The attitude of the Crown towards the SNP and, more generally, the devolved Parliament at Holyrood has also been fascinating.
In Scotland, however, it is a hot topic, dividing the ruling coalition of Labour and Liberal Democrats in the devolved Parliament.
Nationalist policy - which he strongly endorses - is to work for Scottish interests within devolution, rather than striving to undermine the devolved parliament.
And he said there was a clear argument for Scotland remaining part of the UK, by sharing opportunity and risk, while maintaining a distinctive, devolved parliament in Edinburgh.
News from the devolved Parliament in Scotland sharpens those fears.
Echoing the main theme of the campaign, he argued Scotland could have the "best of both worlds" - a strong, devolved parliament in Edinburgh which was at the same time part of a strong United Kingdom.
He also says they lack an understanding of how public services are delivered on the ground, contrasting this with the early days of the devolved parliament, when many new members came from council backgrounds and understood local conditions better.
She claimed her party was the only to have achieved radical constitutional reform, with the creation of the devolved Scottish Parliament first led by the late Labour politician Donald Dewar, and that people would not understand why the first minister would not move swiftly on the referendum.
But in Britain's new devolved constitution, Parliament can only decide the future of fox-hunting in England and Wales.
While teachers' pay is a matter devolved to the Scottish parliament, pension reform is reserved to the UK government at Westminster.
It had pledged to reduce waiting lists by 10, 000 by the time of the 2001 election - with health an issue devolved to the Scottish Parliament.
Mr Rennie also urged the SNP to join the debate on a strengthened devolved settlement for the Scottish Parliament, rather than full independence.
His next challenge was to cover the setting-up of the new Parliament in Edinburgh and the devolved government of Scotland.
It seeks to remove legislative provisions that can prevent people with mental health conditions from serving as Members of Parliament, members of the devolved legislatures, jurors, or company directors.
The first minister said he will ensure the cards will not be used to access devolved services without the agreement of the parliament and that the debate will go on in Scotland over the coming years.
The Law Society of Scotland has noted that while the imposition of a minimum price of alcohol is a devolved matter within the legislative competence of the Scottish Parliament, compatibility with EU Duty Directives must be taken into account.
In effect there are many more - including the power to raise or lower tax by 3p - but everything within the parliament's remit is known as a "devolved matter".
The Scottish Parliament is at its best when it gets on with devolved responsibilities.
BBC: Page last updated at 05:19 GMT, Friday, 2 May 2008 06:19 UK
However, further powers could be devolved on a case-by-case basis, but only with the permission of both Houses of Parliament.
This could mean more law-making powers are devolved from Westminster to Cardiff, he has suggested, or the creation of a new upper House of Parliament, modelled on the US Senate with equal representation for Wales, Northern Ireland and England.
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