Potential breakup of the United Kingdom
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

The hypothetical break up of the
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and North ...
following departure of Scotland (and, to a lesser extent, of Northern Ireland) is mentioned in media and
think tank A think tank, or policy institute, is a research institute that performs research and advocacy concerning topics such as social policy, political strategy, economics, military, technology, and culture. Most think tanks are non-governmenta ...
s with regard to potential Scottish independence. The union of the
Kingdom of Scotland The Kingdom of Scotland (; , ) was a sovereign state in northwest Europe traditionally said to have been founded in 843. Its territories expanded and shrank, but it came to occupy the northern third of the island of Great Britain, sharing a la ...
and
Kingdom of England The Kingdom of England (, ) was a sovereign state on the island of Great Britain from 12 July 927, when it emerged from various Anglo-Saxon kingdoms, until 1 May 1707, when it united with Scotland to form the Kingdom of Great Britain. On 1 ...
into the
Kingdom of Great Britain The Kingdom of Great Britain (officially Great Britain) was a Sovereign state, sovereign country in Western Europe from 1 May 1707 to the end of 31 December 1800. The state was created by the 1706 Treaty of Union and ratified by the Acts of ...
was formed in 1707. The union of the Kingdom of Great Britain with the
Kingdom of Ireland The Kingdom of Ireland ( ga, label=Classical Irish, an Ríoghacht Éireann; ga, label=Modern Irish, an Ríocht Éireann, ) was a monarchy on the island of Ireland that was a client state of England and then of Great Britain. It existed from ...
was formed in 1801, to establish the
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland was a sovereign state in the British Isles that existed between 1801 and 1922, when it included all of Ireland. It was established by the Acts of Union 1800, which merged the Kingdom of Great B ...
. Most of Ireland left in 1922, whereupon the UK became the
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and North ...
. Those opposing a breakup include
English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ide ...
, Scottish,
Welsh Welsh may refer to: Related to Wales * Welsh, referring or related to Wales * Welsh language, a Brittonic Celtic language spoken in Wales * Welsh people People * Welsh (surname) * Sometimes used as a synonym for the ancient Britons (Celtic peop ...
and
Northern Irish Northern Irish people is a demonym for all people born in Northern Ireland or people who are entitled to reside in Northern Ireland without any restriction on their period of residence. Most Northern Irish people either identify as Northern ...
unionists/
loyalists Loyalism, in the United Kingdom, its overseas territories and its former colonies, refers to the allegiance to the British crown or the United Kingdom. In North America, the most common usage of the term refers to loyalty to the British Cro ...
. Those favouring dissolution include
Scottish nationalists Scottish independence ( gd, Neo-eisimeileachd na h-Alba; sco, Scots unthirldom) is the idea of Scotland as a sovereign state, independent from the United Kingdom, and refers to the political movement that is campaigning to bring it about. S ...
(who favour Scottish independence) and
Irish nationalists Irish nationalism is a nationalist political movement which, in its broadest sense, asserts that the people of Ireland should govern Ireland as a sovereign state. Since the mid-19th century, Irish nationalism has largely taken the form of cu ...
and republicans (who favour a
United Ireland United Ireland, also referred to as Irish reunification, is the proposition that all of Ireland should be a single sovereign state. At present, the island is divided politically; the sovereign Republic of Ireland has jurisdiction over the maj ...
). Welsh nationalists favour Welsh autonomy to varying degrees up to
Welsh independence Welsh independence ( cy, Annibyniaeth i Gymru) is the political movement advocating for Wales to become a sovereign state, independent from the United Kingdom. Wales was conquered during the 13th century by Edward I of England following the ki ...
.


History


Formation

The United Kingdom was formed through various conquests and political unions. The
Kingdom of England The Kingdom of England (, ) was a sovereign state on the island of Great Britain from 12 July 927, when it emerged from various Anglo-Saxon kingdoms, until 1 May 1707, when it united with Scotland to form the Kingdom of Great Britain. On 1 ...
was formed by uniting England under
Æthelstan Æthelstan or Athelstan (; ang, Æðelstān ; on, Aðalsteinn; ; – 27 October 939) was King of the Anglo-Saxons from 924 to 927 and King of the English from 927 to his death in 939. He was the son of King Edward the Elder and his first ...
, son of
Edward the Elder Edward the Elder (17 July 924) was King of the Anglo-Saxons from 899 until his death in 924. He was the elder son of Alfred the Great and his wife Ealhswith. When Edward succeeded to the throne, he had to defeat a challenge from his cousin Æt ...
in 927.


