Devolution in Britain Today

Covering everything from the concept and historical background of devolution to studies of the developments in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, this is a comprehensive and accessible introduction to the increasingly relevant issues surrounding devolved government. (Politics today) This analysis of devolved government approaches the subject from an increasingly important perspective. The A level syllabus emphasizes the growing importance of devolved government and students are now told to consider the subject at national, local, European and regional levels. The book begins with a thorough introduction which explains the concept of devolution, and point towards the constitutional implications of a devolved United Kingdom. Part 1 provides a full and considered historical background to devolution, including an explanation of how the United Kingdom came to be united. Part 2 examines the immediate events surrounding the preparation for devolution in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, while part 3 addresses each country in turn and assesses the relative success of devolution in that country. This is a topic that is ever-changing, and the conclusion points towards possible directions for governance in a devolved United Kingdom. A useful appendix provides results of the Scottish and Welsh referendums, and the composition of the Cabinets appointed by Donald Dewar, Henry McLeish and Rhodri Morgan, as well as the results of the election for the Northern Ireland Asse.