On 29th October 2022, I took part in the Federal Trust’s conference on the future of the United Kingdom. Though the day had a focus on federalism my preferred model leans towards a form of close constitutional confederalism, which neatly deals with the sovereignty aspirations of the home nations in [...]
Even with the introduction of devolution in Scotland and Wales at the end of the 20th Century, there is a sense that these isles are now approaching a significant constitutional crossroads. Each nation has, in recent decades, developed an individual political culture with clear distinguishing features from the workings of [...]
Joint Conference by The James Madison Charitable Trust and The Federal Trust for Education and Research 29th October 2022 The union holding together the nations of the United Kingdom has come under strain. Challenges include the announcement of a referendum on independence in Scotland, the constitutional review by the Commission [...]
With Nicola Sturgeon having recently addressed the Scottish Parliament about her plans for a second independence referendum, and the Commission on the Constitutional Future of Wales, established by the Welsh Government, currently considering options for fundamental reform of the UK’s constitutional structures, the four nations of these isles are potentially approaching a crossroads of [...]
This is an updated version of an article which first appeared on the website of the Institute of Welsh Affairs on 29th March 2022. With Nicola Sturgeon having recently addressed the Scottish Parliament about her plans for a second independence referendum, and the Commission on the Constitutional Future of Wales, established by the Welsh [...]
by Glyndwr Cennydd Jones In recent years, the national borders extant within these isles have been reaffirmed through Brexit and the Covid-19 pandemic. Further, the trend for significant divergence in policy stances across the various parliaments has compounded other clear political disagreements centred on constitutional reform and change, with different [...]
Professor Julian Hoppit (UCL) talks about his new book “The Dreadful Monster and its Poor Relations – taxing, spending and the United kingdom 1707-2021” with Professor Colin Talbot (University of Manchester and The Federal Trust). Modern arguments over public finances within the UK, and how far the nations of England, [...]
March 2022 sees the release of A League-Union of the Isles. Conceived as a reflection on Glyndwr Cennydd Jones’s constitutional writing since 2016, it encompasses an exploration of devolution, federalism, confederalism, and more significantly—that possible middle ground—confederal-federalism. Not wishing to alienate the generally moderate elements of both unionism and nationalism [...]
The Federal Trust is launching an initiative – INTERGOV - to create a forum for better communications and understanding of intergovernmental relations within the United Kingdom. We believe the time is propitious for this new initiative. The devolution settlements are rapidly mutating, not least as a result of Brexit ,and [...]
by Professor Richard Rose In this video, Professor Richard Rose argues that a change of government after the next election will open opportunities for pragmatic piecemeal repair of Britain’s relations with the European Union. It will not create a mandate for rejoining the EU. SPEAKER: Richard Rose is professor of [...]