Wales

Edward I of England Edward I (17/18 June 1239 – 7 July 1307), also known as Edward Longshanks and the Hammer of the Scots, was King of England and Lord of Ireland from 1272 to 1307. Concurrently, he ruled the duchies of Aquitaine and Gascony as a vassa ...
invaded Wales in 1276-77. Edward sought to end
Welsh independence Welsh independence ( cy, Annibyniaeth i Gymru) is the political movement advocating for Wales to become a sovereign state, independent from the United Kingdom. Wales was conquered during the 13th century by Edward I of England following the ki ...
, establishing English rule in Wales, following the killing of
Llywelyn ap Gruffudd Llywelyn ap Gruffudd (c. 1223 – 11 December 1282), sometimes written as Llywelyn ap Gruffydd, also known as Llywelyn the Last ( cy, Llywelyn Ein Llyw Olaf, lit=Llywelyn, Our Last Leader), was the native Prince of Wales ( la, Princeps Wall ...
,
Prince of Wales Prince of Wales ( cy, Tywysog Cymru, ; la, Princeps Cambriae/Walliae) is a title traditionally given to the heir apparent to the English and later British throne. Prior to the conquest by Edward I in the 13th century, it was used by the rulers ...
in 1282 and Llywelyn's brother
Dafydd ap Gruffydd Dafydd ap Gruffydd (11 July 1238 – 3 October 1283) was Prince of Wales from 11 December 1282 until his execution on 3 October 1283 on the orders of King Edward I of England. He was the last native Prince of Wales before the conquest of Wa ...
in 1283. Edward then introduced the royal ordinance of the
Statute of Rhuddlan The Statute of Rhuddlan (12 Edw 1 cc.1–14; cy, Statud Rhuddlan ), also known as the Statutes of Wales ( la, Statuta Valliae) or as the Statute of Wales ( la, Statutum Valliae, links=no), provided the constitutional basis for the government of ...
in 1284, forming the
Principality of Wales The Principality of Wales ( cy, Tywysogaeth Cymru) was originally the territory of the native Welsh princes of the House of Aberffraw from 1216 to 1283, encompassing two-thirds of modern Wales during its height of 1267–1277. Following the con ...
within the "Realm of England". The statute confirmed the annexation of Wales and introduced
English common law English law is the common law legal system of England and Wales, comprising mainly criminal law and civil law, each branch having its own courts and procedures. Principal elements of English law Although the common law has, historically, bee ...
to Wales for criminal cases, while civil cases were still dealt with under the Welsh
laws of Hywel Dda ''Cyfraith Hywel'' (; ''Laws of Hywel''), also known as Welsh law ( la, Leges Walliæ), was the system of law practised in medieval Wales before its final conquest by England. Subsequently, the Welsh law's criminal codes were superseded by t ...
.
Henry VIII of England Henry VIII (28 June 149128 January 1547) was King of England from 22 April 1509 until his death in 1547. Henry is best known for his six marriages, and for his efforts to have his first marriage (to Catherine of Aragon) annulled. His disa ...
introduced the
Laws in Wales Acts 1535-1542 The Laws in Wales Acts 1535 and 1542 ( cy, Y Deddfau Cyfreithiau yng Nghymru 1535 a 1542) were Acts of the Parliament of England, and were the parliamentary measures by which Wales was annexed to the Kingdom of England. Moreover, the legal sys ...
, integrating Wales into England. It abolished the Welsh legal system and the
Welsh language Welsh ( or ) is a Celtic language family, Celtic language of the Brittonic languages, Brittonic subgroup that is native to the Welsh people. Welsh is spoken natively in Wales, by some in England, and in Y Wladfa (the Welsh colony in Chubut P ...
's official status. The
England–Wales border The England–Wales border ( cy, Y ffin rhwng Cymru a Lloegr; shortened: Ffin Cymru a Lloegr), sometimes referred to as the Wales–England border or the Anglo-Welsh border, runs for from the Dee estuary, in the north, to the Severn estuary i ...
was also defined, and the first members representing constituencies in Wales were elected to the
English parliament The Parliament of England was the legislature of the Kingdom of England from the 13th century until 1707 when it was replaced by the Parliament of Great Britain. Parliament evolved from the great council of bishops and peers that advised ...
. The
Marcher Lord A Marcher lord () was a noble appointed by the king of England to guard the border (known as the Welsh Marches) between England and Wales. A Marcher lord was the English equivalent of a margrave (in the Holy Roman Empire) or a marquis (in F ...
ships and Principality of Wales were also abolished. The
Wales and Berwick Act 1746 The Wales and Berwick Act 1746 (20 Geo. II, c. 42) was an Act of the Parliament of Great Britain that created a statutory definition of England as including England, Wales and Berwick-upon-Tweed. This definition applied to all Acts passed before ...
declared "where England only is mentioned in any act of parliament, the same notwithstanding hath and shall be deemed to comprehend the dominion of Wales and town of Berwick upon Tweed", meaning England would henceforth be used as a term to describe England, Wales and the town of
Berwick-upon-Tweed Berwick-upon-Tweed (), sometimes known as Berwick-on-Tweed or simply Berwick, is a town and civil parish in Northumberland, England, south of the Anglo-Scottish border, and the northernmost town in England. The 2011 United Kingdom census recor ...
.


