Scottish Home Rule

Every debate about the Scottish constitution should include the topic of Scottish Home Rule, and if there is to be another referendum in Scotland then Home Rule should definitely be one of the options on the ballot paper. Home Rule is not widely understood being seen by many Unionists as the slippery slope to Independence and by Independence supporters as a Unionist proposal to retain sovereignty over Scotland. It is however a strong proposal in its own right with a separate history from Independence and a more likely stepping-stone to Federalism. This book is a much-needed statement for the merits of Scottish Home as the best solution for Scotland. It covers the history and support for the Home Rule option from 1860s, a clear structure for what Home Rule is and how Home Rule could improve both Scotland as well be a framework for constitutional reform across the UK.

Professor Ben Thomson CBE, FRSE was educated at Edinburgh University. Between 1997 and 2010 he was chief executive and then chair of the Scottish investment bank Noble Group. He founded the think tank, Reform Scotland in 2007, and chaired the campaigns for greater fiscal responsibility (2010), DEVO PLUS (2012) and Scottish Home Rule (2016). He is currently chair of Inverleith, Planet Organic and and a visiting professor at the Business School of Dundee University.