issues surrounding devolution

Question 1

issues in Wales:

Answer 1

1. nationalist party plaid cymru is divided over the issue of independence
2. the number of plaid cymru assembly members dropped from 17 in 1999 to 13 in 2021
3. only 47% of the eligible electorate voted in 2021 assembly elections, which could raise questions about its legitimacy

Question 2

issues in Northern Ireland:

Answer 2

1. 75% of the northern irish population supported the good friday agreement, however 96% of the catholic community supported it and 52% of the protestant community supported it
2. the assembly has been suspended many times e.g. from 2022 to early 2024, or in 2000 when it was suspended because the first minister refused to share power with sinn fein due to their connection with the IRA
3. long term issue - rapid growth of catholic population in N.I., which will change the demographic and political picture in the future
4. IRA’s historic involvement in violence complicates power sharing with sinn fein

Question 3

issues in Scotland:

Answer 3

1. the west lothian question - scottish MPs continue to vote on bills affecting england in westminster - e.g. top up fees became law in england with the help of scottish MPs while in scotland tuition fees were rejected. seen as undemocratic as english MPs can only vote once in westminster, so are not involved with scotland etc
2. legitimacy of devolved parliament - only 44.7% of those eligible backed devolution and the turnout in the 2003 election was only 49%. however it’s more legitimate now as in 2021 turnout reached 63.5%
3. will scotland now demand independence?

Question 4

general issues:

Answer 4

1. the breakdown of the united kingdom - argued that the long term breakup of the UK is now inevitable
2. although parliament at westminster retains legal sovereignty, political sovereignty is being lost to the regions - first step towards federalism
3. referendum held in the north of england in 2004 rejected regional assemblies, which poses the question of whether england should have devolution as well as england doesn’t have regional representation
4. it has led to policy variation throughout the UK, which has led to some inequality regarding tuition fees, income tax rates etc