Kingdom of Scotland and Kingdom of England

On 22 July 1706, the
Treaty of Union The Treaty of Union is the name usually now given to the treaty which led to the creation of the new state of Great Britain, stating that the Kingdom of England (which already included Wales) and the Kingdom of Scotland were to be "United i ...
was agreed between representatives of the Scots Parliament and the
Parliament of England The Parliament of England was the legislature of the Kingdom of England from the 13th century until 1707 when it was replaced by the Parliament of Great Britain. Parliament evolved from the great council of bishops and peers that advised t ...
. The following year, twin Acts of Union were passed by both parliaments to create the united
Kingdom of Great Britain The Kingdom of Great Britain (officially Great Britain) was a Sovereign state, sovereign country in Western Europe from 1 May 1707 to the end of 31 December 1800. The state was created by the 1706 Treaty of Union and ratified by the Acts of ...
with effect from 1 May 1707Mackie, J.D. (1969) ''A History of Scotland''. London. Penguin. with popular opposition and anti-union riots in places such as
Edinburgh Edinburgh ( ; gd, Dùn Èideann ) is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 Council areas of Scotland, council areas. Historically part of the county of Midlothian (interchangeably Edinburghshire before 1921), it is located in Lothian ...
and
Glasgow Glasgow ( ; sco, Glesca or ; gd, Glaschu ) is the most populous city in Scotland and the fourth-most populous city in the United Kingdom, as well as being the 27th largest city by population in Europe. In 2020, it had an estimated popul ...
. The newly formed
Parliament of Great Britain The Parliament of Great Britain was formed in May 1707 following the ratification of the Acts of Union by both the Parliament of England and the Parliament of Scotland. The Acts ratified the treaty of Union which created a new unified Kingdo ...
rejected proposals from the
Parliament of Ireland The Parliament of Ireland ( ga, Parlaimint na hÉireann) was the legislature of the Lordship of Ireland, and later the Kingdom of Ireland, from 1297 until 1800. It was modelled on the Parliament of England and from 1537 comprised two chamb ...
that the third kingdom be incorporated in the union at the time.


