Just finalised talk on implications of UK Internal Market Act 2020 for devolved policymaking by Scotland / Wales in field of public health, e.g. strategies to combat illness & deaths arising from tobacco / alcohol / obesity.

Key points in short thread, for those interested:

1) Imagine Scottish Government & Parliament want to ban marketing of product proven to have adverse health impact on population, e.g. uber-sugary soft drinks or super-salty junk food. Effect of Act? They can only ban marketing of Scottish made products; not those made in England.

2) Or imagine Welsh Government & Senedd want to restrict advertising of / consumer access to unhealthy products (without banning them per se). Effect of Act? Need to check Welsh rules aren't trying to exclude / somehow discriminate against English goods: that's no longer allowed.

3) Illustrates UKIMA's in-built bias towards free trade / against public interest regulation. Combined with total refusal to acknowledge / allow for economic dominance of England / constitutional dominance of London institutions: explains Act's inhibiting effects on devolution...

4) Reinforced by, eg lack of guaranteed UK-wide minimum social standards; no serious attempt to reform UK governance / foster mutual trust with devolved institutions; UK ministers' power to rewrite whole parts of UKIMA itself; court's power to disapply "offending" devolved rules.

5) At very least: UKIMA limits power of Scotland/Wales to pursue independent regulatory paths/experiment with new policies, e.g. to enhance public health. But real suspicion is: UKIMA is part of post-Brexit ideological campaign to undermine devolution/re-centralise UK by stealth?