22 August 2011

MSPs to return to University for devolution debate

Recently elected MSPs Jenny Marra and Mark McDonald, both graduates of the University of Dundee, will return to their old stomping ground next month for a symposium examining the future of devolution.

The one-day event, 'Future of Devolution and Political Parties: Scotland and Spain', will take place at the University on Monday, 19th September. Academics from the University of Jaen will also take part and share the Spanish experience of devolution in an afternoon session entitled ‘The Evolution of the State of Autonomies in Spain’.

That will be preceded by an examination of devolution in Scotland, past, present and future, where Mr McDonald and Ms Marra will contribute to the debate. As the former is an SNP MSP and the latter represents Labour, they will share their contrasting views about the extent to which further authority should be devolved from Westminster up to, and including, full independence.

Mr McDonald graduated from Dundee with a degree in Politics, while Ms Marra completed her Diploma in Legal Practice at the University.

Event organiser Dr Angela Bourne, from Dundee’s Politics department, said the symposium was sure to provide a day of stimulating debate over the future of devolution in both Scotland and Spain.

'We are delighted to be welcoming Mark and Jenny back to the University for this symposium,' she said. 'The will be bringing different perspectives to this debate and considering what the future holds for Scotland and how the political parties can influence the future trajectory of Scottish politics.

'We are also looking forward to hearing from Professors Gerardo Ruiz Rico and Juan José Ruiz from the University of Jaen. Both are constitutional law experts, and will be discussing the Spanish experience of devolution in areas such as Catalonia and the Basque Country.'

The symposium is being hosted by the new Centre for the study of European Political Parties, an initiative launched by the University's department of Politics and International Relations. The Centre aims to foster collaborative research and public debate on issues ranging from Euroscepticism, the transformation of parties of the left, democratic responses to extremism and regional party politics.

More information is available by contacting Dr Bourne on a.bourne@dundee.ac.uk.

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