Professor of Public Policy, Edinburgh University
Joined March 2014
- Tweets7.8K
- Following220
- Followers4.8K
- Likes13.8K
James Mitchell retweeted
This is a crucial moment to implement devolution within Scotland. There is a major opportunity for the Scottish and U.K. governments to work together to drive forward economic growth, as I set out in my independent report published last autumn.
My op-ed in @thetimes 👇
“John Swinney must seize a devolution deal with both hands”
thetimes.com/article/4ffaf7b…
James Mitchell retweeted
Fiscal devolution in England: what lessons from Scotland’s experience?
@stuartgmcintyre @ProfGraemeRoy @ProfJMitchell & David Waite @EconObservatory
#Budget2026 #AutumnBudget2026 #FiscalDevolution #Devolution
economicsobservatory.com/sco…
James Mitchell retweeted
I wrote about that mythology here:
these-islands.co.uk/publicat…
James Mitchell retweeted
Horrible decision from Welsh ministers not to go ahead with a much-needed update of property valuations for council tax in 2028, having previously voted for the legislation. Inexcusable. 1/3 bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c6ly…
James Mitchell retweeted
Buses will not be publicly owned under the SNP proposals.
James Mitchell retweeted
“It appeared that the environmental consideration to make the hospital as energy efficient and as green as possible took priority over the clinical requirement,” [Poplett] said.
@JohnSwinney loves to quote Poplett, will he quote this? 🧵
Lives lost, lives forever changed. The #QEUHinfectionscandal is complex but the overriding message simple
Putting reputation above safety must NEVER happen 👇
thetimes.com/magazines/the-s…
James Mitchell retweeted
In awarding this year’s #NobelPeacePrize, the Norwegian Nobel Committee wants to remind the world that the rule of law – national and international – underpins the system we have set up to ensure peace and resolve conflicts non-violently. Peace requires justice.
History has shown that a world operating without the rule of law is unjust, unwise and inhumane. The judges – those who guard the thin red line between order and chaos – are therefore highly deserving of our praise. But today, as these same judges are sanctioned, and their institutions are attacked, we need people of courage, vision and determination – qualities that 2026 peace laureate Navi Pillay demonstrates in her work on the bench.
#NobelPrize
James Mitchell retweeted
Re taking Ministerial role seriously. In my experience, there was a divide in committee appearances by Ministers between those who knew - and understood - their brief and those who simply regurgitated the lines to take and were at least wise enough to ask officials to respond.
James Mitchell retweeted
And worth adding that nowadays instant briefing updates are easily available and accessible. It is not as if they have to be etched on calf skin….
James Mitchell retweeted
He’d have been briefed on all the issues relevant to his responsibilities when he was appointed. Ministers routinely have a pre meeting on the morning of a committee appearance where the most recent issues can be been flagged up. The flippancy is all his own - not the system’s.
James Mitchell retweeted
Scot Gov has just published several FOI responses seeking the briefing pack provided to Stephen Flynn before his disastrous Transport Committee session last month. His briefing did cover the ferry gas leak story, proving that Stephen Flynn had not read his briefing pack. Oops.
James Mitchell retweeted
“in an attempt to be seen as dynamic, Scottish Government plans for a rushed restructuring of the public sector.” it will further weaken local democracy, local accountability and local delivery.
ScepticalScot #PublicServiceReform
sceptical.scot/2026/09/refor…
James Mitchell retweeted
Folks may think I am being pedantic but I genuinely believe Dzeko’s decision to go out now, on his own terms, when - in typical Balkan fashion - he probably could have hung on for another half decade or more, and thereby suffocated the emergence of new talent, that this will be one of his greatest legacies. A legacy that I hope will far transcend football.
Leadership, in the end, is also about knowing when it’s time for you to hang it up. Dzeko is modeling something vitally important for young and old alike to understand.
James Mitchell retweeted
Local government reform must find consensus and not lead to a further centralisation of powers, writes @ProfJMitchell holyrood.com/inside-politics…
James Mitchell retweeted
As someone with elderly relatives at the sharp end of this in Scotland and in England right now, I’m going to say that oneupmanship is an unserious, useless, and actually unpleasant response, for families trying to deal with the reality of the system.
James Mitchell retweeted
Scotland is about to redraw the map of local government. But before we do so, we should ask a more fundamental question: what is local government actually for?
My reflection on this question.
jamesbundy.substack.com/p/th…
James Mitchell retweeted
@ProfJMitchell, @DavidWglasgow and I have written for @Strath_FAI on Scottish Government’s proposals for local government reform.
The proposals raise five important questions that deserve careful consideration as proposals are developed.
1/3
James Mitchell retweeted
One lesson from history is that major reform followed years of development. Even the controversial 90s reorganisation. Reorganising the council map of Scotland isn't fast, isn't easy and isn't cheap. A curious and late addition to a Public Service Reform agenda.
Local government reform must find consensus and not lead to a further centralisation of powers, says @ProfJMitchell holyrood.com/inside-politics…
James Mitchell retweeted
Today Cllr Steven Heddle talked to the Sunday Show about Local Government reform proposals. He highlighted that the key challenges facing councils are not their structures. They are sustainable funding, workforce capacity and growing demand for services. ow.ly/9sqP50ZRYKk
James Mitchell retweeted
The Scottish universities should keep repeating this. They are capped in how many school leaver scottish students they can take, and they are not appropriately paid by scottish govt for that intake.
This is the scottish government policy.
The Vice-Principal of St Andrews has literally just had to publish an article explaining that the Scottish Government dictates "precisely how many they can admit every year". If the university goes "even one student beyond our cap, they are fined". Trying to frame St Andrews as anti-Scottish when it is the SNP’s own funding model that restricts domestic student numbers is entirely dishonest.