Tag Archives: Scottish Independence

Nick Barber: The Virtues of Advisory Referendums

The question of the capacity of the Scottish Parliament to hold an advisory referendum is one that has exercised contributors to this blog.  The dispute turns on a piece of statutory interpretation.  The law in question is found in section … Continue reading

1 Comment

Filed under Devolution, Scotland, UK government

House of Lords Select Committee on the Constitution Produces Report on Legality of Scottish Referendum.

The House of Lords Select Committee on the Constitution has published a report on the legal issues raised by the proposed referendum on Scottish Independence.  One of the issues they discuss is the capacity of the Scottish Parliament to legislate … Continue reading

Leave a Comment

Filed under Scotland

Grégoire Webber: On Independence for Scotland: An Overview Of Canadian Experience

Canadian constitutional experience with federal-provincial relations and a bill of rights has provided a point of comparison for the United Kingdom’s devolution measures and Human Rights Act. Today, with the question of Scotland’s independence animating constitutional debates, Canadian constitutional experience … Continue reading

1 Comment

Filed under Scotland, Devolution, Comparative law

Gavin Anderson et al: The Independence Referendum, Legality and the Contested Constitution: Widening the Debate

Two weeks ago, the UK Government published its consultation document on Scotland’s Constitutional Future, in which it stated its view that the Scottish Parliament has no power to enact legislation authorising a referendum on the question whether Scotland should become … Continue reading

10 Comments

Filed under Scotland

Adam Tomkins: The Scottish Parliament and the Independence Referendum

I read with great interest the stimulating post written on this subject by Nick Barber. He makes three points that I would take issue with. The first is a detail, but an important one none the less. Nick summarises the … Continue reading

16 Comments

Filed under Devolution, Scotland

Cormac Mac Amhlaigh: … yes, but is it legal? The Scottish Independence Referendum and the Scotland Act 1998

The question of the legality of a referendum on Scottish independence pursuant to an Act of the Scottish Parliament has been a hobbyhorse of Scottish constitution- watchers since before the Scotland Act 1998 (SA) came into force.  It has now … Continue reading

4 Comments

Filed under Devolution, Scotland

Christopher McCrudden: Scottish Independence Referendum: the Northern Ireland and international human rights law dimensions

Nick Barber’s post on a Scottish referendum raises many interesting issues, not least the implications of setting the issue in the context of British constitutional development as a whole. He misses at least two pieces of the jigsaw, however, which … Continue reading

Leave a Comment

Filed under Devolution, Northern Ireland, Scotland

Nick Barber: Scottish Independence and the Role of the United Kingdom

It now seems certain that there will be a referendum on Scottish independence in the near future.  This call for a referendum has thrown up a number of tricky constitutional issues: in particular, who can call a referendum, and the … Continue reading

9 Comments

Filed under Constitutional reform, Devolution, Scotland, UK government