Scotland and Wales Vote 2016: Understanding the Devolved Elections (FutureLearn)

Scotland and Wales Vote 2016: Understanding the Devolved Elections (FutureLearn)

This course will examine the issues, ideas and institutions involved in the Scottish Parliament and Welsh Assembly elections. 2016 is an exciting year for elections in the United Kingdom. Towards the end of the year we might have a referendum on the UK’s EU membership, but we definitely know that there will be elections to the Scottish Parliament and Welsh Assembly in May. Both of these institutions have a significant impact on people’s lives in Scotland and Wales: they control big public policy issues like health, education and transport.

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A great deal has changed since the last devolved elections in 2011. Scotland has voted to remain in the United Kingdom, there is now a majority Conservative government, and there are plans for significant further devolution. What are the big issues at stake in these elections? How does the electoral system work? Why does Scotland have a stronger nationalist party than Wales? Can the SNP retain its majority? Can the Labour Party remain in power in Wales?
Join us as we explore these issues with the help of expertise from The University of Edinburgh and Cardiff University. This unique, real-time course responds to real world events and your feedback about what you want to focus on.

Learning on this course
You can take this self-guided course and learn at your own pace. On every step of the course you can meet other learners, share your ideas and join in with active discussions in the comments.

Who is the course for?
This course is aimed at anyone who is interested in finding out more about the Scottish Parliament and Welsh Assembly elections in 2016. No prior knowledge is required.

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