Ties That Bind? is an engrossing and timely study of the historical, cultural and political relationship between Scotland and Northern Ireland at a seminal moment in the constitutional history of both places. It has seldom been acknowledged, and rarely explored in any real depth, but this important book conclusively demonstrates just how deeply entwined the two countries are.

The book explores how Scottish–Ulster ties historically acted as a bridge between Britain and Ireland and should be central to contemporary debates regarding Britishness, sectarianism and devolution. It reveals the connections and tensions between ascendent Scottish nationalism, Brexit, and deadlock in Northern Ireland, and argues that, rather than the inevitable collapse of the UK, these challenges show that the constitutional futures of Scotland and Northern Ireland are both still very much up for grabs.