British Politics For Dummies, 2nd Edition

Chapter 18

Focusing on Devolution and the Independence Debate

In This Chapter

Constituting the UK and seeing the success of unity

Handing power to Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland

Examining the great independence referendum campaign

Until relatively recently the UK was one of the most centralised countries in the Western world. Most political power rested in Westminster and Whitehall, and senior civil servants, Members of Parliament, the cabinet and of course the prime minister dictated and directed government policy. In fact, in the 1980s the UK became even more centralised when Whitehall took back much of the power held by local authorities.

Then came 1997 and the election of a Labour government, under Tony Blair, committed to the transfer of some powers from central government to the Celtic nations of Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland. This process is called devolution. Ever since, more and more power has flowed away from Westminster and Whitehall to Holyrood in Edinburgh, Cardiff in Wales and Stormont in Northern Ireland. In 2014 Scotland even voted on whether or not to become independent (they voted no to independence but by a narrow margin), an event that would have ...