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The Guardian - Back to homeThe Guardian

Devolution at 10

Following referendums in 1997, the year Labour came to power, 1999 saw the creation of a Scottish parliament, the National Assembly for Wales and the Northern Ireland Assembly. Some claim that this reform will prove to have been a crucial first step towards "home rule" that will ultimately spell the end of the UK as a political entity.

Others regard devolution's modest constitutional change as having altered little, leaving Britain as a unitary nation state still governed by a powerful, centralised executive in Westminster. So, 10 years on, what has changed and who is right? Read the commentary and join the debate

20 October 2010

  • Cheryl Gillan, the Welsh secretary

    Scottish and Welsh governments call the reforms reckless and damaging for recovery

    Devolved governments of Scotland and Wales warn of damage to economic recovery and job losses

8 February 2010

  • Hating the human rights act – an English phenomenon

    Afua Hirsch: Westminster has no right to change the constitutional settlement in other parts of the UK, simply to appease human rights critics in England

7 May 2009

  • Devolved identity politics

    Salma Yaqoob
    Salma Yaqoob: A strengthening sense of English identity in the face of recession cannot be left to those who want to exclude outsiders

  • An ever closer sovereignty?

    Richard Thomson
    Richard Thomson: The SNP referendum strategy allows Scottish Labour supporters to vote for independence, taking the idea out of the abstract

    • It's not easy being green in Wales

      Leanne Wood

    • Forcing the break-up of Britain

      Mark Perryman

    • Decade of devolution sees Celts cheerful and Labour disheartened

      Michael White
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