Scotland: The Road Divides

Scotland is one country with many systems and part of many Unions - the UK, Europe and global. What is our role and our future? How ambitious are we? Has the SNP victory in 2007 changed forever the mindset of Scottish politics or have we been here before? Is the 300-year-old Union in danger? What is the state of Scottish politics today? Is it the end of traditional loyalties? Is a seismic shift in public opinion underway? How will the Scottish landscape look in the future."Scotland: The Road Divides" is a hard-hitting, incisive, and informed look at where the devolution journey has taken us - from the heady days of the new Blair government in 1997 to the dramatic events of 2007 - and where do we go from here. Arguing that the Union must adapt to survive, McLeish and Brown contend that the devolution referendum paved the way for a bold new consitutional settlement. A contentious and pertinent commentary, this book maintains that many politicians have not come to terms with the dramatic changes and do not appear to understand the 'new politics'.

Henry McLeish RT HON HENRY McLEISH began his political career in local government in 1974, and was leader of Fife Regional Council for five years. He was elected as an MP in 1987 and became Minister for Devolution and Home Affairs from 1997 to 1999. In the first Scottish Parliament he was Minister for Enterprise and Lifelong Learning from 1999, and in 2000 he became First Minister of Scotland until 2001. Resigning from politics in 2003, he is now an adviser and lectures internationally on a variety of topics. He frequently appears on TV and radio, and is interviewed for various newspapers and magazines.

Tom Brown TOM BROWN is one of Scotland's most respected and experienced political commentators. A former Fleet Street journalist, he was political editor of the Daily Record. He now writes a weekly column for Scotland on Sunday, contributes to a number of newspapers and broadcasts regularly. He has also written books on political biographyand football.