Scotland The Growing Divide

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About the Book: 

Is there a growing divide between Holyrood and Westminster?
What does this mean for the people of Scotland, and for England?

In 2007, Scotland: The Road Divides posed a provocative political question: Had the SNP victory at Holyrood changed forever the mindset of Scottish politics?

As a Scottish Independence referendum fast approaches, Scotland: The Growing Divide returns to answer this question and more with a hard-hitting, incisive and informed look at where the devolution journey has taken us – from the heady days of the new Blair government in 1997 to the Independence referendum in 2014. It poses new questions about the issues facing Scottish politics:
How has devolution altered Scotland’s national perception of itself?

Is there a fusion of identity and nationality politics with traditional politics and priorities taking place in Scotland? Is this creating a serious realignment of political thinking and ideas and the possible demise of the old politics of both the UK and Scotland?

Arguing that the Union must adapt to survive, former First Minister Henry McLeish contends that the devolution referendum paved the way for a bold new constitutional settlement. A contentious and pertinent commentary, this book maintains that many politicians have yet to come to terms with these dramatic changes and do not appear to understand the ‘new politics’.

Reviews: 

As a response to the ‘national conversation’ initiated by Salmond this is an important book, and coming from a former Labour heavyweight it is, in its way, remarkable. It virtually concedes that the party that has dominated Scottish politics for the past 30 years, has lost its way, and that the old ideologies no longer count. THE TIMES

[McLeish] has emerged as an advocate of a much bolder approach to devolution than many in his party seem ready for. EDINBURGH EVENING NEWS

They are particularly scathing of Westminster’s response to the debate… The authors note that the initial response was to point out that Westminster could take back powers from Holyrood. THE HERALD

About the Author:

RT HON HENRY McLEISH began his political career as an elected member in local government in 1974, and was leader of Fife Regional Council for five years. In 1987 he was elected as a member of the UK Parliament and acted as Minister for Devolution and Home Affairs in the Labour government from 1997 to 1999. In the first Scottish Parliament he was Minister for Enterprise and Lifelong Learning from 1999, and in 2000 he became First Minister of Scotland until 2001. Retiring from politics in 2003, he is now an adviser, consultant, writer author and broadcaster and lectures in the USA and elsewhere on the European Union and politics.

TOM BROWN is one of Scotland’s most respected and experienced political commentators. A former Fleet Street journalist, he was political editor of the Daily Record. He now writes a weekly column for Scotland on Sunday, contributes to a number of newspapers and broadcasts regularly. He has also written books on political biographyand football.