Lord Kerr on Brexit

Baron Kerr of Kinlochard was Ambassador and UK Permanent Representative to the European Union from 1990 until 1995, and Ambassador to the United States from 1995 to 1997. He was then Permanent Under Secretary at the Foreign Office and Head of the Diplomatic Service from 1997 until 2002. A household name due to his authorship of Article 50, Lord Kerr is a Trustee of the Carnegie Trust for the Universities of Scotland, Chair of the Centre for European Reform and Deputy Chair of Scottish Power.

This event was held in partnership with Edinburgh University Business School.

David Willetts on Universities

Lord Willetts spoke about how we have ended up with the higher education system that we have, and about the challenges facing universities today as globalisation and technological innovation continue to gain pace. This event took place on 22 March 2018.

Willie Rennie: 2018 Politicians and Professionals Series

For our 2018 Politicians and Professionals Series we asked each of the  major Scottish Party Leaders to speak on the theme of ‘Scotland After Brexit’.

Richard Leonard: 2018 Politicians and Professionals Series

For our 2018 Politicians and Professionals Series we asked each of the major Scottish Party Leaders to speak on the theme of ‘Scotland After Brexit’.

Ruth Davidson: 2018 Politicians and Professionals Series

For our 2018 Politicians and Professionals Series we asked each of the major Scottish Party Leaders to speak on the theme of ‘Scotland After Brexit’.

Nicola Sturgeon: 2018 Politicians and Professionals Series

For our 2018 Politicians and Professionals Series we asked each of the major Scottish Party Leaders to speak on the theme of ‘Scotland After Brexit’.

Richard Wyn Jones and Michael Keating on Welsh and Scottish perspectives on Brexit

Professors Richard Wyn Jones and Michael Keating considered the major challenges Brexit poses to the 1999 devolution settlements; the role of the devolved governments in negotiations; the allocation of competences currently shared with Europe, and related issues.

Richard Wyn Jones is Director of the Wales Governance Centre at Cardiff University, and Michael Keating is Director of the Centre on Constitutional Change.

The event was chaired by Dame Mariot Leslie on 21 November 2017. 

Nicholas Macpherson on economic policymaking in a UK outside the EU

Baron Macpherson of Earl's Court served as Permanent Secretary to the UK Treasury from 2005 to 2016, serving under three Chancellors and managing the department through the financial crisis which began in 2007. He joined the House of Lords in October 2016.

The event was sponsored by Baillie Gifford and took place on 13 November 2017.

Denmark and Maastricht, with Poul Skytte Christoffersen

24th October 2017

The Maastricht treaty on European Union had to be ratified by all 12 signatory countries or it would not take effect. Every country had its own rules for how treaties are ratified, and in three - Denmark, France and Ireland - a referendum was held. In June 1992, the Danes narrowly voted no - by 50.7 per cent to 49.3 per cent. In effect, 25,000 Danish voters decided the fate of the treaty, and sparked a political crisis in Europe. Poul Skytte Christoffersen, former Danish Permanent Representative to the European Union, spoke about what happened next, and what we might still learn from it.

Poul Skytte Christoffersen is Chair of the Board of Advisers at the European Policy Centre, Brussels, Former Ambassador of Denmark to Belgium and former Permanent Representative of Denmark to the European Union.

Christina Romer on the aftermath of financial crises

Christina Romer is Professor of Economics at the University of California, Berkeley, and former Chair of President Obama's Council of Economic Advisers. On 17th October 2017 she spoke at a David Hume Institute / MacCALM event at the Playfair Library, Edinburgh University.