Devolution

Devolution or home rule is the granting of powers from central government to government at regional or local level. It differs from federalism in that the powers devolved are temporary and ultimately reside in central government, thus the state remains unitary. Any devolved assemblies can be repealed by central government in the same way as an ordinary law can be. Federal systems differ in that subnational government is guaranteed in the constitution.

History

Irish home rule

The issue of Irish home rule was the dominant political question of British politics at the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th centuries.

Related Topics:
British - 19th - 20th

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

From the late nineteenth century, leaders of the Irish Parliamentary Party under Isaac Butt, William Shaw and Charles Stewart Parnell had demanded a form of home rule, with the creation of a subsidiary Irish parliament within the United Kingdom. This demand led to the eventual introduction of four Irish Home Rule Bills, of which only the last two were approved by the British Parliament, and only the final one was enacted: the Government of Ireland Act 1920. The bills were opposed by Irish Unionists who raised the Ulster Volunteer Force and signed the Ulster Covenant to oppose the bill, thereby raising the spectre of civil war. This Act created the parliaments of Northern Ireland and Southern Ireland — although the latter did not in reality function and most of Ireland became the Irish Free State in 1922 after the Anglo-Irish Treaty.

Related Topics:
Nineteenth century - Irish Parliamentary Party - Isaac Butt - William Shaw - Charles Stewart Parnell - United Kingdom - Irish Home Rule Bill - Government of Ireland Act 1920 - Irish Unionists - Ulster Volunteer Force - Ulster Covenant - Northern Ireland - Southern Ireland - Irish Free State - 1922 - Anglo-Irish Treaty

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The home rule demands of the late nineteenth and early twentieth century differed from earlier demands for Repeal by Daniel O'Connell in the first half of the nineteenth century. Whereas home rule meant a subsidiary parliament under Westminster, repeal meant the repeal of the 1801 Act of Union and the creation of an entirely independent Irish state, separated from the United Kingdom, with only a shared monarch joining them both.

Related Topics:
Repeal - Daniel O'Connell - Westminster - 1801 Act of Union

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

• 1886: First Irish Home Rule Bill never made it through the House of Commons.
• 1894: Second Irish Home Rule Bill defeated in the House of Lords
• 1912: Third Irish Home Rule Act passed (as the Government of Ireland Act 1914) but never came into force, due to the intervention of World War I (1914–18) and of the Easter Rising in Dublin (1916).
• 1920: Fourth Irish Home Rule Act (Government of Ireland Act 1920)

Scotland and Wales

In May 1997, the Labour government of Tony Blair was elected with a promise of creating devolved institutions in Scotland and Wales. In late 1997, referenda were held in those nations, which both resulted in a "yes" vote. The newly-created Scottish Parliament (as a result of the Scotland Act ) had powers to make primary legislation in certain areas of policy, in addition to some limited tax raising powers (which to date have not been exercised). The Welsh Assembly (as a consequence of the Government of Wales Act) possesses the power to determine how the government budget for Wales is spent and administered.

Related Topics:
Labour - Tony Blair - Scotland - Wales - 1997 - Referenda - Scottish Parliament - Scotland Act - Legislation - Tax - Welsh Assembly - Government of Wales Act - Government

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Devolution for Scotland & Wales was justified on the basis that it would aid in bringing government closer to the people in these nations. Such a need was apparent, since the populations of Scotland and Wales felt detached from the Westminster government (largely because of the policies of the Conservative governments led by Margaret Thatcher and John Major). Critics of devolution believed that it would seek to undermine the existence of the United Kingdom.

Related Topics:
Nation - Scotland - Wales - Westminster - Conservative - Margaret Thatcher - John Major - United Kingdom

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Northern Ireland

A devolved Assembly was created as a consequence of the 1998 Belfast Agreement. However, at present it is not operational, due to a breakdown in the Northern Ireland peace process.

Related Topics:
Belfast Agreement - Northern Ireland peace process

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Movements Calling For Devolution

Movements calling for devolution also exist in Cornwall and to a limited degree in England and some English Regions such as Wessex.

Related Topics:
Cornwall - England - Wessex

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~