Gwilym Gibbon Centre tries to break deadlock between Scotland and Westminster
The Scottish and UK governments are deadlocked over the formula for reducing Scotland’s block grant once it takes on substantial tax powers under the current Scotland Bill. The Gwilym Gibbon Centre held a small specialist conference in December attended by public servants from London, Cardiff and Edinburgh and experts on funding formulae. Two publications have resulted. Jim Gallagher explains the ‘algebra’ of the constitutional settlement. Iain McLean explains why fiscal plans must be fair to the English as well as the Scots, telling the story of the ‘Geordie revolt’ of 1977 in which he played a part. Jim’s paper is here: http://ggcpp.nuff.ox.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/Gallagher-WP-Algebra-and-the-Constitution.pdf Iain’s paper is here: http://ggcpp.nuff.ox.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/Ian-WP-The-No-Men-of-England.pdf Press coverage is here: http://tinyurl.com/zhs25uh The Times (online): http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/opinion/thunderer/article4676418.ece