British Public Affairs (JN805) Devolution

 1. History of Devolution  2. Scotland  3. Independence Referendum  4. Wales  5. Northern Ireland  6. London Lecture Outline

 The United Kingdom is a unitary democracy (in contrast to federal democracy).  Statutory transfer of power from central government to the separate nations is known as devolution.  Devolution is a more limited form of autonomy than outright independence. History of Devolution

 Status of United Kingdom under pressure from above and below: influence of EU and devolution.  Historical formation of Britain in 1707 with Act of Union between England and Scotland.  Long-standing Scottish, Welsh and Irish nationalism.  Scottish and Welsh nationalist parties formed in 1920s but without much political impact. History of Devolution

 Violent Easter Rising of 1916 in Ireland led to formation of Irish Free State in 1921 and Northern Ireland. Continued struggle for Irish independence still informs politics of Northern Ireland.  In 1972 after Bloody Sunday when British paratroopers killed 13 unarmed protesters PM Edward Heath suspended Northern Ireland parliament and Northern Ireland came under direct rule from Westminster.  Good Friday agreement in Assembly suspended several times but devolved government occurred in 2007.

 Differing demands for devolution and asymmetrical implementation of devolved bodies.  1979 referendum on Scottish devolution was lost because even though more people voted yes than no (32.5% vs 30.7%) it did not attract the required 40% electoral support for devolution. In Wales only 12% voted yes and 46% voted no.  Scottish constitutional convention talks in 1989 hammered out plans for devolution. History of Devolution

 Former Labor leader John Smith described devolution as “the settled will of the people.”  It was meant to be a block on nationalist ambitions but it hasn’t worked out that way.

History of Devolution  After election of New Labour government in 1997 a referendum voted in favour (74%) of a Scottish Parliament which was officially convened on July 1, Welsh yes vote scraped in.  Labour were the largest party in the first Scottish elections but failed to secure overall majority. Donald Dewar became the initial ‘First Minister’.

Scotland  Scottish Parliament: Holyrood  Unicameral  129 MSPs (Members of the Scottish Parliament)  Current First Minister Nicola Sturgeon (leader of the Scottish National Party)  Annual budget approx £29 billion.

Scotland Devolved powers on day to day issues:  Law & Order  Health  Housing  Education  Environment  Farming & Food Not devolved:  Foreign affairs & defence  International development

Scotland  Westminster – 59 MPs represent Scottish constituencies.  Barnett Formula – mechanism for the per capital allocation of public spending across Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.  West Lothian Question: raised by Labour backbencher Tam Dalyell in the 1970s – unfair that Scottish MPs could vote on matters that have no bearing on their own country but directly affect England and Wales, while English and Welsh members have no say over particular issues in Scotland.

 SNP won overall majority in May 2011  In October 2012 there was agreement between Cameron and Salmond on a referendum in 2014 about Scottish independence. Independence Referendum

 Referendum Question: Should Scotland be an independent country? Yes/No.  Better Together vs Yes Scotland   Yes campaign release of white paper:  mond-scottish-independence-white-paper-bargaining mond-scottish-independence-white-paper-bargaining Independence Referendum

 White Paper covers range of issues including:  Trident nuclear weapons, currently based on the Clyde, removed within the first parliament.  Housing benefit reforms, described by critics as the "bedroom tax", to be abolished, and a halt to the rollout of Universal Credit.  It would be in Scotland's interest to keep the pound, while the Bank of England would continue as "lender of last resort".  BBC Scotland replaced at the start of 2017 with a new Scottish broadcasting service, continuing a formal relationship with the rest of the BBC.  Basic rate tax allowances and tax credits to rise at least in line with inflation. Independence Referendum

 Debates over what independence would mean for:  EU/Nato membership?  Currency?  Distribution of national debt?  Labour’s chances of holding power in Westminster? Independence Referendum

 Vote in September 2014 was No 55%, Yes 45%   After the vote David Cameron announced the formation of the Smith Commission to follow up on the pledge by each of the three major parties during the referendum campaign to devolve further powers to Scotland if independence was rejected. Independence Referendum

 In November the Smith Commission set forth its key points including:  Holyrood power to set income tax rates and bands;  Scotland to receive proportion of VAT raised in Scotland;  Scottish control over number of welfare benefits including disability living allowance, winter fuel payments and housing elements of universal credit (bedroom tax);  Scottish control over air passenger duty charged on people flying from Scottish airports; and  Scottish control over licensing of onshore oil and gas extraction.  commission-key-points commission-key-points  UK government has said it would implement the agreement and publish draft legislation by January 25, Independence Referendum

 Initial support more for preservation of Welsh culture and language than self-government.  New Welsh assembly had weaker powers than Scottish parliament – no tax raising powers, no right to pass primary legislation. Vote in 2011 extended full law making powers over the devolved functions of the Assembly. Wales

 Welsh Government and Assembly  Currently Labour-led  First Minister: Carwyn Jones (Lab)  60 AMs (assembly members)  Annual budget: £15.3 bln.

Devolved powers on day to day issues:  Health  Education  Social services  Farming & rural issues  Local government  (Unlike Scotland it has no tax-varying powers) Wales

 Silk Commission has recommended that Wales be given powers over policing and justice, greater control over transport and large energy projects.  news/2014/mar/03/wales-devolution-report-policing- justice/print news/2014/mar/03/wales-devolution-report-policing- justice/print Wales

Northern Ireland  Northern Ireland Assembly in Stormont led by First Minister & Deputy: Peter Robinson (Democratic Unionist Party) & Martin McGuinness (Sinn Fein) – equal power.  They preside over Executive Committee (= Cabinet)  35 DUP MLAs; 27 Sinn Fein MLAs  108 MLAs (Members of the Legislative Assembly)

 Powers established by 1998 Good Friday Agreement. Transferred powers on:  Health, education, social security, environment, farming  Policing and criminal law Non-transferred powers on:  Taxation, foreign and defence policy Northern Ireland

Current issues:  Polarised leadership  Continuing sectarian violence  northern-ireland northern-ireland  Pressures for further transfer of powers  Scandal over pardons granted to IRA suspects:  s/2014/feb/27/northern-ireland-crisis- ira-fugitives-lord-trimble s/2014/feb/27/northern-ireland-crisis- ira-fugitives-lord-trimble

London  1998 Greater London Authority Referendum  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 charge added to every Londoner’s council tax bill  32 London Boroughs

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