September-October is an important time in the political calendar of many Commonwealth countries, including the holding of general elections in a number of member states such as Fiji and New Zealand. 18 September also was the date when the crucial referendum was held on whether Scotland should, after over 300 years, again become an independent sovereign state, separate from the UK. The referendum was a remarkable exercise in peaceful and mature democratic debate, which did credit to all sides of the argument and resulted in exceptionally high voter turnouts of 80-90%. The result was a large 55-45% margin for Scotland staying within the UK- and of course thereby within the Commonwealth.

On polling day, the British Daily Telegraph newspaper published a letter where I had raised the concern I had encountered from our friends during a recent visit to Botswana and South Africa about the implications of a Scottish secession from the UK on other Commonwealth countries in Africa and elsewhere. Colleagues there felt it might encourage similar, but bloody and destructive, secessionist movements; the same concern was also expressed to me by many other CLGF members. I further made the point that Scotland already enjoys a national identity in many Commonwealth bodies like CLGF and how this was shown by the successful 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, and that this should be built upon. It is therefore encouraging that following the referendum result, Prime Minister Cameron has announced a clear timetable to deliver further devolution not only for Scotland, but also for examining more devolved structures for the rest of the UK, including England, and its big cities. Indeed, the UK as a whole is still one of the more centralised structures in the Commonwealth and UK local government would benefit from significantly greater decentralisation, especially fiscal.

Earlier this year I travelled to Edinburgh to present Commonwealth experiences on devolution and decentralisation to the Scottish Commission on Strengthening Local Democracy. The forthcoming CLGF European members’ meeting in Edinburgh, 28-29 October on Decentralisation and Devolution will provide another opportunity to share experiences, not only on Scotland but with our all members in the UK and in Europe.  As always, CLGF will be pleased to continue to work with its members everywhere in the promotion of our Commonwealth Principles on Local Democracy and Good Governance, principles which it may recalled were first agreed in the Scottish city of Aberdeen and subsequently integrated into the Commonwealth Charter by all our Heads of Government.