Ireland, then Northern Ireland

From the late 12th century, the
Anglo-Norman invasion of Ireland The Anglo-Norman invasion of Ireland took place during the late 12th century, when Anglo-Normans gradually conquered and acquired large swathes of land from the Irish, over which the kings of England then claimed sovereignty, all allegedly san ...
resulted in English kings claiming control of much of the
island of Ireland Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean, in north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel, the Irish Sea, and St George's Channel. Ireland is the s ...
, although by the late
Late Middle Ages The Late Middle Ages or Late Medieval Period was the Periodization, period of European history lasting from AD 1300 to 1500. The Late Middle Ages followed the High Middle Ages and preceded the onset of the early modern period (and in much of Eur ...
it was reduced to an area around
Dublin Dublin (; , or ) is the capital and largest city of Republic of Ireland, Ireland. On a bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster, bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, a part of th ...
, known as
the Pale The Pale (Irish: ''An Pháil'') or the English Pale (' or ') was the part of Ireland directly under the control of the English government in the Late Middle Ages. It had been reduced by the late 15th century to an area along the east coast st ...
. Under
Poynings' Law Poynings' Law or the Statute of Drogheda may refer to the following acts of the Parliament of Ireland: * The acts of Poynings' Parliament, summoned to Drogheda in 1494–5 by Edward Poynings; or more specifically ** Poynings' Law (on certification ...
of 1494, the
Parliament of Ireland The Parliament of Ireland ( ga, Parlaimint na hÉireann) was the legislature of the Lordship of Ireland, and later the Kingdom of Ireland, from 1297 until 1800. It was modelled on the Parliament of England and from 1537 comprised two chamb ...
was prohibited from meeting without the consent of England's monarch and the
Privy Council A privy council is a body that advises the head of state of a state, typically, but not always, in the context of a monarchic government. The word "privy" means "private" or "secret"; thus, a privy council was originally a committee of the mon ...
. In 1541, English king Henry VIII changed Ireland's status from a lordship to a kingdom, and proclaimed himself
King of Ireland King is the title given to a male monarch in a variety of contexts. The female equivalent is queen, which title is also given to the consort of a king. *In the context of prehistory, antiquity and contemporary indigenous peoples, the tit ...
. The
United Irishmen Rebellion of 1798 The Irish Rebellion of 1798 ( ga, Éirí Amach 1798; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ''The Hurries'') was a major uprising against British rule in Ireland. The main organising force was the Society of United Irishmen, a Irish republicanism, ...
, which sought to end
British rule in Ireland British rule in Ireland spanned several centuries and involved British control of parts, or entirety, of the island of Ireland. British involvement in Ireland began with the Anglo-Norman invasion of Ireland in 1169. Most of Ireland gained indepen ...
failed, and the
Acts of Union 1800 The Acts of Union 1800 (sometimes incorrectly referred to as a single 'Act of Union 1801') were parallel acts of the Parliament of Great Britain and the Parliament of Ireland which united the Kingdom of Great Britain and the Kingdom of Irela ...
merged the
Kingdom of Ireland The Kingdom of Ireland ( ga, label=Classical Irish, an Ríoghacht Éireann; ga, label=Modern Irish, an Ríocht Éireann, ) was a monarchy on the island of Ireland that was a client state of England and then of Great Britain. It existed from ...
with the Kingdom of Great Britain into a combined
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland was a sovereign state in the British Isles that existed between 1801 and 1922, when it included all of Ireland. It was established by the Acts of Union 1800, which merged the Kingdom of Great B ...
. In December 1921, the
Anglo-Irish Treaty The 1921 Anglo-Irish Treaty ( ga , An Conradh Angla-Éireannach), commonly known in Ireland as The Treaty and officially the Articles of Agreement for a Treaty Between Great Britain and Ireland, was an agreement between the government of the ...
gave the island of Ireland complete independence in its home affairs and practical independence for foreign policy, but with an opt-out clause that would allow
Northern Ireland Northern Ireland ( ga, Tuaisceart Éireann ; sco, label= Ulster-Scots, Norlin Airlann) is a part of the United Kingdom, situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, that is variously described as a country, province or region. Nort ...
to remain within the United Kingdom. As expected, the
Parliament of Northern Ireland The Parliament of Northern Ireland was the home rule legislature of Northern Ireland, created under the Government of Ireland Act 1920, which sat from 7 June 1921 to 30 March 1972, when it was suspended because of its inability to restore ord ...
resolved on 7 December 1922 (the day after the establishment of the Irish Free State) to exercise its right to opt out of the Free State by making an address to King
George V George V (George Frederick Ernest Albert; 3 June 1865 – 20 January 1936) was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 6 May 1910 until Death and state funeral of George V, his death in 1936. Born duri ...
. (Ireland became a
republic A republic () is a "state in which power rests with the people or their representatives; specifically a state without a monarchy" and also a "government, or system of government, of such a state." Previously, especially in the 17th and 18th c ...
in 1949 and thereby left the Commonwealth.) The "United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland" continued in name until 1927 when it was renamed the "United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland" by the
Royal and Parliamentary Titles Act 1927 Royal may refer to: People * Royal (name), a list of people with either the surname or given name * A member of a royal family Places United States * Royal, Arkansas, an unincorporated community * Royal, Illinois, a village * Royal, Iowa, a c ...
. The alternative name "United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ulster" was also proposed but did not gain support. Between the late 1960s and 1998 an
ethno-nationalist Ethnic nationalism, also known as ethnonationalism, is a form of nationalism wherein the nation and nationality are defined in terms of ethnicity, with emphasis on an ethnocentric (and in some cases an ethnocratic) approach to various politi ...
conflict known as "
The Troubles The Troubles ( ga, Na Trioblóidí) were an ethno-nationalist conflict in Northern Ireland that lasted about 30 years from the late 1960s to 1998. Also known internationally as the Northern Ireland conflict, it is sometimes described as an "i ...
" occurred in
Northern Ireland Northern Ireland ( ga, Tuaisceart Éireann ; sco, label= Ulster-Scots, Norlin Airlann) is a part of the United Kingdom, situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, that is variously described as a country, province or region. Nort ...
. The sectarian conflict was fought between (mainly
Protestant Protestantism is a Christian denomination, branch of Christianity that follows the theological tenets of the Reformation, Protestant Reformation, a movement that began seeking to reform the Catholic Church from within in the 16th century agai ...
)
Loyalists Loyalism, in the United Kingdom, its overseas territories and its former colonies, refers to the allegiance to the British crown or the United Kingdom. In North America, the most common usage of the term refers to loyalty to the British Cro ...
, advocating for Northern Ireland to remain in the United Kingdom, and (mainly Catholic) Republicans, advocating for a United Ireland. The conflict began in the late 1960s and is usually deemed to have ended with the
Good Friday Agreement The Good Friday Agreement (GFA), or Belfast Agreement ( ga, Comhaontú Aoine an Chéasta or ; Ulster-Scots: or ), is a pair of agreements signed on 10 April 1998 that ended most of the violence of The Troubles, a political conflict in No ...
of 1998.


