SPECIAL REPORT
Economic winds
of change
Dr Paul Cairney reveals the findings of the January 2009 Scotland Devolution Monitoring report which
covers events from September to January
T
his is a period dominated by the As Charlie Jeffery argues in The
effect of economic crisis which Scottish Constitutional Debate, although the
serves to show that it is difficult to predict report’s publication overshadowed the
which issues will dominate the political National Conversation conducted by
agenda. the Scottish Government, very few com-
A range of issues which had the mentators found much ‘meat’ to chew.
potential to dominate the headlines for Jeffery argues that this disinterest is
days or weeks on end have been down- unfortunate because the report discusses
graded to second place following height- the principles behind potentially pro-
ened sensitivity to the prospect of reces- found constitutional changes. First, its
sion and unemployment. These include Independent Expert Group of Finance
the decision to delay Jack McConnell’s makes clear that any system of territo-
departure from the Scottish Parliament rial finance which addresses the ‘right’
(to avoid a potentially damaging by-elec- to fiscal autonomy but also the require-
tion for the UK Labour Government); ment to redistribute funding by ‘need’
the prospect of an end to the detention of has no ‘technical’ solution. Second, it
children of asylum seekers at Dungavel entertains the prospect of establishing:
(a long-term practice which brooked ‘a distinctive welfare state in Scotland
considerable opposition from ‘civil soci- funded by resources raised in Scotland.
ety’ in Scotland and put pressure on the The devolution-max option would not
relationship between UK and Scottish look out of place in the … SNP Govern-
Labour ministers); reports of a rise in the ment’s White Paper’.
number of people employed by Scottish For a brief period, the scale of the
quangos when the Scottish Government economic problem also produced an
(like all governments) has promised to unusual level of consensus between the
reduce their number; the approval of parties in Westminster and Holyrood.
(but continued uncertainty over) Donald However, the Glenrothes by-election
Trump’s golf course in Aberdeenshire; subsequently heightened their dif-
the likelihood of a public inquiry into ferences, before Labour retained its
the deaths related to C. difficile at the seat and marked the end of the SNP’s
Vale of Leven Hospital; David Camer- remarkable honeymoon period in office
on’s non-rejection of Scottish indepen- and popularity. While the personalisa-
dence (combined with what appears to tion of politics and Gordon Brown’s
be a ban on Conservative MSPs making the Commission on Scottish Devolution, premiership were key factors in previous
a contribution to the devolution debate); led by Professor Kenneth Calman and Labour defeats, they worked in Labour’s
and, the decision not to transfer respon- supported by the UK Government civil favour this time. Brown became a ‘safe
sibility for Scottish parliamentary elec- service (as well as a motion passed by pair of hands’ and took centre stage in
tions to the Scottish Parliament. Labour, Conservative and Liberal Demo- world politics by promoting a financial
Much more could also have been crat MSPs). Yet, in this case the problem rescue plan that many countries wel-
made about the first (interim) report of may have been the report’s contents. comed. This allowed Labour to build
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www.holyrood.com | Holyrood magazine | 9 February 2009 |
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