Professor Nicola McEwen examines challenges ahead for devolution in the UK
Published: 15 September 2026
15 September 2026: As new Prime Minister Andy Burnham champions a ‘devolution revolution’, Professor Nicola McEwen writes it is unclear what this means for devolved nations in the UK and that there are unresolved constitutional challenges ahead to be considered, in a new report by the UK in a Changing Europe.
15 September 2026: As new Prime Minister Andy Burnham champions a ‘devolution revolution’, Professor Nicola McEwen writes it is unclear what this means for devolved nations in the UK and that there are unresolved constitutional challenges ahead to be considered, in a new report by the UK in a Changing Europe.
A new Policy Landscape report published by the UK in a Changing Europe, collates expert contributions on the state of the policy landscape, particularly as new Prime Minister Andy Burnham ‘confronts the reality of governing in the UK’.
Professor Nicola McEwen, Director of the University of Glasgow’s Centre for Public Policy, writes about devolution in the UK in the report, examining the current state of devolution, the political debates surrounding it, and what challenges may lie ahead.
Professor McEwen writes that as Andy Burnham continues to drive for further devolution in England, it is not clear what this means for the devolved nations of Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland.
She highlights unresolved constitutional challenges that will need to be confronted, including 'unfinished business’ around the UK Internal Market Act, a past promise to restore the Sewel Convention, and legitimate processes for referendums on independence.
Nicola writes that the UK Prime Minister ‘faces three First Ministers from nationalist parties whose ultimate goal is political independence or, in the case of Sinn Fein’s Michelle O’Neill (whose responsibilities in office are shared with the DUP’s Deputy First Minister), to secure Irish unity.'
The contribution concludes that effective leadership of the UK requires careful management of the complex political, constitutional and national identities that shape relations between its constituent nations.
As devolution continues to be at the forefront of policy debate across the UK, this contribution highlights key issues that will need to be confronted as the debate moves forwards.
Download and read the report: https://ukandeu.ac.uk/reports/policy-landscape-2026/
More information
Read the contribution as a blog on the UK in a Changing Europe website.
Visit Professor Nicola McEwen’s staff profile
Contact public-policy@glasgow.ac.uk for more information
Image by Heidi Fin on Unsplash
First published: 15 September 2026