The problem with ‘Devo-max’

A common failing of pro-Union politicians down the years has been the stubborn belief that there exists somewhere a tidy ‘solution’ to the problem of separatist nationalism. With new polling showing that ‘devo-max’ would comfortably win a three-way referendum, it appears to be silly season once again.

The history of unionism’s efforts to engineer decisive solutions to the challenges of separatism is an unhappy one. Devolution was meant to be it, after all. As Labour’s manifesto said in 1997: 

‘A sovereign Westminster Parliament will devolve power to Scotland and Wales. The Union will be strengthened and the threat of separatism removed.’

Talk about ‘not understanding how the United Kingdom works’.

Obviously, that isn’t how it played out. So the same grand promises have been made of every subsequent tranche of concessions. It was used to justify David Cameron’s policy of giving tons of ground to Alex Salmond during the negotiations on the terms of the 2014 referendum.