The Disunited Kingdom? Ireland, Scotland and Wales. The UK and devolution.

1. The Disunited Kingdom? Ireland, Scotland and Wales. The UK and devolution. Ireland, Scotland and Wales. Devolution

2. Forging the nation Wales by 1536, under English dominance since the 13th century, was declared "part of the realm" by Henry VIII. Scotland was joined to England under the Act(s) of Union 1707 to form Great Britain. Ireland was joined to Great Britain under the Act of Union 1801. Ireland, Scotland and Wales. Devolution

3. Ireland Ireland: a long history of protest Revolt in 17th century. Crushed brutally by Cromwell after the English Civil War. Attempts to take advantage of Britain's vulnerability during the Napoleonic wars. Defeated. 19th century growing wave of nationalist feeling. The great famine (1845-1849 ...). Ireland, Scotland and Wales. Devolution

4. Ireland and the Famine Potato crop (on which the population had come increasingly to depend, because it fed more people per acre than any other crop) failed. Hunger and disease. Emigration. Anger. But political drive behind nationalism weakened because of enormity of the catastrophe. Ireland, Scotland and Wales. Devolution

5. Ireland and the Famine Population fell from over 8 million to about 6, as a result of death from hunger and disease and emigration. Death toll probably between half a million and two million. Approx one million emigrated in second half of 1840s. A further million and more emigrated in the following decades. By 1911 population Ireland 4.4 million. Ireland, Scotland and Wales. Devolution

6. Ireland and the Famine Bitterness with respect to British government. Ireland, Scotland and Wales. Devolution

7. Famine Memorial Dublin from Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Famine_memorial_dublin.jpg Ireland, Scotland and Wales. Devolution

8. 19th century nationalism Increasing demand for "Home Rule". Gladstone's Liberals were inclined to grant Home Rule. Long Parliamentary battle. Home Rule Bill passed by Commons then defeated by Lords. Then, after the constitutional crisis of 1911, the Act got through the Lords, and was due to be implemented in September 1914. But WW I. Easter rising 1916. Ireland, Scotland and Wales. Devolution

9. 19th century nationalism - 20th century 1886: First Irish Home Rule Bill defeated in the British House of Commons and never introduced in the House of Lords. 1893: Second Irish Home Rule Bill passed the House of Commons, but defeated in the House of Lords. 1914: Third Irish Home Rule Act passed with Royal Assent but never came into force, due to the intervention of World War I (1914–18) and of the Easter Rising in Dublin (1916). Wikipedia Ireland, Scotland and Wales. Devolution

10. 19th century nationalism After WW I revolt crushed by British forces (see "Black and tans"). IRA. The IRA accepted a truce in 1921 and accepted partition; others wanted to keep up the struggle for a united independent Ireland. Civil War June 1922 - April 1923. Ireland, Scotland and Wales. Devolution

11. Ireland Irish Free State 1922-1937 Eire 1937 Republic of Ireland 1949- Northern Ireland (Ulster): intended by Lloyd George as a temporary arrangement. Besieged Protestant mentality. Civil rights movement in 60s. The beginning of the "Troubles"'. Bloody Sunday 1972. Ireland, Scotland and Wales. Devolution

12. Ireland 1974 power sharing executive. Torpedoed by unionists. May 1974 direct rule restored -- for 25 years. Bomb attacks on the "mainland". BETTY WILLIAMS and MAIREAD CORRIGAN Founders of the Northern Ireland Peace Movement (later renamed Community of Peace People). 1976 Nobel Peace Prize Ireland, Scotland and Wales. Devolution

13. Ireland Internment. Protest: blanket protest, dirty protest, hunger strikes. Bobby Sands (died May 1981). 9 other hunger strikers died. Ireland, Scotland and Wales. Devolution

14. Ireland Response Margaret Thatcher: "A crime is a crime is a crime". Continued "sectarian" violence. Late 1980s Sinn Fein voices censored. Anglo-Irish agreement 1985 Late 1980s early 1990s attempts to bring both sides together. Ireland, Scotland and Wales. Devolution

