The Scottish election: implications for the United Kingdom

Join Prof. Nigel Biggar, Andrew Bowie MP and Prof. Doug Stokes for a compelling discussion about the future of the United Kingdom.

About this event

Pro-independence parties won a majority in Scotland’s parliament this May. Such an outcome significantly raises the possibility of a high-stakes political, legal and constitutional battle with the British Prime Minister over the future of the United Kingdom.

At the same time, across British cultural institutions, from the media, universities and even boardrooms, a newly emergent form of quasi-religious deconstructive secular theology draws a highly contested version of history. In an age where identity politics and so-called ‘culture wars’ rage, the dominant narratives on British Empire – a political formation that dissolved before many Britons were born – help to frame a sense of identity in the UK, including debates over Scottish independence.

Join this fascinating discussion with Andrew Bowie MP, Professor Doug Stokes and Professor Nigel Biggar to hear what the Scottish election means for the future of the United Kingdom and how the dominant narratives on British Empire are playing out in British politics.

Speakers

Prof. Nigel Biggar

• Regius Professor of Moral and Pastoral Theology, University of Oxford

Andrew Bowie MP

• Member of Parliament for West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine

Prof. Doug Stokes

• Thomas Telford Associate Fellow in Strategic Power and Infrastructure at the Council on Geostrategy;
• Professor in International Security at the University of Exeter

Moderator

Viktorija Starych-Samuolienė

• Co-founder and Director of Strategy, Council on Geostrategy

Venue

This event was hosted online using Zoom.