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The Internal Market Bill cleared the Commons yesterday
Lots of debate about the NI protocol, but it's really important not to lose sight of the original purpose: restricting post-Brexit policy divergence within the UK
Why is this important, and why is the UK govt doing it?
1/9
Lots of debate about the NI protocol, but it's really important not to lose sight of the original purpose: restricting post-Brexit policy divergence within the UK
Why is this important, and why is the UK govt doing it?
1/9
At first glance preventing trade barriers within the UK sounds like something everyone should agree on
But to understand why the bill's so controversial in the devolved areas, you need to appreciate it turns how devolution's worked since 1999 on its head
2/9
But to understand why the bill's so controversial in the devolved areas, you need to appreciate it turns how devolution's worked since 1999 on its head
2/9
When New Labour introduced devo, the *whole point* was so Scotland, Wales & NI could do things differently from Westminster
Because of this, at the time little serious thought was given to restricting divergence and there was no concept of a 'UK internal market'
3/9
Because of this, at the time little serious thought was given to restricting divergence and there was no concept of a 'UK internal market'
3/9
The UKIM Bill, in contrast, is motivated by a view that divergence is a dangerous threat to the integrity and economic performance of the UK
In effect, it super-imposes new arrangements designed to prevent divergence on top of a devolution system designed to facilitate it
4/9
In effect, it super-imposes new arrangements designed to prevent divergence on top of a devolution system designed to facilitate it
4/9
These ideas haven't come from nowhere
There is a strong strand of thinking in today's Tory party that argues central govt's retreat from key policy fields in the devolved territories has undermined support for the Union, particularly in Scotland
5/9
There is a strong strand of thinking in today's Tory party that argues central govt's retreat from key policy fields in the devolved territories has undermined support for the Union, particularly in Scotland
5/9
When @michaelkenny_ & I interviewed Tory MPs for our @PolStudies article we heard many calls for central govt to be more 'active' in devolved territories & generally do more to 'promote' the Union
The IM Bill is partly about delivering that agenda
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/0032321720930986
6/9
The IM Bill is partly about delivering that agenda
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/0032321720930986
6/9
Besides this, the bill is a manifestation of just how wide the differences between the UK's govts have become
UK ministers clearly don't believe they can achieve their policy aims through intergovernmental negotiation, which would have been far less contentious
7/9
UK ministers clearly don't believe they can achieve their policy aims through intergovernmental negotiation, which would have been far less contentious
7/9
Difficulties in intergovernmental relations are not surprising given the govts are run by such different parties
But there are things that can be done to at least make relationships more constructive
Some ideas in our recent @po_qu piece! https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/1467-923X.12862
8/9
But there are things that can be done to at least make relationships more constructive
Some ideas in our recent @po_qu piece! https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/1467-923X.12862
8/9
In the Lords - where plenty of peers take a close interest in devo - these aspects will get much closer scrutiny. The relationship between the bill & IGR will probably also be explored in more depth
The final Act could yet be quite different from the current version
9/9
The final Act could yet be quite different from the current version
9/9
