Devolution is the transfer of power from central government to regional authorities.
Nowadays British State is under challenge. It is firstly because Britain is being absorbed into a larger unit with the implementation of the SEA (Single European Act 1987) and will be further integrated if the single currency the EU is accepted. Secondly UK might fall into smaller units because of the devolution of Scotland, Wales and NIreland.
Moreover there is a growing dislike of the habit of defining the population as ’English’, and Britain has also experienced territorial change. The question is that is the UK a unitary or is it a multinational federal body. The colonial domination of the Celtic periphery by the English core caused the integration of Wales (1536), Scotland (1707), Ireland (1800) into an England dominated Union
In Wales the core domination resulted in the decline of Welsh culture, especially the Welsh language. In the 13th century Wales was conquered and incorporated into a single administrative political system with England. In 1536 English administration was extended to Wales through legislation (Henry VIII.) and the official language became English. The cultural self-consciousness awakened in the 19th century that turned into a strong nationalistic movement. The Welsh culture is different from the English very much and this is expressed through religion and through politics by supporting the Liberal and the Labour Party. After 1945 the economic recession hit the coal mining in South Wales that is why mines had to be closed. This led to the loss of the close-knit valley communities and caused the feeling of a loss of identity and decline. Welsh nationalism has been kept alive up to the present by the Plaid Cymru (founded 1925), which has elected members to the British Parliament and kept pressure on the major parties to protect the special interests of Wales.
The question of language is a very important matter. Welsh language as a first language is in danger of dying out. Regarding the language the society is divided to three parts Welsh-speaking Wales, Radical Wales, English Wales. In 1979 the Welsh people voted down a Labour Party plan of devolution in Wales. The Conservative Party that was elected later dropped any further plans for a Welsh government. In 1997 the Labour Party came into power supporting the idea of devolution in Scotland and Wales. In a referendum held in September 1997 barely more than half of Welsh voters supported the creation of a Welsh assembly. Elections were held in May 1999, and the Welsh assembly convened in Cardiff. It gives Wales greater political independence from the British parliament. It has responsibilities for economic development, agriculture, education, local government, environment, industry, arts, culture and the Welsh language.
In Scotland the nationalism was much stronger. English never conquered Scotland. In 1603 Elizabeth I. died without a child thus the Scottish king James VI. inherited the throne of England. In 1707 Scotland became part of the United Kingdom of Great Britain. London had pol. and Edinburgh had economic reasons for the unification. Scottish parliament was suspended and Scotland was governed from Westminster. As a result of the industrialisation in the course of the 19th century Scotland became an industrial nation. With the decline of Britain as a world power in the second half of the 20th century, Scottish nationalism became a significant political force. The Scottish National Party (1928) became powerful especially after the discovery of North Sea oil in the 1960s. In 1979 the Labour Party plan of devolution in Scotland was voted down. In 1997 the Labour Party took control of the government, and could satisfy nationalist ambitions. A referendum was held in 1997 and more than 75% of the people of Scotland voted to create their own parliament. Election was held in May 1999 and the Scottish parliament convened.
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