Tag: Scotland

Soft or Hard Brexit: Do the Political Parties Know What They Want?

Kirsty Hughes Extended Article The varying stances within and among the UK’s parties on the shape of Brexit makes the parliamentary politics around it unpredictable, writes Kirsty Hughes. She argues that, while parliament may well vote to remain in the EU Customs Union but not in the Single Market, the trend is towards a hard …

Voice and Partnership: The Bottom Line for Scotland on Brexit?

Laura Cram The difference of the EU referendum vote in Scotland versus the whole UK and the so-far limited inclusion of the Scottish Government in formulating the UK’s Brexit strategy have created genuine political tensions, writes Laura Cram. She argues that the question of Scotland’s constitutional future has always been much more an issue of …

Brexit – What Can Be Learned from Greenland?

Maria Ackrén Although the ‘reverse Greenland’ model has often been cited as a possible means of Scotland remaining in the EU while the UK leaves, the situations facing Greenland then and Scotland  now are not that comparable, writes Maria Ackrén. She suggests that, while Scotland might not find much inspiration in Greenland’s relationship with the …

Back to the Future with the Draft Referendum Bill

Peter Lynch The EU referendum result has fundamentally reshaped the Scottish independence debate, and the new draft referendum bill is a both political and practical step by the Scottish Government, writes Peter Lynch. He observes that, in this unpredictable constitutional environment, Brexit has created opportunities for the SNP to engage with those who haven’t previously …

Scotland’s Minimum Pricing – Balancing Public Policy and the Single Market

Arianna Andreangeli In-Depth Analysis The Court of Session’s ruling on minimum pricing of alcohol in Scotland has upheld that the policy is an appropriate and proportionate restriction on the free movement of goods, writes Arianna Andreangeli. Analysing the judgement, she argues that it marks a significant development in reaffirming that, in certain cases, public health …

Scotland in the Single Market, rUK Out – What Would It Take?

Kirsty Hughes In-Depth Analysis If Scotland is to remain in the Single Market while the rest of the UK leaves it, substantial political and technical challenges would need to be overcome, writes Kirsty Hughes. She outlines the key questions facing Scotland’s continued participation in the Single Market and argues that, until the UK’s full post-Brexit …

Scotland and Brexit – Outlook Worsens as Options Narrow

Kirsty Hughes In-Depth Analysis Both hard Brexit and soft Brexit scenarios each present their own challenges for the UK, writes Kirsty Hughes. She suggests that, for Scotland, it is almost certain that it will exit the EU with the rest of the UK, and that, in the event of independence, the question then becomes whether Scotland …

Theresa May’s Great Repeal Bill – A Scottish Own Goal?

Tobias Lock The Prime Minister’s outlining of the Great Repeal Bill to bring all EU law into UK law, to be sorted through later, has many elements of strategic thinking, writes Tobias Lock. He suggests, however, that a wholesale legal relocation would clearly touch on competences devolved to Scotland, and the politics around legislative consent …