Deal:

One Question: Should Scotland be an independent country? Yes/No"

Questions on Vote: Majority of Voters or Simple Majority?

16s get the vote

What about the rest of the UK?

Scotland: What Independence means for

Tax/benefits/public spending? Border controls? EU?Nato membership? Defence/foreign affairs? The Monarchy? Scottish MPs? Would Labour ever hold national office

again?

What independence could mean

Defence - nuclear weapons are based at the Faslane naval base on the Clyde.

independent Scotland would continue to use the pound, at least initially, as its currency.

Euro? membership of the European Union (President of European

Commission thrown doubts over automatic membership) Membership of Nato

WALES

Welsh Government and Assembly

Currently Labour-led

First Minister: Carwyn Jones (Lab)

60 AMs (assembly members)

Assembly’s annual budget: £15.3b.

Annual public spending: £30.1b.

WALES

Devolved powers on day to day issues: Health Education Social services Farming & rural issues Local government

WALES: Where Next?

Labour’s Future looks good?

Last year won rights to introduce own legislation

Watching Scotland…..

Spending cuts?

NORTHERN IRELAND

Northern Ireland Assembly led by First Minister & Deputy: Peter Robinson (DUP)& Martin McGuinness (Sinn Fein)

They preside over Executive Committee (= Cabinet)

35 DUP MLAs; 27 Sinn Fein MLAs

108 MLAs (Members of the Legislative Assembly)

Northern Ireland

Powers established by 1998 Good Friday Agreement

Total public spending £19.25b.

Northern Ireland

Transferred powers on: Health, education, social security,

environment, farming Policing and criminal law

Non-transferred powers on: Taxation, foreign and defence policy

NI Assembly: Where Next?

Polarised leadership Continuing sectarian violence Pressures for further transfer of powers Impact of economy & spending cuts

GOVERNANCE OF LONDON

Mayor of London: Boris Johnson Runs Greater London Authority London Assembly with 25 AMs (Assembly

Members) Budget approx. £3 billion Financed mainly by central government

grants and by precept (charge) added to every Londoner’s council tax bill

+ 32/33 London Boroughs

Governance of London

Mayor & Greater London Authority, limited Powers: Policing Transport Regeneration & Development Olympics/cultural Events Acts as “Ambassador” of LondonLondon Assembly: Scrutinises and questions Mayor’s policies and

actions

London: Current Issues

The Boris Factor Impact of Spending Cuts Reforms of mayoral/GLA Powers Relations with stakeholders, ie.

police, London boroughs, transport bodies

Olympics 2012 Legacy

Police & Crime Commissioners

1st election November 15 Of 41 PCCs Replace regional police authorities

(outside London) US-type reform? Contested by politicians Fears over voter turn-out?

Key Issues for the Future

Devolution: Independence or stay within UK ?

Number of “layers” of government? Centralisation v. localism Amount & control of spending Success/failure of police & crime

commissioners Appointed v. elected Voting systems