Devolved bodies

• West lothian question: successful devolution led to Scottish and Welsh MPs being able to vote on English matters while English MPs could not vote on matters concerning devolved bodies.
• Barney formula: regions of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland get more funding than england - seen as unfair
• Asymmetrical devolution: a type of devolution where the various regions have been granted unequal amounts of power.
• In 2016 the conservative government was forced to grant further powers to the Scottish gov in response to a surge in nationalism
• In May 2020 the Welsh assembly formally became the Welsh parliament, or Senedd Cymru
• In order to solve the ‘West Lothian Question‘ the conservatives introduced English votes for English laws (EVEL).
• Chancellor George Osborne in 2015 wanted to grant more autonomous powers to large cities to tackle underperformance
• The cities and local government devolution Act 2016 states combined authorities would be allowed to keep all revenue from business rates but only if they agreed to have a directly elected mayor.
• Devolved bodies use PR.
• England:

  • Wales + Scottish independence - challenges unitary constitution
  • UK is quasi federalist
  • Elected mayors
• Wales:

  • 1998 Act was administrative
  • Acts in 1998, 2014 and 2017
• Northern Ireland:

  • STV system
  • Act of 1998
  • Belfast agreement or good friday agreement
  • voted to remain
  • referendum of 1998
  • less stable and do not meet regularly
• Scotland:

  • Act 1998 - devolved parliament
  • Act 2012 - further devolved powers
  • Act 2016 - amend
  • SNP dominated since devolution
  • increasing nationalism and independence