Devolution in Scotland: Handout, Transparency, Script

A pact between scoundrels in the nation that sold their fellow citizens for English gold, wrote the great Scottish poet Robert Burns. The scoundrels he is speaking of are those noblemen who gave way to the English occupants because of bribery. Despite protests from the public, Scotland was united with England in 1707.

However, since the uniting of Scotland with England also had very positive aspects - for example, in the form of economic growth - the Scots initially accepted their fate. But later, when oil was found off the Scottish coast and Margaret Thatcher implemented her social policies that went against the grain of Scottish community spirit - the calls for more sovereignty became ever louder.

Since the late 1970s, devolution for Scotland and Wales has been under discussion. As promised in the Labour Party’s manifesto, referendums over the introduction of a certain level of self-government were held on September 11, 1997. The Scottish referendum produced a strong majority for a separate parliament (74%) with limited tax-raising powers (63% majority) on a turnout of over 60%. Scotland was expected to have a parliament within 12 months. In Wales, the result was a narrow majority, on a low poll, for a Welsh parliament. Unlike the House of Commons, the regional parliaments are to be elected by proportional representation