Devine says ‘inept’ governance makes UK a failing state

A PROMINENT Catholic historian has claimed the United Kingdom is close to being a failed state, a month after declaring his support for Scottish independence, writes Kathleen Nutt.

Sir Tom Devine, professor of history at Edinburgh University, believed the UK’s “inept” and “inadequate” governance was a key factor leading to last Thursday’s referendum.

“My interest in what is happening at the moment is because I think the governance of the United Kingdom is now inept, inadequate, and we are now almost in a position of a failed state as far as governance is concerned,” he said.

Delivering the Stevenson Trust lecture at Glasgow University on Monday evening, he claimed a “yes” vote would “liberate” conservative-minded Scots and lead to the formation of a strong centre-Right party north of the border. “There is bound to be the evolution of a centre-Right party in Scotland,” he added.