UK Political Devolution and Scottish Independence

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Recommended: Devolution from the Parliament of the United Kingdom to the Scottish Parliament

Within this essay I am going to discuss, and evaluate the Scottish devolved political system.

Devolution is the transfer of powers and since 1999 the UK has changed due to the devolution. This was introduced to try and give more power to Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland which along with England make up the UK. The votes for devolution took place in Scotland and Wales in 1997 and 1998 in Ireland . This is why the the Scottish Parliament along with the National Assembly of Wales and the Northern Ireland Assembly was created however devolution did not mean all nations changed in the same way, devolution meant different things for each nation due to administrative and historical differences. Devolution was not easy to achieve and took Scotland many years.((Devolution. (2013). Devolution of powers to Scotland.)

Separate parliaments no longer existed in 1707 when the Act of Union was put in to place. This created a single parliament for the UK based in London, known as Westminster. This discussion of having a separate parliament was a topic discussed for many years, going back to the end of the first world war. Between 1913 and 1919 it was in full discussion, Scotland was seen to be doing well economically and in 1919 conservative MPs set up a speaking conference to discuss the possibility of devolution. However it was not seen as a good idea due to the political crisis that was created by Ireland's want for independence that they were unable to achieve. For the next 10 years Scotland struggled due to the depression and seemed to be hit much harder than England and Wales, however by the 1930s Scotland were back discussing the idea of a separate parliament and even took part in a survey which gave people an ide...

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...backing Yes. Available: http://www.scotsman.com/news/politics/top-stories/scottish-independence-labour-official-backing-yes-1-3376042. Last accessed 17/04/2014.

Bibliography

http://www.aforceforgood.org.uk/devo/dm5#sourceseven

http://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/higher/modern/uk_gov_politics/gov_sco/revision/1/

http://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/standard/modern/living_democracy/politics_in_scotland/revision/5/

https://www.gov.uk/devolution-of-powers-to-scotland-wales-and-northern-ireland

http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/scotland_and_devolution.htm

http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2014/03/04/against-scottish-independence-no-vote_n_4895582.html

http://www.politics.co.uk/reference/executive-scotland

http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/visitandlearn/Education/16285.aspx

http://www.theguardian.com/uk/2009/may/03/scotland-devolution-decade-anniversary

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