ABSTRACT
Since coming to power in May 1997, the New Labour Government has been quick to deliver on its pre-election pledge to refurbish Britain’s political system. As part of a comprehensive programme of constitutional modernisation, a range of political and institutional capacities have been devolved from London,1 as England’s regions have been granted non-elected Regional Development Agencies,2 Wales an elected Assembly, and Scotland an elected Parliament with tax-varying powers. At the time of writing, the search to establish a peaceful compromise for Northern Ireland continues. However, if we are to compare this particular blend of representative democracy with most other Western European states (Keating 1998), then it becomes strikingly evident that constitutional modernity has bestowed upon the UK a very uneven political geographical expression. Why is this the case?
