Richard Crossman, Harold Wilson and devolution, 1966-70: the making of government policy

Abstract

This article expands our understanding of devolution, the British constitution, the Wilson government of 1966-70 and the careers and attitudes of Richard Crossman and Harold Wilson. It shows that devolution was debated not as a simply ‘Celtic’ affair, but as part of a long-standing Labour concern with reforming the ‘machinery of government’. This interest—expressed by Crossman amongst others—became submerged by other events and pressures. Perceived nationalist successes and the conflicting aims of (divided) Labour parties in Scotland and Wales pushed out Crossman's little-studied desire to replace ‘national devolution’ with regional devolution across the UK. Wilson adopted the delaying tactic of a Royal Commission on the Constitution. Using a wide range of private, governmental and Labour sources from across the UK, the article shows the interchange of policy debate between London and the ‘Celtic fringe’. In the process, the article reveals both national tensions and a commitment to Britishness, stemming from shared policy interests and also from wider cultural influences.