15. Ireland Good Friday agreement 1998. The situation today: Ian Paisley and Sinn Fein? http://www.guardian.co.uk/guardianweekly/story/0,,2044787,00.html Ireland, Scotland and Wales. Devolution

16. Scotland and Wales As far back as 1886 some moves were made to introduce Home Rule to Scotland, but they never got anywhere. Wales and a cultural revival (esp language) beginning (timidly) in the late 19th century. In early 20th century most Scots and Welsh believed Labour was best placed to defend their interests, with a strong central Labour government. Ireland, Scotland and Wales. Devolution

17. Scotland and Wales In the 1960s Scottish and Welsh national movements began to pick up momentum. Electoral successes for the Scottish National Party and Plaid Cymru. By the late 1970s there was increasing pressure for "devolution". A referendum was held in 1979 to ask the Scots and Welsh if that was what they wanted. Ireland, Scotland and Wales. Devolution

18. Scotland and Wales A narrow majority of Scottish electors voted yes: but the number fell below the threshold of 40% of the electorate set by the legislation. In Wales the "yes" did not get a majority of those voting. Margaret Thatcher and her Conservative government were opposed to devolution and the project was shelved. Ireland, Scotland and Wales. Devolution

19. Scotland and Wales Some influential Labour politicians continued however to press for devolution, especially John Smith, Labour leader from 1992 until his death in 1994. A Scottish Constitutional Convention met in the late 1980s and early 1990s to draft proposals for a devolved parliament. Ireland, Scotland and Wales. Devolution

20. Scotland and Wales Many people in Scotland felt that Margaret Thatcher's policies had been damaging to them, and this was compounded when she decided to apply the "poll tax" (Community Charge) to Scotland as a "pilot scheme" before applying it to the rest of the UK. Scotland voted mainly Labour or SNP, while the Conservatives' overwhelming domination of Westminster relied essentially on English MPs. Ireland, Scotland and Wales. Devolution

21. Scotland and Wales Labour's 1997 manifesto included proposals for a devolved Parliament in Scotland with legislative powers, and a Welsh Assembly with Executive powers. A referendum was held after Labour's overwhelming victory at the general election in 1997. Scotland voted decisively in favour of devolution, but Wales only voted for devolution by the narrowest of margins. Ireland, Scotland and Wales. Devolution

22. Scotland and Wales The Scottish Parliament and Welsh Assembly held their first elections in 1999. Ireland, Scotland and Wales. Devolution

23. Scotland and Wales What is devolution? Devolution is the delegation of power from a central government to local bodies. This enables decisions to be made at a level closer to the point at which they will have an impact. The devolution settlement means that Scotland has a parliament with ‘devolved’ powers within the United Kingdom. Any powers which remain with the UK Parliament at Westminster are reserved. * Devolved powers: Matters such as education, health and prisons, which used to be dealt with by the Parliament at Westminster, are now decided in Scotland. * Reserved powers: Decisions (mostly about matters with a UK or international impact) are reserved and dealt with at Westminster Ireland, Scotland and Wales. Devolution

24. Scotland and Wales The Scottish Parliament operates as a self-contained and fully functioning Parliament in its own right. Legislation can be passed by the Scottish Parliament without going through the Westminster Parliament. The UK Parliament at Westminster retains power to legislate on any matter, but the convention of devolution is that the UK Parliament will not normally legislate on devolved matters without the consent of the Scottish Parliament. Ireland, Scotland and Wales. Devolution

25. Scotland and Wales The Scottish Parliament and Welsh Assembly held their first elections in 1999. link to Scottish parliament site: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/home.htm link to Welsh assembly site http://www.wales.gov.uk/index.htm Ireland, Scotland and Wales. Devolution

26. Scotland and Wales The Scottish Parliament and Welsh Assembly held their first elections in 1999. Devolution is largely felt to have been a success, though there are questions about the uneven nature of the devolution settlement. What is England's place in all of this? Ireland, Scotland and Wales. Devolution

