Scottish Politics

The Handbook of Scottish Politics provides a detailed overview of politics in Scotland, looking at areas such as elections and electoral behaviour, public policy, political parties, and Scotland's relationship with the EU and the wider world. The contributors to this volume are some of the leading experts on politics in Scotland.

This book presents a narrative of Scottish politics since devolution in 1999. It compares eight years of coalition government under Scottish Labour and the Scottish Liberal Democrats with four years of Scottish National Party minority government. It outlines the relative effect of each government on Scottish politics and public policy in various contexts, including: high expectations for ‘new politics' that were never fully realised; the influence of, and reactions from, the media and public; the role of political parties; the Scottish Government's relations with the UK Government, EU institutions, local government, quasi-governmental and non-governmental actors; and, the finance available to fund policy initiatives. It then considers how far Scotland has travelled on the road to constitutional change, comparing the original devolved framework with calls for independence or a new devolution settlement. The book draws heavily on information produced since 1999 by the Scottish Devolution Monitoring project (which forms one part of the devolution monitoring project led by the Constitution Unit, UCL) and is supplemented by new research on public policy, minority government, intergovernmental relations and constitutional change.

Fully revised, the new edition of this popular textbook provides an authoritative introduction to all aspects of contemporary Scottish politics and gives a full analysis of the SNP's first majority government. Fully revised, the new edition of this popular textbook provides an authoritative introduction to all aspects of contemporary Scottish politics and gives a full analysis of the SNP's first majority government.

Politics in Scotland is an authoritative introduction to the contemporary political landscape in Scotland and an essential text for undergraduate and postgraduate students of Scottish Politics. Written by leading experts in the field, it is coherently organised to provide a clear and comprehensive overview of a range of themes in contemporary Scottish Politics. Key topics include: • Government and electoral behaviour. • Representation and political parties in Scotland. • Public policy and Scotland’s relationship with the rest of the world. • Scottish politics both in the run up to and after the 2014 referendum. • The Future of Scottish government and politics. This textbook will be essential reading for students of Scottish politics, British Politics, devolution, government and policy.

Marking the first twenty years of the Scottish Parliament, this collection of essays assesses its impact on Scotland, the UK and Europe, and compares progress against pre-devolution hopes and expectations. Bringing together the voices of ministers and advisers, leading political scientists and historians, commentators, journalists and former civil servants, it builds an authoritative account of what the Scottish Parliament has made of devolution and an essential guide to the powers Holyrood may need for Scotland to flourish in an increasingly uncertain world.

This is the first comprehensive account of the formation of the Scottish National Party, and it explains the peculiar circumstances in the inter-war era which gave rise to this phenomenon. The text fills a vacuum in one of the most under-researched periods of Scottish history, while its topicality is heightened and spread by contemporary interest in European nationalism. The book is essential reading for students of Scottish history, British political history, politics and Scottish Studies from senior school level onwards. The introductory chapter examines in depth the role of the Scottish Home Rule Association in Scottish politics in the period after the First World War up to the time of its collapse and the formation of the Scottish National Party in 1928. Subsequent chapters comprise detailed accounts of the Scottish National League 1920–28, the National Party of Scotland 1928–33, the formation of the Scottish National Party, the 'Wilderness Years' 1933–39, and the impact of the SNP on Scottish political development during the Second World War. The role of nationalism in Scottish political development is assessed, and the author demonstrates how this period was crucial to the formation of modern Scottish nationalism, and how important this development has been in determining the response of Unionist politicians.

Based on an unprecedented survey of the entire membership and over 80 elite interviews The Scottish National Party is the definitive account of the nature of the SNP following its election as a party of government for the first time in its eighty year history.

The Handbook of Scottish Politics provides a detailed overview of politics in Scotland, looking at areas such as elections and electoral behaviour, public policy, political parties, and Scotland's relationship with the EU and the wider world. The contributors to this volume are some of the leading experts on politics in Scotland.