For the first time in the history of devolution, nationalist or independence-oriented parties lead all three devolved nations simultaneously: Sinn Féin in Northern Ireland, Plaid Cymru in Wales, and the SNP in Scotland. Meanwhile, Reform UK topped the national equivalent vote in England. The United Kingdom’s political geography has been fundamentally redrawn. What has not
This post summarises my recent article, ‘Accommodating Territorial Contestation and National Constitutional Change: The Cases of Cyprus and Ireland’, published in Irish Studies in International Affairs (Vol. 36, No. 2, 2025). I recently discussed the article with Rory Montgomery on the 50th episode of the ARINS Podcast — well worth a listen if you 
It was a great pleasure to provide oral and written evidence to the Scottish Parliament’s Constitution, Europe, External Affairs and Culture Committee as part of its inquiry examining ‘options for a legal mechanism for triggering any independence referendum.’
In the wake of the Supreme Court’s decision in the Independence Referendum Bill Reference, a genuine question arises:
On 4th March 1861, President Lincoln in his inaugural speech declared that ‘[p]erpetuity is implied, if not expressed, in the fundamental law of all national governments.’ Just a month before the start of the American civil war, he declared secession as ‘legally void’ given that ‘no government proper ever had a provision in
On 4th March 1861, President Lincoln in his inaugural speech declared that ‘[p]erpetuity is implied, if not expressed, in the fundamental law of all national governments.’ Just a month before the start of the American civil war, he declared secession as ‘legally void’ given that ‘no government proper ever had a provision in
Forty-eight hours before the 2014 Scottish independence referendum, the then Spanish Secretary of State for the EU, Méndez de Vigo, appeared on the BBC. During his interview, he rejected the claims of the then Scottish First Minister, Alex Salmond, according to which an independent Scotland could negotiate membership ‘from within’ the EU. Instead, he argued
Caro Diario (1993)In the opening scene of his film Caro Diario, Nanni Moretti goes for a ride with his Vespa on the outskirts of Rome. At some point, he stops at a traffic light and he informs the unsuspecting driver of a red cabriolet
On Tuesday 28 June, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon addressed the Scottish Parliament about her plans for a second independence referendum. According to the proposed Bill, the referendum will take place on 19 October 2023. The announcement reopened the age-old debate about the ‘festering issue’. Whether Holyrood does possess the power to organise such referendum without the
The EU is taking legal action against the UK in response to the government’s plan to revise the Northern Ireland Protocol after the UK government released a bill proposing to unilaterally amend the legal mechanism that ensures smooth trade of goods between Great Britain, Northern Ireland and Europe.
The European Union has warned that it will “respond with all measures at its disposal” if the UK goes ahead with a plan to unilaterally rewrite the most contentious part of their Brexit agreement, sparking fear of a trade war. How did the two sides once again end up at loggerheads and what is the