With its own Senedd and legislative powers, Wales is already on a journey towards independence. Debate has intensified recently, with the rise of YesCymru and dissatisfaction with Westminster's handling of the Covid-19 crisis. This report by the Independence Commission charts the next steps.
"A brilliant, insightful primer ... A must-read for anyone interested in the future of this country, whatever their view." – Matt Chorley "A thorough investigation." – Carwyn Jones, First Minister of Wales 2009–2018 "An accessible and refreshing read, whichever side of the debate you are on." – Leanne Wood, leader of Plaid Cymru 2012–2018 "This is a comprehensive, intelligent and much-needed guide to the issues from one of Wales's leading journalists." – Richard Sambrook, emeritus professor at Cardiff University, former director of BBC News "Highly recommended." – Martin Shipton, political editor-at-large, Western Mail "Lucid and compelling." – Professor Richard Wyn Jones, director of Cardiff University's Wales Governance Centre "An engaging and clear-eyed analysis of what is at stake when we talk about independence for Wales." – Mark Blyth, director of the William R. Rhodes Center for International Economics and Finance, Brown University *** Should Wales leave the UK? It's a conversation that has – unfairly – been all but disregarded by many, including some of the Welsh themselves, with all the focus on their Celtic cousins in Scotland. But independence movements are gaining momentum across Europe, and Wales will be a key voice in these debates. Support for Welsh autonomy is at an all-time high, with the latest polls suggesting as many as one in three are in favour. This is not just unprecedented; it is all but revolutionary. Scotland's 2014 referendum taught us that once the independence genie is out of the bottle, it does not go back in. Meanwhile, the Brexit campaign demonstrated that these arguments come with inflated claims, misinformation and scaremongering that can easily poison a complex debate. In Independent Nation, Will Hayward brings nuance back to the arena for this crucial national conversation. Brimming with interviews from experts and painting a detailed, colourful picture of the realities of life in Wales – from extreme poverty and disconnected infrastructure to expensive urban regeneration and cafés of Gavin and Stacey fame – this is an open-eyed look at the truths and falsehoods around the country's future. Impartial, informed and thoroughly entertaining, Independent Nation raises the standard of debate around an issue that will affect us all.
Independent Wales was defined in the centuries after the Romans withdrew from Britain in AD 410. The wars of Welsh independence encompassed centuries of raids, expeditions, battles and sieges, but they were more than a series of military encounters: they were a political process.
Collected writings by Adam Price, leader of Plaid Cymru and one of the great thinkers in current Welsh politics. It explores the viability of Welsh independence and includes some of his most famous speeches to Parliament, offering a great assessment of the current Welsh situation as well as ideas for securing a brighter future for Wales.
The revised and updated eighth edition of the bestselling textbook Politics UK is an indispensible introduction to British politics. It provides a thorough and accessible overview of the institutions and processes of British government, a good grounding in British political history and an incisive introduction to the issues facing Britain today. With contributed chapters from respected scholars in the field and contemporary articles on real-world politics from well-known political commentators, this textbook is an essential guide for students of British politics. The eighth edition welcomes brand new material from eight new contributors to complement the rigorously updated and highly valued chapters retained from the previous edition. The eighth edition includes: · Britain in context boxes offering contrasting international perspectives of themes in British politics. · A comprehensive 'who's who' of politics in the form of Profile boxes featuring key political figures. · And another thing ... pieces: short articles written by distinguished commentators including Jonathan Powell, Michael Moran and Mark Garnett. · Fully updated chapters plus new material providing excellent coverage of contemporary political events including: The Leveson Inquiry, the aftermath of the 2011 riots and the House of Lords reform. · A vibrant and accessible new design to excite and engage students as the work through a variety of political topics. · A new epilogue to the book offering a critical perspective of the trials and tribulations of the Coalition Government, including an overview of the major differences that divide the coalition partners.
In this classic text, first published in 1977, Tom Nairn memorably depicts the 'slow foundering' of the United Kingdom on the rocks of imperial decline, constitutional anachronism and the gathering force of civic nationalism. Rich in comparisons between the nationalisms of the British Isles and those of the wider world, thoughtful in its treatment of the interaction between nationality and social class, The Break-Up of Britain concludes with a bravura essay on the Janus-faced nature of national identity. Postscripts from the Thatcher and Blair years trace the political strategies whose upshot accelerated the demise of a British state they were intended to serve. As a second Scottish independence referendum beckons, a new Introduction by Anthony Barnett underlines the book's enduring relevance.
Until the Brexit referendum, there was widespread doubt as to whether English nationalism existed at all, at least beyond a small fringe. Since then, it has come to be regarded an obvious explanation for the vote to Leave the European Union. Subsequent opinion polls have raised doubts about the extent of continuing English commitment to the Union of the United Kingdom itself. Yet even as Englishness is apparently reshaping Britain's place in world and perhaps, ultimately, the state itself, it remains poorly understood. In this book Ailsa Henderson and Richard Wyn Jones draw on data from the Future of England Survey, a specially commissioned public attitudes survey programme exploring the political implications of English identity, to make new and original arguments about the nature of English nationalism. They demonstrate that English nationalism is emphatically not a rejection of Britain and Britishness. Rather, English nationalism combines a sense of grievance about England's place within the United Kingdom with a fierce commitment to a particular vision of Britain's past, present, and future. Understanding its Janus-faced nature - both England and Britain - is key not only to understanding English nationalism, but also to understanding the ways in which it is transforming British politics.
Exam Board: AQA, Edexcel, OCR & WJEC Level: A-level Subject: Politics First Teaching: September 2017 First Exam: June 2018 Topical, up-to-date and essential reading for exam success. Featuring information and analysis of recent events in UK politics, UK Government & Politics Annual Update provides you with topical material to draw on for tasks throughout your course, and for answering examination questions. Written by an experienced teacher and examiner and edited by an acknowledged expert in the field of UK politics, this is the book you need if you are aiming for the highest grades. - Reviews all the key events and developments in UK politics that you need to know - Up-to-date examples and data to help you present knowledgeable and persuasive arguments - Written by an experienced teacher and examiner who knows what you need to know to get your top grades - The perfect update for your textbook, bringing you right up to date with all the topical material you need to achieve your best in your exams Contents Chapter 1 The EU referendum: why did 'Leave' win? Chapter 2 Referendums: a triumph for popular democracy or a flawed democratic process? Chapter 3 Theresa May: how and why did she become prime minister? Chapter 4 David Cameron: a verdict on his premiership Chapter 5 Brexit: will it lead to the break-up of the United Kingdom? Chapter 6 The Labour Party: time to split? Chapter 7 The 2016 elections to devolved administrations: does PR work? Chapter 8 Elected mayors: a new start for local democracy? Chapter 9 The Liberal Democrats: do they have a future? Chapter 10 Public opinion polls: time for regulation?
This is the first of a major two-volume work which provides an authoritative account of devolution in the UK since the initial settlement under New Labour in 1997. This first volume meets the need for a comprehensive, UK-wide analysis of the formative years of devolution from the years 1997 to 2007, offering a rigorous and theoretically innovative re-examination of the period that traces territorial politics from initial settlements in Scotland and Wales and the Good Friday agreement in Northern Ireland to early maturity. Bradbury reviews the trajectory and influencing factors of devolution and its subsequent impacts, using a novel framework to set a significant new agenda for thinking and research on devolution.
A survey of media in Wales - across print, broadcast and online and in Welsh and English - and includes data and commentary. The report also contains reflections on Ofcom’s second public service broadcasting review and on the options to improve Wales’ media provision.