156 ARTICLE REVIEW KUTAFIN UNIVERSITY LAW REVIEW THE INDEPENDENCE REFERENDUM AS A PAGE IN ANGLO-SCOTTISH STORY A STEP FOR COOPERATION OR DISINTEGRATION ? <...> By Baatr Borkaev (Russia) Author Kutafin Moscow State Law University (Diploma in Law, 2007) The postgraduate student at the Constitutional Law Department of Kutafin Moscow State Law University, 2007-2010 Free researcher E-mail: baatrbork@gmail.com Abstract ‘The Scottish independence referendum of September 2014: Constitutional and International Aspects’ by professor Alyson JK Bailes published in the first issue of the Kutafin University Law Review was one of the first articles about the Scottish referendum of 2014, published in Russia. <...> This review is devoted to the main aspects of the article: historical background, the referendum process, international issues. <...> Keywords Devolution, Scotland, Scottish referendum, independence, European regions, multilayered state www.kulawr.ru Volume 2 May 2015 Issue 1(3) Baatr Borkaev A Step for Cooperation or Disintegration ? <...> The Independence Referendum as a Page in Anglo-Scottish Story 157 There is a very interesting article about referendum in Scotland by professor Alyson JK Bailes,1 KULawR.2 published in the debut issue of the The article ‘focuses first on the historical and constitutional background to the referendum and the details of the referendum process itself. <...> Secondly it discusses some of the international implications and issues linked to the potential independence of Scotland. <...> The brief conclusions will pull together the various international points of interest in Scotland’s case.’ The main part of the historical background is devoted to the Scottish National Party (SNP) as the leading power of Scottish home rule movement. <...> The first attempt to establish the devolution (the transfer of power from London to the regions)3 was failed in 1979 when ‘Labour Party Government of James Callaghan agreed to put this proposal and other self-government measures to a referendum in Scotland’. <...> The long term of the Conservative Party Government reanimated the idea of the devolution in the Labour Party as the argument for Scottish voters. ‘The Labour Party’s victory in the 1997 general election opened the way for a new referendum.’ The Parliament enacted the Scotland Act of 1998. <...> The SNP did not win the first Scottish elections in 1999 but got a stable support. <...> But after two terms the SNP could form the government. 1 MA (Honours <...>