'Close Friends'? Assessing The Impact of Greater Scottish Autonomy on the North of England

This proposal provides a timely opportunity to focus on an aspect of the debate on Scottish Independence that is of growing political salience but which, as yet, remains an underdeveloped research area: namely, the impact of greater Scottish autonomy on the neighbouring North of England. In defining the North in terms of the North East and Cumbria, the series both acknowledges the importance of place and identity across the length of the border, and the potential for examining opportunities for collaboration between the North and Scotland and within the North of England itself. While the question of the economic implications for the UK as a whole - and for the developments in the other devolved territories have been addressed - the question of how to conceptualise and assess the inter-relationship between Scotland and its most immediate English neighbours, remains a missing link in research on Scotland's external relationships. Such a focus both allows for a reflection on a range of conceptual debates on territorial approaches to economic development, fiscal federalism, the nature and fluidity of 'borders', the creation of more flexible approaches to governance and the potential to shape policy-making in an area, and at a time, where the nature of the inter-relationship (and the opportunities it offers) remains to be decided. The seminar series plans to include 6 events within a two year period. The topics covered are: the historical and cultural context; developments in governance and governing; economic development; changes in levels of fiscal autonomy; lessons from international experiences; and implications for politics and policy-making. In addition to academics, the engagement of practitioners and policy-makers as contributors is also a feature of the seminars. The last event, timed to take place early in 2015, will allow for post-referendum reflection and analysis which engages politicians and policy-makers from both sides of the Border. The applicants all have a strong track record in research on devolution and sub-national governance and are joined in the seminar series by a range of eminent national and international researchers from a range of disciplines who have experience of working in previous or contemporary ESRC-funded work on Scotland and the rest of the UK, and/or are drawn from universities and think-tanks on both sides of the border.

Directed from Northumbria University by Professor Keith Shaw, but also drawing into its orbit academic colleagues from the University of Cumbria, Edinburgh College of Art, the University of Oxford, and from University College London, this Seminar Series will encourage a systematic, wide-ranging and comparative exploration of the impact of a more autonomous Scotland on the North of England. By its very nature and timeliness, the emphasis of the Series will be on bringing into dialogue the theorisations of the widest cross-section of academics; and the changing political and policy contexts with which a broad cohort of policy makers and practitioners operate. Hence, whilst catering for a large and interdisciplinary audience of academics, the perspectives and positionalities of a broad base of non-academics will also inflect the discussions; indeed, the ratio of academics to non-academics will be fixed, for each of the events, at 60:40. This could be inverted, however, in the case of the final event (event 6), which we expect to mobilise a large and distinguished community of senior civil servants from key government departments, including the Cabinet Office, HM Treasury and CLG, as well as those responsible for and/or aligned with key sub-national functions such as skills, transport, tourism, and renewables.

It is the applicants' intention that, as well as inputting to the Series as 'speakers', non-academics will also assist in and contribute to the develop of a series of written reflections on the issues broached, including those featuring in a special feature edition of the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) journal, Juncture. Further, given the richness of the Series' conceptual underpinnings, the timeliness of the bid, and the level of interest in the issue of Scottish independence, it is planned that longer and more analytical articles will be produced for a special edition of a leading academic journal, such as Regional Studies or Urban Studies. Once again, every effort will be made to accommodate involvements from senior civil servants and/or ministers.

Syntheses of the above articles will manifest in a series of short (2 page) policy briefings made available to relevant stakeholders in both 'glossy' format and via the Series' dedicated website. Serving as an archive to the various 'Powerpoint' presentations and recordings extracted from the six events, this will also link to and promote a newly-established blog. Oriented towards an informed but non-specialist audience, the blog will provide a 'live' forum for those concerned with and affected by the issues constituting the Series' programme, and a platform from which to promote a number of public communication and public engagement activities; including film screenings, public lectures, a 'borderland' walk, and a public debate.

These and other activities will be steered at a strategic level by steering committee uniting academics (e.g. Professor John Mawson, Director, Institute for Local Governance for the North East), policy makers Melanie Laws (Chief Executive, Association of North East Councils) and practitioners (Jonathan Blackie (consultant; former Director of Government Office for the North East).