ABSTRACT
This chapter examines how different governments engage with each other to achieve their policy objectives, and how capable the devolved governments are at influencing political decisions of the centre that affect their jurisdictions. For these purposes, it examines patterns of interaction and political influence across a wide range of policies, including constitutional reforms; various issues around the UK's withdrawal from the EU; foreign and trade policies; immigration; fiscal policy; agriculture and food; environment, climate change and energy; economic development; transport; public healthcare; and justice and policing. The analysis is guided by three dependent variables (non-interaction, cooperation, conflict) and four independent variables (functional and political interdependence, preference intensity, party congruency, strategic power). With different parties in power with diverging policy objectives across London, Edinburgh and Cardiff, intergovernmental relations have been characterised by profound political tensions, particularly in regard to the UK's withdrawal from the EU. Nevertheless, beneath the disputes, governments have intensively cooperated to deal with common challenges and prevent serious disruptions. The chapter also deploys a qualitative assessment tool across the different policy issues to systematically assess the extent to which the Scottish and Welsh Governments have influenced the decisions, policies and laws of the UK Government.