Devolution

In 1969, the Royal Commission on the Constitution was set up by Prime Minister
Harold Wilson James Harold Wilson, Baron Wilson of Rievaulx, (11 March 1916 – 24 May 1995) was a British politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom twice, from October 1964 to June 1970, and again from March 1974 to April 1976. He ...
to examine the constitutional and economic relationships between various parts of the United Kingdom. It was launched following the success of the pro-independence parties, the
Scottish National Party The Scottish National Party (SNP; sco, Scots National Pairty, gd, Pàrtaidh Nàiseanta na h-Alba ) is a Scottish nationalist and social democratic political party in Scotland. The SNP supports and campaigns for Scottish independence from ...
and
Plaid Cymru Plaid Cymru ( ; ; officially Plaid Cymru – the Party of Wales, often referred to simply as Plaid) is a centre-left to left-wing, Welsh nationalist political party in Wales, committed to Welsh independence from the United Kingdom. Plaid wa ...
, in by-elections between 1966 (Carmarthen) and 1967 (Hamilton). After the October 1974 United Kingdom general election Wilson's successor James Callaghan's Labour Government had only a majority of three, and by 1977 lost its majority from by-elections, therefore vulnerable to demands from pro-independence parties. The commission recommended the establishment of elected bodies for Scotland and Wales. Referendums in
Scotland Scotland (, ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a border with England to the southeast and is otherwise surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the ...
and
Wales Wales ( cy, Cymru ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by England to the Wales–England border, east, the Irish Sea to the north and west, the Celtic Sea to the south west and the ...
were later held in 1979, the Scottish result was a narrow 52% win, but did not meet the turnout requirement, and the Welsh result was an 80% rejection. Devolution was re-introduced as part of the manifesto of the UK Labour Party which won power under
Tony Blair Sir Anthony Charles Lynton Blair (born 6 May 1953) is a British former politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1997 to 2007 and Leader of the Labour Party from 1994 to 2007. He previously served as Leader of th ...
in the
1997 United Kingdom general election The 1997 United Kingdom general election was held on Thursday 1 May 1997. The governing Conservative Party led by Prime Minister John Major was defeated in a landslide by the Labour Party led by Tony Blair, achieving a 179 seat majority. Th ...
. On 11 September 1997, the Scottish devolution referendum was put to the Scottish electorate and secured a majority (74.3%) in favour of the establishment of a new devolved Scottish Parliament, with tax-varying powers, in Edinburgh. A few days later on the 18 September 1997, Wales held a similar referendum, with a narrow majority (50.3%) voting in favour of an assembly, which unlike the Scottish body, did not have primary legislative power at the time. On 22 May 1998, Northern Ireland voted in a referendum, whether to approve the
Good Friday Agreement The Good Friday Agreement (GFA), or Belfast Agreement ( ga, Comhaontú Aoine an Chéasta or ; Ulster-Scots: or ), is a pair of agreements signed on 10 April 1998 that ended most of the violence of The Troubles, a political conflict in No ...
which ended the Troubles, and made provisions for the establishment of a Northern Ireland Assembly. It passed with 71% of the vote. The first election to the assembly in Northern Ireland was held on 25 June 1998, whereas for the devolved bodies in Scotland and Wales, the first elections were held on 6 May 1999. Devolved powers in Northern Ireland were suspended between October 2002 and 8 May 2007. Each devolved body has the authority to legislate in a field of competences known as "transferred matters" or "devolved matters". These matters include any competence not explicitly retained by the Parliament at Westminster. Powers reserved by Westminster are divided into "excepted matters", which it retains indefinitely, and "reserved matters", which may be transferred to the competence of the devolved bodies at a future date. The Northern Ireland Assembly's composition and powers are laid down in the
Northern Ireland Act 1998 __NOTOC__ The Northern Ireland Act 1998 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom which allowed Westminster to devolve power to Northern Ireland, after decades of direct rule. It renamed the New Northern Ireland Assembly, established by ...
. The Assembly has both legislative powers and responsibility for electing the
Northern Ireland Executive The Northern Ireland Executive is the devolved government of Northern Ireland, an administrative branch of the legislature – the Northern Ireland Assembly. It is answerable to the assembly and was initially established according to the ter ...
. The
Government of Wales Act 1998 The Government of Wales Act 1998 (c. 38) is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It was passed in 1998 by the Labour government to create a Welsh Assembly, therefore granting Wales a degree of self-government. This legislative ...
granted the formation of the National Assembly for Wales and granted it a significant number of new powers which included most of the powers previously held by the
Secretary of State for Wales The secretary of state for Wales ( cy, ysgrifennydd gwladol Cymru), also referred to as the Welsh secretary, is a secretary of state in the Government of the United Kingdom, with responsibility for the Wales Office. The incumbent is a member ...
. The Scotland Act 1998, determined the powers and responsibilities of the
Scottish Parliament The Scottish Parliament ( gd, Pàrlamaid na h-Alba ; sco, Scots Pairlament) is the devolved, unicameral legislature of Scotland. Located in the Holyrood area of the capital city, Edinburgh, it is frequently referred to by the metonym Holyro ...
. On 1 July 1999, the powers were transferred to the bodies in Scotland and Wales. A 2011 referendum in Wales was held, with 63.5% of voters, on 35.6% turnout, voted in favour of awarding primary legislation powers to the Welsh Assembly. The Assembly was renamed "
Senedd Cymru The Senedd (; ), officially known as the Welsh Parliament in English and () in Welsh, is the devolved, unicameral legislature of Wales. A democratically elected body, it makes laws for Wales, agrees certain taxes and scrutinises the Welsh Gove ...
" or "the
Welsh Parliament The Senedd (; ), officially known as the Welsh Parliament in English and () in Welsh, is the devolved, unicameral legislature of Wales. A democratically elected body, it makes laws for Wales, agrees certain taxes and scrutinises the Welsh Gove ...
" ("
Senedd The Senedd (; ), officially known as the Welsh Parliament in English and () in Welsh, is the devolved, unicameral legislature of Wales. A democratically elected body, it makes laws for Wales, agrees certain taxes and scrutinises the Welsh Gove ...
") in 2020, to reflect its increased legislative powers.


