King's College London

Andrew Blick, professor of politics and contemporary history, appeared before Constitution, Europe, External Affairs and Culture Committee on 27 November as part of its inquiry into the legal mechanisms that might support a second independence referendum.

Prof Blick, an expert on the UK constitution, answered a series of questions put by MSPs, including on the nature of ‘settled will’ and whether it was a pre-condition for a referendum, the likelihood of the UK parliament granting the power to MSPs to legislate for a referendum, and the politics that would need to guide the legal and constitutional processes.

On the question of the House of Commons handing power to the Scottish Parliament to allow it call a referendum, Prof Blick told the committee: “I remain of the opinion that the UK level of our system would be reluctant to do anything which is effectively handing over the control the supreme court decided they have at the moment to allow this referendum to happen. I think that is something they would be reluctant to do.”