Sunday, November 26, 2006

Is the Union finished?

The headline on the Telegraph website today says something that doesn't particularly surprise me. Apparently, according to a recent poll, "England wants its independence". In fact, as the Telegraph's image to the right shows, there appears to be a larger majority in favour of English independence than there are for Scottish independence, although interestingly the questions do explain that Scotland gets more money per head than England, so that might explain the skew. It would be interesting to know how many English changed their mind on independence after being told about the spending reality.

The real question I think is what the implications of, in effect, repealing the Act of Union would actually be. What role, if any, could monarchy play in such situation? Also, there is the European question. Technically, the United Kingdom of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland joined the European project, if the Union were to end, then renegotiation would become a reality for all home nations. That would be a rather good situation to be, England could just join EFTA and avoid being part of a bureaucratic monster.

Of course, the likelihood of the Union being broken is small. Labour - at least at the moment - will never do it because they rely so heavily on Scottish votes. That's the same reason they refuse to even address the Westlothian Question - better to be an ostrich in their opinion. The Conservative Party are unlikely to break the Union, it's a rather radical thing to do and I think there would be concern about unintended consequences.

Having said all this, if the SNP win power in the May election, then they may very well start the process for us. If that happened it could be a blessing in disguise for our relationship with European Union, couldn't it?

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

Time, one feels, to re-state the West Lothian Question:

"Why do we send so much money there?"

Anonymous said...

Yes

Anonymous said...

Let em go and try the socialist dream
they will soon be back when they have cuba mk2. We would be rid of this government too so a win win for ENGLAND.

Jeremy Jacobs said...

We must resist "English Independence". What we need is a strong Britain, free of the EU.

Anonymous said...

The Fight FOR INDEPENDENCE from the Trotskyists scots starts today on Dizzy.

David Webster said...

yeah, wait until the Socialist Utopia of Scotland runs out of money, and comes crawling to the EU for more. That would be fun then, an Out England by an In Scotland, oh the possibilities of exposing the EU argument.

Gavin Ayling said...

The fight, UKIP follower, has been on since 1998 in some ways under the guise of the apolitical Campaign for an English Parliament.

I am pro-independence and I call on you all to write to your MP and demand a Parliament that can negotiate that independence!

Anonymous said...

I'm all for Scottish Independence as i'm sick of Scotland propping up the UK treasury. Highest public spending, London and Northern Ireland FACT