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SCHOOL of PUBLIC POLICY |
Special offer:‘The Constitution Unit has already won itself a well-deserved reputation for independent, non-partisan judgments on constitutional developments. The State and the Nations, the first of an annual series of yearbooks on devolution, will add to its reputation. It will prove an invaluable volume of record for all serious students of the changing United Kingdom.’ Vernon Bogdanor ‘Once again the Constitution Unit has shown itself to be the country’s leading constitutional cartographer. Mapping the first months and years of the new constitutional settlement is both brave and demanding, but the Unit’s team has pulled it off magnificently.’ Peter Hennessy ‘The Constitution Unit has done its usual thorough job not just in showing how devolution is working in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, but also in highlighting the far-reaching implications for the whole of the UK, and, particularly for Whitehall and Westminster. London based politicians and journalists will learn a lot about how central government and Parliament might be improved.’ Peter Riddell 'A very useful collection of essays.' Tom Mullen, Public Law 'Essential reading for every student of British politics.' J. Barry Jones, Democratization 'The State and the Nations is part of a considered and authoritative long term academic study of the constitutional reform of this country.' John Reid, The Scotsman 'Another highly detailed and useful contribution to the study of the UK's devolution process.' Rosanne Palmer, Regional and Federal Studies. 'Admirally lucid and comprehensive.' Paul Henderson Scott, Scottish Affairs 'Packed full of useful information . . . the price asked is modest for so authoritative and useful a publication.' Howard Elcock, Representation 'A very interesting collection of papers.' John Fairley, Scolag Journal 'The State and the Nations -- excellent as a reference work, with polls, cabinets, chronologies, etc. -- laments Westminster's misapprehension of the constitutional innovations it has willed.' Planet -- The Welsh Internationalist 'The State and the Nations sets out to map the progress of devolution in all its different aspects.' Andrew Gamble, Times Higher Educational Supplement 'Professor Robert Hazell has done more than anyone to promote understanding of the practical implications of what he rightly calls "a transformation of the State".' The Times
The book is written by the leading experts in the field, but in a highly accessible and readable style. It contains a mine of information not published elsewhere, with all the relevant facts and figures. And it brings out the dynamics of devolution:
The chapters cover Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, the English regions, intergovernmental relations, Westminster, public attitudes to devolution and the London assembly. This is a unique contemporary record describing all the main developments during the first year of devolution, and the stresses and the strains which are starting to emerge.the asymmetry and instability of the devolution ‘settlement’ the tensions which have emerged in Wales and Northern Ireland the growing demand at Westminster for ‘English votes on English laws’ the new machinery created by Whitehall to manage devolution from the centre changes in public attitudes and national identity.
