Referendum on Scottish Independence: The Law and the Politics

Public Seminars 2011-12

Part 1: Alan Trench

Part 2: Robert Hazell

Date and Time: Monday 12 March, 1.00 pm
Venue: Council Room, The Constitution Unit

A referendum on Scottish Independence is now firmly on the constitutional agenda. Following David Cameron's announcement that he intends to give the Scottish Parliament power to hold a referendum and in the context of the launch of both Westminster and Scottish consultations in January 2012, numerous questions remain to be resolved over the process and timing of the vote.

Constitution Unit Honorary Research Fellow and author of the Devolution Matters blog Alan Trench will discuss the political issues around holding a referendum; Constitution Unit Director Robert Hazell will present the legal concerns, drawing on the Unit's 2002 publication, Scottish Independence: a Practical Guide.

• See Alan Trench's slidepack

• See Robert Hazell's slidepack

Further Information:

• Press Release: David Cameron has transformed SNP's long game into a penalty shoot-out (9 January 2012)
• Alan Trench's Devolution blog, devolutionmatters.wordpress.org