WEEK 8 – IS THE UNITED KINGDOM

BREAKING UP?

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THE CASE FOR DEVOLUTION …

“The United Kingdom is a partnership enriched by distinct national identities and traditions. Scotland has its own systems of education, law and local government. Wales has its language and cultural traditions. We will meet the demand for decentralisation of power to Scotland and Wales. Subsidiarity is as sound a principle in Britain as it is in Europe. Our proposal is for devolution not federation. A sovereign Westminster Parliament will devolve power to Scotland and Wales. The Union will be strengthened and the threat of separatism removed.”

Labour Party, 1997 election manifesto

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THE CASE AGAINST DEVOLUTION “In a world where people want

security, nothing would be more dangerous than to unravel a constitution that binds our nation together and the institutions that bring us stability. We will continue to fight for the strength and diversity that benefits all of us as a proud union of nations.”

Conservative Party, 1997 election manifestoJohn Major’s “Battle for Britain” in 1997Britain has “72 hours to save the Union”.

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QUESTIONS FOR THIS WEEK

1. Why has power been devolved to Scotland, Wales and London?

2. How has devolution affected the nature of democracy in Britain?

3. Has devolution made the break-up of Britain more or less likely?

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BRITAIN AS CENTRALISED STATE

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

% o

f to

tal go

vern

men

t

Can

US

Ger

Aus

Den

Sw

e

Jap

Spa

Ita

Fra

UK

Ire

Revenue Spending

Data is for 2001. Source: OECD

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FORMATION OF BRITISH ‘UNION’

• Amalgamation of England with: - Wales: 1536 - Scotland: 1707 - Ireland: 1800 (until 1921)

• Parliament of UK replaces parliaments of England, Scotland and Ireland

• Union dominated by England• But some autonomy to Scotland, Wales - Scotland: Law, church/education

- Wales: Implementation of laws/rules• Administrative:

- Scottish Office est 1885; Welsh Office est 1964

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WHY THE PUSH FOR DEVOLUTION?

Limits to diversity• Difficult for major policy differences

between Scotland/Wales and England

Non-representativeness of government

• Con in Scotland: 50% of vote in 1955 38% of vote in 1970

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FIRST MOVE TO DEVOLUTION

• Growing electoral support for SNP in 1960s/70s

• Reflected economic concerns, not necessarily demand for constitutional change

• Labour took fright, and proposed devolution: - Strong Scottish Assembly - Weak Welsh Assembly

• Failure of 1979 referendum

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SECOND MOVE TO DEVOLUTION

• Declining representativeness of government - Con vote in Scot: 31% in 1979; 24% in 1987

• ‘Trialling’ of unpopular policies on Scotland eg. Poll tax

• Wales concerned about ‘quangos’• Government seen in Scotland/Wales as

unrepresentative/unresponsive.• Labour picked up on renewed demands for

devolution.

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THE DEVOLUTION REFERENDUMS, 1997-98

(%) Yes No Turnout

Scotland 74 26 60

Wales 50.1 49.9 50

London 72 28 34

Source: Electoral Commission

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SCOTLAND

• Parliament has 129 members• Elected under AMS• Primary legislative power• ‘Reserved’: economic,

foreign, defence, social• Budget: £30bn• Block grant; tax +/-3p

Scottish Government: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/

Scottish Parliament:http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/

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WALES

• Assembly has 60 members• Elected under AMS• Secondary legislative powers• Block grant; no tax raising powers• Budget: £14bn

Welsh Assembly Government:

http://www.wales.gov.uk/

National Assembly for Wales

http://www.assemblywales.org/

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GREATER LONDON AUTHORITY

• Split Exec-Leg• Mayor proposes• Assembly scrutinises• Powers: transport, planning, economic development, environment• Budget: £11bn• Revenue only from council tax

Greater London Authority: http://www.london.gov.uk/

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ASYMMETRICAL DEVOLUTION

Forms of devolution:

Legislative

Executive

Strategic

Scotland

N Ireland

Wales

London

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POLICY VARIATION SINCE DEVOLUTION: SCOTLAND

Education• Abolition of up-front top up fees

Health• Free LT personal care for elderly

Others• Ban on smoking in public• Land reform

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POLICY VARIATION SINCE DEVOLUTION: WALES

Less market oriented policies• Abolition of secondary school league

tables

Institutional reform• Quangos (eg. WDA) brought within

government• Establishment of Children’s Commissioner

Small ‘welfarist’ policy initiatives• Free school milk; free nursery places• Free prescriptions; free bus travel

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SCOTTISH INDEPENDENCE?

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

1997

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

% a

gree Devolution

Independence

Unitary

Source: Scottish Social Attitudes

Which of these statements comes closest to your view? - Scotland should become independent (in or out of EU) (‘independence’) - Scotland should remain part of UK with its own elected parliament (‘devolution’) - Scotland should remain part of UK without an elected parliament (‘unitary’)

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UNEQUAL REPRESENTATION: THE ‘WEST LOTHIAN

QUESTION’

• Asked by Tam Dalyell in 1970s• Why should Scottish MPs vote on

matters affecting England, while English MPs cannot vote on Scottish matters?

• Scottish MPs do matter: legislation on foundation hospitals (2003) and tuition fees (2004)

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WHAT’S THE ANSWER?

Limit voting rights of Scottish/Welsh MPs

• But difficult to distinguish ‘English’ part of legislation

• Governments have different majorities on different issues

English Parliament• Same difficulties

English regionalism• But no public demand (eg. North East)

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CONCLUSION

“Devolution is the most radical constitutional change this country has seen since the Great Reform Act of 1832” (Bogdanor, 2001)

• Union: Little evidence of support for independence in Scotland

• Democracy: - Wal/Lon: Limited policy responsiveness - England: No ‘voice’

West Lothian Question