Tag: Scotland

The UK’s EU Referendum: Once in a Generation…

James Mitchell The renegotiation and referendum on the UK’s membership of the EU, like the Scottish independence referendum, has been presented as a generational choice, writes James Mitchell. Drawing on inspiration from some of the founders of the United States, he explores the meaning and length of ‘a generation’ in politics, suggesting that, regardless of …

EU Renegotiation and Referendum: Implications for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland

Tobias Lock Event Reflections Following a panel discussion on the UK’s EU membership, Tobias Lock presents an overview of the panellists’ contributions on the impact of the renegotiation and referendum on Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. He writes that each of these parts of the UK is engaged in its own debate on the future …

Scotland’s Alcohol Minimum Pricing: First Encounter with EU Law

Arianna Andreangeli In-Depth Analysis In this special extended article, Arianna Andreangeli analyses the opinion of the Advocate General in the preliminary reference case on the compatibility of Scotland’s minimum pricing with EU internal market rules. The central question, she writes, is whether the measures meet a public policy objective in an appropriate and proportional way …

Changes to the UK’s EU Membership Might Require the Consent of the Scottish Parliament

Cormac Mac Amhlaigh In-Depth Analysis In this extended article, Cormac Mac Amhlaigh considers the implications of the UK’s EU renegotiation and referendum for Scotland’s devolution settlement. He suggests that, since changes to EU membership could significantly impact the powers of the devolved institutions, a case could be made that consent for the renegotiation and the referendum …

Scotland and Brexit – What Will the Euroref Campaign Look Like?

Peter Lynch Although UK-wide referendums are not frequent, Scotland has more extensive experience with them, most recently in the independence debate, writes Peter Lynch. He argues that, while some of the same issues will feature in the EU referendum, the campaign is likely to be very different, with less grassroots engagement, greater emphasis on elites …

A Future Uncertain: Why Brexit Would Leave Scotland More Dependent on Westminster

Andrew Glencross If the UK votes to the leave the EU, it will most likely establish a Swiss-style trade relationship to replace EU membership, writes Andrew Glencross. He suggests that future UK governments would be unable to change this relationship unilaterally without risking retaliation, leaving Scotland more dependent on the UK government for good relations …

The Calm Before the Storm – Preparing for the EU Referendum

Christina McKelvie Many questions surround the upcoming EU referendum and the shape of the UK’s relationship with the EU, writes Christina McKelvie. She explains that these questions form the basis of the European and External Relations Committee’s work on the impact of EU renegotiation and reform for Scotland, which aims to contribute to informing the …

Britain’s European Futures? Reflections from a Seminar Discussion

Drew Scott Following a recent seminar and panel discussion on the UK’s EU renegotiation and referendum, Drew Scott reflects on the prospects for Britain’s relationship with the EU. He writes that, with the uncertainty surrounding the role the UK wants to play in Europe, the ultimate positions of the other EU Member States in the …