21st century


Rise of the Scottish National Party

Following the gradual decline and eventual collapse of Scottish Labour since the 2007 Scottish Parliament election, the pro-independence party, the
Scottish National Party The Scottish National Party (SNP; sco, Scots National Pairty, gd, Pàrtaidh Nàiseanta na h-Alba ) is a Scottish nationalist and social democratic political party in Scotland. The SNP supports and campaigns for Scottish independence from ...
(SNP) has been gaining support. It won 28.7% of the vote in the very first Scottish Parliament election in 1999. In 2007, the SNP became the largest political party for the first time, winning one more seat than second placed Labour with 32.9% of the vote. The SNP won 45.4% at the 2011 Scottish Parliament election with a peak of 69
Members of the Scottish Parliament Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP; gd, Ball Pàrlamaid na h-Alba, BPA; sco, Memmer o the Scots Pairliament, MSP) is the title given to any one of the 129 individuals elected to serve in the Scottish Parliament. Electoral system The add ...
(MSP). Although winning fewer seats in the
2016 Scottish Parliament election The 2016 Scottish parliament election was held on Thursday, 5 May 2016 to elect 129 members to the Scottish Parliament. It was the fifth election held since the devolved parliament was established in 1999. It was the first parliamentary electi ...
under the new leadership of Nicola Sturgeon, the SNP percentage vote actually increased to 46.5%, and then increased again to 47.7% in the
2021 Scottish Parliament election The 2021 Scottish Parliament election took place on 6 May 2021, under the provisions of the Scotland Act 1998. All 129 Members of the Scottish Parliament were elected in the sixth election since the parliament was re-established in 1999. The ele ...
with 64 MSP seats. In Westminster elections, Scottish Labour declined to a single seat, a decrease of forty, in the 2015 United Kingdom general election in Scotland. With 56 of the 59 UK Parliament seats in Scotland going to the SNP.


Scottish independence referendum

In 2014, a majority of 55% of Scottish voters voted to remain part of the UK in an
independence referendum An independence referendum is a type of referendum in which the residents of a territory decide whether the territory should become an independent sovereign state. An independence referendum that results in a vote for independence does not alwa ...
, with 45% voting for Scottish independence.


Impact of Brexit

There were renewed calls for a Scottish independence referendum after the UK as a whole voted to leave the European Union in the 2016 Brexit referendum. Scotland on the other hand voted to remain in the EU by 62% to 38%. The differing opinions of the four countries relating to
Brexit Brexit (; a portmanteau of "British exit") was the withdrawal of the United Kingdom (UK) from the European Union (EU) at 23:00 GMT on 31 January 2020 (00:00 1 February 2020 CET).The UK also left the European Atomic Energy Community (EAEC or ...
is given as a reason for Scotland and Northern Ireland leaving the UK, in both of which a majority voted to remain in the European Union. The UK as a whole voted by 52% to leave, as did England and Wales. On the other hand, Scotland had voted 62% remain, and Northern Ireland 56% remain. Many leave supporters in England would support Scotland and Northern Ireland leaving the UK in order to secure Brexit. Some academics have described the European Union to have helped maintain the UK's constitutional arrangement. In December 2018, an opinion poll showed in the event of a No-deal Brexit, a majority of those polled in Northern Ireland would vote to reunify with Ireland.