27. Scotland and Wales A serious constitutional/political problem was raised and became known as the West Lothian question. A Scottish MP can vote in Westminster on affairs concerning England, whereas, if the issue concerned is covered by the devolved powers, an English MP at Westminster will not be able to vote on the same issues in Scotland. Ireland, Scotland and Wales. Devolution

28. Scotland and Wales For example, Scottish MPs could--and did--vote in favour of legislation to raise fees for students attending English Universities, while in Scotland tuition fees in Universities were scrapped by the Scottish Parliament, with English MPs obviously having no say in the matter. Scottish students going to Scottish Universities do not pay fees, whereas English students do. Ireland, Scotland and Wales. Devolution

29. Scotland and Wales To make things worse, under arrangements for revenue distribution which had been set in place well before devolution and continued after devolution Scotland and Wales receive more per head than England. The English are perhaps beginning to feel that they too might be affected by devolution ... But what form could devolution take for England? Ireland, Scotland and Wales. Devolution

30. Scotland and Wales It has been suggested that strengthened regional units could have the same kind of devolved powers as Wales and perhaps even Scotland, but there has been little enthusiasm for this within England, so far at least. Meanwhile within Scotland the polls suggest the SNP could hold the balance of power after the elections which are to take place in May 2007 and could form a government with the Lib Dems. Ireland, Scotland and Wales. Devolution

31. Scotland and Wales The SNP has said it would then hold a referendum to see whether the Scots want independence. The government has said that the Scottish Parliament does not have the power to organise a referendum, and that even if they did the results would in no way be binding. Ireland, Scotland and Wales. Devolution

32. Scotland and Wales However it would be difficult to ignore a massive result in favour of independence, whether the referendum was consistent with the constitutional position of the Scottish Parliament or not. There is no clear evidence as yet that Scotland would vote in favour of independence ... Ireland, Scotland and Wales. Devolution

33. London In 1986, after a long struggle as part of what might appear to have been a campaign against recalcitrant local authorities, the Greater London Council (under the control of "Red Ken" Livingstone) was abolished. There was thereafter no overarching authority for London: just a collection of Boroughs ... Ireland, Scotland and Wales. Devolution

34. London Labour entered the election in 1997 pledged to create an authority for London. Mayor elected http://www.guardian.co.uk/mayor/0,,181370,00.html London Transport: still no fare fairs ... but Congestion charge: http://www.cclondon.com/ Ireland, Scotland and Wales. Devolution

35. London Ireland, Scotland and Wales. Devolution

36. The Welsh Assembly Ireland, Scotland and Wales. Devolution

37. The Welsh Assembly Ireland, Scotland and Wales. Devolution

38. The North-South divide Refers to suggestion that the South, and especially the South-East, enjoys or has enjoyed a disproportionate share of the nation's wealth while the North suffers or has suffered disproportionately from unemployment, especially as a result of the decline in traditional industries. A generalisation ... Ireland, Scotland and Wales. Devolution

39. A "two-thirds/one third society"? Refers to suggestion that two thirds of the population are enjoying the greater prosperity which has been a feature in Britain since the early 1980s, while one third of the population remains close to, on or below the poverty line. Ireland, Scotland and Wales. Devolution

40. Race History: Anxiety about immigration in 1960s: Enoch Powell's 1968 "Rivers of Blood" speech. Also in 1960s, legislation to outlaw race discrimination. 1981: Brixton riots caused by perceived police harassment of black people especially. 1990s: Stephen Lawrence case. Report found police had been guilty of '"institutionalised racism". "Parekh report": Multi-ethnic Britain (1999). Ireland, Scotland and Wales. Devolution

41. Sex discrimination Equal Opportunities Commission Despite legislation introduced in the early 1970s to outlaw sex discrimination women still earn approx 30% less than their male counterparts in comparable occupations and positions. Parliamentary representation. Blair has done better: but is there a "glass ceiling"? Ireland, Scotland and Wales. Devolution