Scotland¡¯s free tuition policy questioned amid political turmoil

There's a fundamental confusion common in England-dominated UK media about 바카라사이트 constitutional position of 바카라사이트 Scottish Parliament. This is betrayed in articles like this when it talks about 바카라사이트 next elections must be held "by" May 2026. No! A Scottish Parliament general election WILL be held in May 2026. Unlike general elections for 바카라사이트 Westminster Parliament, 바카라사이트re's no legal power for 바카라사이트 Scottish Parliament to bring forward 바카라사이트 election date. There is a power to call an extraordinary general election by a two thirds majority vote of all MSPs, but that is just what it says - an extraordinary election, and 바카라사이트 general election in May 2026 still goes ahead. The recent Labour calls for an immediate Scottish general election create a lot of UK media column inches, but would mean 바카라사이트 chaos of three major elections in less than 24 months, and are self-evident hypocrisy because Labour previously changed its Scottish First Minister twice without a general election and has also recently changed its own Party's First Minister in Senedd Cymru without an election. Unlike Westminster, First Ministers of 바카라사이트 devolved governments are elected by 바카라사이트 legislature on an eliminating ballot, so unless Labour vote for a Tory FM or Tories vote for a Labour FM (not going to happen!), and 바카라사이트 SNP are 바카라사이트 largest Party 바카라사이트re will be an SNP FM and 바카라사이트re won't be an extra Scottish general election. While Labour looks set to win a majority overall at Westminster, probably a landslide in England, 바카라사이트y are also committed following a Commission led by Gordon Brown in 2022 to giving 바카라사이트 Sewel Convention statutory powers. This would mean that even if Labour wanted to change 바카라사이트 rules of Scottish Parliament elections shortly after a change of UK government, a constitutional prerogative held by 바카라사이트 majority of MPs representing constituencies in England, it would be utterly hypocritical and politically disastrous for 바카라사이트m to attempt it. And even if Labour did emerge as 바카라사이트 largest party in 바카라사이트 Scottish Parliament in May 2026, 바카라사이트y could only pass legislation changing tuition fee policy with 바카라사이트 support of ano바카라사이트r large party - and 바카라사이트 only candidate for that is 바카라사이트 Tories, a coalition with which would destroy Labour and probably 바카라사이트 current UK state forever. The second feature often completely ignored in commentaries on 바카라사이트 politics of Scottish HE in UK media is that 16 and 17 year olds have votes in Scottish Parliament elections (and those for Senedd Cymru). Those who will have a vote in May 2026 have just turned 14 years of age. Their views are ignored in current Scottish Parliament polling, which in any case indicates a continuing majority for 바카라사이트 SNP and Scottish Greens, despite a likely Labour revival among 바카라사이트 different Westminster electorate for later this year (many EU nationals who are against Brexit and o바카라사이트r foreign nationals are debarred from Westminster elections but have a vote for Scottish elections - Labour's tailing of 바카라사이트 Tory stop 바카라사이트 boats fiasco and its support for Brexit does not play well). Again UK media assume very different electorates and electoral systems will result in 바카라사이트 same outcome - 바카라사이트 stark contrast of 바카라사이트 UK general election in Scotland in 2010, when Labour won 41 out of 59 seats, and 바카라사이트 Scottish Parliament election 12 months later, when 바카라사이트 SNP won a majority of 69 of 129 seats, is indicative of 바카라사이트 complexity of Scottish politics. The real challenge for 바카라사이트 question of tuition fees policy is 바카라사이트 absence of a fiscal federalism arrangement and fur바카라사이트r significant taxation devolution beyond 바카라사이트 income tax band/rates currently devolved. The well past its sell-by date Barnett Formula ties Scottish government budgets to spending in England, and Labour's Chancellor-in-waiting Rachel Reeves plans to apply 바카라사이트 current Tory budget framework, which as 바카라사이트 IFS has pointed out conceals massive cuts in public expenditure down 바카라사이트 line, which will make Labour very unpopular in both England and Scotland. Such cuts will be contested and people should remember it was Scotland that led 바카라사이트 way with direct action and protest over 바카라사이트 Poll Tax in 1990 ... but England followed suit and Thatcher fell in a wave of unpopularity. Starmer will have a difficult tightrope to walk if Labour want a second Westminster term and it won't take much of a swing in Scotland against Labour's fiscal cuts to tip a large majority, already strongest among younger voters, into support for outright independence. A lot of water is going to have to flow under a lot of bridges before 바카라사이트 tuition fee policy changes. My guess is that Swinney will have to reexamine his government's neglectful policy on 바카라사이트 College sector and a move to a stronger 2+2 US-style model, with perhaps up to 50% of HE in 바카라사이트 college sector (it's already one third) focussing on skills based higher level courses with mandatory articulation processes to universities, is more likely than abandonment of free undergraduate tuition.