Hansard Scholars Visit Edinburgh

International group spend four days on political study trip to Scottish capital.

The Summer 2008 Hansard Scholars took advantage of Westminster's parliamentary recess recently to go on a political study visit to Edinburgh.

The group, comprising 14 undergraduates (from the US, Canada and Kuwait) and eight postgraduate students from countries as diverse as Bulgaria, Bangladesh, Argentina and Croatia left London on the King's Cross train to Edinburgh. The afternoon was free for the Scholars to enjoy the beautiful summer sunshine as well as the architectural, historical and cultural wonders of the Scottish capital before the Wednesday seminars.  

Michael Clancy OBE, Director of the Law Society of Scotland, kicked off the Wednesday sessions by giving a riveting talk about the implications of Scots law and devolution. He also treated the Scholars to a fascinating account of Scottish history from marauding Vikings and William Wallace to the ever-so-slightly controversial Scottish Parliament. Frank McAveety MSP (Scottish Labour Party) and Derek Brownlee MSP (Scottish Conservative Party) followed this with two fascinating Q&A sessions on what it's like to be in opposition in Scotland.

The following morning started with a visit to the Scottish Parliament - a great opportunity for all the Scholars to see first hand what £431m buys you in Edinburgh! The Scholars enjoyed the chance to experience the famously lively goings-on of First Minister's Questions in the Chamber before heading next door to the European Parliament Office. This final port of call allowed the group to grill Alan Cochrane of the Scottish Telegraph on Scotland's political future before John Edward, Head of the European Parliament Office, ended the day with a lively discussion about the challenges facing the EU, and the Scottish and Westminster parliaments' relationship to Brussels.

Friday afternoon on the train back down to London was an opportunity for the Scholars to reflect on what they'd learnt and who they'd met over the past couple of days. The visit will be followed shortly by a political study visit to Oxford.