The 2014 Scottish independence referendum in a wider constitutional context

Abstract

This article aims to provide an overview of the principal legal and political aspects of the referendum on Scottish independence held on 18th September 2014. It will explore the constitutional context in which the referendum took place, including the evolution of the existing devolved structures of government in Scotland, a number of questions of competence which emerged at the outset of the process, some of the legally significant issues which arose during the campaign, and some issues of legal and political significance which have appeared in the aftermath of the result, and a brief comparison with the position in relation to the vote held in Catalonia in November 2014.