A great deal of ink and opinion has thus far characterised the debate on the 2014 referendum. One book, at least, has appeared to outline the facts in the case.
‘Scotland’s Choices – The Referendum and What Happens Afterwards’, co-authored by Iain McLean, Professor of Politics at the University of Oxford, Jim Gallagher, now of Nuffield College, Oxford and Guy Lodge, also of Nuffield College, sets out, with as little bias as possible, the potential consequences of both a ‘Yes’ and ‘No’ vote.
As McLean and Gallagher (and of course the book itself) explain, and to quote a current political leader, ‘we can’t go on as we are’, and a ‘No’ vote, we are currently assured, will bring on the full consequences of the 2012 Scotland Act, giving the Scottish Parliament increased powers, particularly in relation to taxation.
It might have been expected that a former London-based civil servant (Jim Gallagher), would take a less than sanguine view of the outcomes of a ‘Yes’ vote than Professor McLean, speaking to an academic analysis of the inherent contradictions of the Act of Union of 1707.
Both speakers mentioned with regret the passing of Stephen Maxwell, whose own book of 2012 – ‘Arguing for Independence- Evidence, Risk and the Wicked Issues’ covers some of the ground more comprehensively discussed by Messrs McLean, Gallagher and Lodge, albeit from a more partisan perspective.
The subsequent discussion proved more thoughtful than that of the Blueprint debate on ‘What Does Independence Mean’, perhaps owing in part to the clarity of the preceding exposition. It also broadened out to cover topics such as House of Lords reform, and the consequences for what is now termed ‘rUK’ (the rest of the United Kingdom’) of a vote for independence and what a vote for continuing EU membership in Scotland but against this in England might mean in the future.
Speculation aside, this remained a lively and mostly well-informed debate to the end. Although unlikely to change opinions, these may have become more informed as a result.
Iain McLean, Jim Gallagher and Guy Lodge – ‘Scotland’s Choices – The Referendum and what Happens Afterwards – Edinburgh University Press, £12.99