The Devolution Juggernaut is Careering Down the Hill

This article in the Scotsman is illuminating:

In a significant move, the UK government has asked HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) to set up a panel of advisers to help with the "technical and practical implementations" of handing more tax powers to Scotland.

Making the announcement, Scottish Secretary Jim Murphy said giving greater powers to the Scottish Parliament – part of the recommendations from the Calman Commission – would help to grow the economy while protecting jobs and businesses.

His move came just hours before a study, published today, suggested that a "devolution backlash" is growing in England as a result of voters' perception of a democratic and financial deficit within the devolution settlement in the UK.

The Calman Commission recommendations clearly can't wait until after the General Election now that fault-lines have emerged between the Unionist parties.

The Scottish Labour Party are panicky about the findings of IPPR's new report on English attitudes to the Union, and the St David's Day poll that found that 56% say they would vote for a Welsh Assembly with full legislative powers . There is a feeling that the devolution juggernaut is careering down the hill, out of control. I expect that Labour are also extremely conscious of George Osborne's embryonic plan to abolish the Barnett Formula in favour of a needs-based formula:

“My initial look at the formula suggests that Wales might well be missing out under the Barnett arrangements. I think it is in Wales’s interest that we have that needs-based assessment, which is independently done … My view is that you want to move on it pretty quickly, as soon as a new Government is elected.”

Ironically the very last thing that the Labour Party wants is a funding formula based on social need (see Killing Home Rule by Kindness).