= Northern Ireland Protocol

= The completion of the European Single Market in 1992 and the
Good Friday Agreement The Good Friday Agreement (GFA), or Belfast Agreement ( ga, Comhaontú Aoine an Chéasta or ; Ulster-Scots: or ), is a pair of agreements signed on 10 April 1998 that ended most of the violence of The Troubles, a political conflict in No ...
in 1998 made it possible to dismantle what had previously been extensive border infrastructure between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. After the
Brexit negotiations in 2019 Brexit negotiations in 2019 started in August, after having originally concluded in November 2018 with the release of the withdrawal agreement. Negotiations took place between the United Kingdom and the European Union during 2017 and 2018 fo ...
, Prime Minister Johnson proposed what became the
Northern Ireland Protocol The Protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland, commonly abbreviated to the Northern Ireland Protocol, is a protocol to the Brexit withdrawal agreement that governs the unique customs and immigration issues at the border on the island of Ireland betwe ...
, part of the EU–UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement. According to the protocol, Northern Ireland is formally outside the EU single market and inside the UK internal market, but EU free movement of goods rules and
EU Customs Union The European Union Customs Union (EUCU), formally known as the Community Customs Union, is a customs union which consists of all the member states of the European Union (EU), Monaco, and the British Overseas Territory of Akrotiri and Dhekel ...
rules still apply; this ensures there are no customs checks or controls between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland (and thus the EU as a whole). In place of an Ireland/Northern Ireland land border, the protocol has created a customs "
Irish Sea border The Irish Sea border is an informal term for the trade border between Northern Ireland and Great Britain. It was specified by the Ireland/Northern Ireland Protocol of the Brexit withdrawal agreement (February 2020), was refined by the Joint Commi ...
" for goods from (but not to) Great Britain, to the disquiet of prominent Unionists. At the 2022 Northern Ireland Assembly election, Nationalists won 35 of the 90 seats, with
Sinn Féin Sinn Féin ( , ; en, " eOurselves") is an Irish republican and democratic socialist political party active throughout both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. The original Sinn Féin organisation was founded in 1905 by Arthur Gri ...
being the largest party. Some claimed the nationalist-win would lead to the collapse of the UK, although critics cite unionist
MLAs The Max Launch Abort System (MLAS) was a proposed alternative to the Maxime Faget-invented "tractor" launch escape system (LES) that was planned for use by NASA for its Orion (spacecraft), Orion spacecraft in the event an Ares I malfunction du ...
outnumber nationalists. UK Ministers rejected Unionist claims that a Sinn Féin-held
First Minister A first minister is any of a variety of leaders of government cabinets. The term literally has the same meaning as "prime minister" but is typically chosen to distinguish the office-holder from a superior prime minister. Currently the title of ' ...
in Northern Ireland would lead to a United Ireland.


COVID-19 pandemic

Following the outbreak of the
COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom The COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom is a part of the worldwide pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). In the United Kingdom, it has resulted in confir ...
, polls for Scottish independence recorded a sustained period of support over 50% for Scottish independence over remaining in the United Kingdom, in some cases reversing the 2014 "no" vote. It has been argued that the differing responses to the pandemic by the Conservative UK Government managing health policy for England and the SNP Scottish Government managing health in Scotland has led to an increase in support for Scottish independence. The response of the Labour Government in Cardiff for Wales has also been supported over the UK Government with 62% in a June 2020 poll supporting the Welsh Government's response compared to 34% for the UK Government. The response led by Scotland's Nicola Sturgeon was described as "cautious and communitarian" whereas Johnson's was "chaotic and market-driven" by August 2020. Pro-independence campaign groups say they have more members as there is a "growing feeling" that the devolved administrations in Edinburgh and Cardiff have handled the crisis better than Westminster. Critics state that infection and death rates between Scotland, Wales and England "run along largely similar lines" but the devolved bodies were "far better at communicating, listening and empathising", additionally the UK Furlough scheme was unlikely to be sufficiently financially supported by only Edinburgh and Cardiff.


