Review: Sir David Edward QC Lecture

Teresa gets her politics hat on and listens to Sir David Edward QC


Last Thursday the Centre for Global Constitutionalism hosted a talk featuring Sir David Edward QC, who spoke on the constitutional implications of the hotly debated “No” vote from the recent Scottish Independence Referendum. The lecture, which was put on free of charge, seemed to be mostly attended by academics and professionals, including our very own University President Louise Richardson. Although marketed towards students, it seemed that the talk was more geared towards experts, and perhaps students in the last years of their degree.

Professor Tony Lang introduced Sir Edward, rattling off his qualifications in a manner that was both charming and professional. Lang also educated the audience on the Centre for Global Constitutionalism, which is the closest that St Andrews comes to having an institution for legal studies. Sir David Edward is a former British judge for the European Court of Justice, and was appointed by Prime Minister David Cameron to serve on a commission on a UK Bill of Rights. During the campaigning for the referendum, Sir Edward held that an independent Scotland could become a member of the European Union, a controversial statement as this was one of the most critical topics during the referendum campaign.

Sir Edward’s presentation was informative, interesting, and grabbed a few laughs from the crowd every now and again. Even though he personally voted “No” because he is a staunch Unionist, the presentation was thoughtfully neutral and focused more on the idea that the high voter turnout was significant in proving that citizens could be informed and active voices in the political process.

Overall, the talk was a success for the CGC. While there could have been a stronger student presence, the venue was comfortable and the presentation was flawless and captivating, educating both those familiar and unfamiliar with the issue. A pleasant end to what has been a captivating few weeks.