Current system

The United Kingdom is composed of four constituent countries:
England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...
,
Northern Ireland Northern Ireland ( ga, Tuaisceart Éireann ; sco, label= Ulster-Scots, Norlin Airlann) is a part of the United Kingdom, situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, that is variously described as a country, province or region. Nort ...
,
Scotland Scotland (, ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a border with England to the southeast and is otherwise surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the ...
and
Wales Wales ( cy, Cymru ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by England to the Wales–England border, east, the Irish Sea to the north and west, the Celtic Sea to the south west and the ...
. It is a
unitary Unitary may refer to: Mathematics * Unitary divisor * Unitary element * Unitary group * Unitary matrix * Unitary morphism * Unitary operator * Unitary transformation * Unitary representation * Unitarity (physics) * ''E''-unitary inverse semigrou ...
parliamentary democracy A parliamentary system, or parliamentarian democracy, is a system of democratic governance of a state (or subordinate entity) where the executive derives its democratic legitimacy from its ability to command the support ("confidence") of the ...
and
constitutional monarchy A constitutional monarchy, parliamentary monarchy, or democratic monarchy is a form of monarchy in which the monarch exercises their authority in accordance with a constitution and is not alone in decision making. Constitutional monarchies dif ...
.The United Kingdom does not have a codified constitution but an unwritten one formed of Acts of Parliament, court judgments, traditions, and conventions. The central
parliament of the United Kingdom The Parliament of the United Kingdom is the supreme legislative body of the United Kingdom, the Crown Dependencies and the British Overseas Territories. It meets at the Palace of Westminster, London. It alone possesses legislative suprema ...
is located in
Westminster Westminster is an area of Central London, part of the wider City of Westminster. The area, which extends from the River Thames to Oxford Street, has many visitor attractions and historic landmarks, including the Palace of Westminster, Bu ...
, in
London London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...
, England. The Parliament of the United Kingdom is
sovereign ''Sovereign'' is a title which can be applied to the highest leader in various categories. The word is borrowed from Old French , which is ultimately derived from the Latin , meaning 'above'. The roles of a sovereign vary from monarch, ruler or ...
. It is made up of the
House of Commons The House of Commons is the name for the elected lower house of the bicameral parliaments of the United Kingdom and Canada. In both of these countries, the Commons holds much more legislative power than the nominally upper house of parliament. ...
, the
House of Lords The House of Lords, also known as the House of Peers, is the Bicameralism, upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Membership is by Life peer, appointment, Hereditary peer, heredity or Lords Spiritual, official function. Like the ...
and the Monarchy. The main business of parliament takes place in the two houses, but
royal assent Royal assent is the method by which a monarch formally approves an act of the legislature, either directly or through an official acting on the monarch's behalf. In some jurisdictions, royal assent is equivalent to promulgation, while in other ...
is required for a bill to become an
act of parliament Acts of Parliament, sometimes referred to as primary legislation, are texts of law passed by the Legislature, legislative body of a jurisdiction (often a parliament or council). In most countries with a parliamentary system of government, acts of ...
(law). For
general elections A general election is a political voting election where generally all or most members of a given political body are chosen. These are usually held for a nation, state, or territory's primary legislative body, and are different from by-elections ( ...
(elections to the House of Commons), the UK is divided into 650
constituencies An electoral district, also known as an election district, legislative district, voting district, constituency, riding, ward, division, or (election) precinct is a subdivision of a larger state (a country, administrative region, or other polity ...
, each of which is represented by a
member of Parliament A member of parliament (MP) is the representative in parliament of the people who live in their electoral district. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, this term refers only to members of the lower house since upper house members of ...
(MP). MPs hold office for up to five years and are always up for re-election in general elections. The
prime minister A prime minister, premier or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. Under those systems, a prime minister is not ...
is the
head of government The head of government is the highest or the second-highest official in the executive branch of a sovereign state, a federated state, or a self-governing colony, autonomous region, or other government who often presides over a cabinet, a gro ...
in the United Kingdom. In modern times, the prime minister is, by constitutional convention, an MP and is normally the leader of the
political party A political party is an organization that coordinates candidates to compete in a particular country's elections. It is common for the members of a party to hold similar ideas about politics, and parties may promote specific political ideology ...
with the most seats in the House of Commons and hold office by virtue of their ability to command the confidence of the House of Commons. The
Constitution of the United Kingdom The constitution of the United Kingdom or British constitution comprises the written and unwritten arrangements that establish the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland as a political body. Unlike in most countries, no attempt ...
is
uncodified In law, codification is the process of collecting and restating the law of a jurisdiction in certain areas, usually by subject, forming a legal code, i.e. a codex (book) of law. Codification is one of the Civil law (legal system)#Codification, d ...
and consists mostly of a collection of disparate written sources, including
statute A statute is a formal written enactment of a legislative authority that governs the legal entities of a city, state, or country by way of consent. Typically, statutes command or prohibit something, or declare policy. Statutes are rules made by le ...
s, judge-made
case law Case law, also used interchangeably with common law, is law that is based on precedents, that is the judicial decisions from previous cases, rather than law based on constitutions, statutes, or regulations. Case law uses the detailed facts of a l ...
and international treaties, together with constitutional conventions. The UK Parliament can carry out constitutional reform by passing acts of parliament, and thus has the political power to change or abolish almost any written or unwritten element of the constitution. No sitting parliament can pass laws that future parliaments cannot change. The UK operates a system of devolution where power is transferred to the constituent countries of the UK. The original legislation for devolution were introduced by the
Scotland Act 1998 The Scotland Act 1998 (c. 46) is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom which legislated for the establishment of the devolved Scottish Parliament with tax varying powers and the Scottish Government (then Scottish Executive). It was on ...
, the
Government of Wales Act 1998 The Government of Wales Act 1998 (c. 38) is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It was passed in 1998 by the Labour government to create a Welsh Assembly, therefore granting Wales a degree of self-government. This legislative ...
and the
Northern Ireland Act 1998 __NOTOC__ The Northern Ireland Act 1998 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom which allowed Westminster to devolve power to Northern Ireland, after decades of direct rule. It renamed the New Northern Ireland Assembly, established by ...
. This led to the establishment of devolved legislatures in the Scottish Parliament, Welsh Parliament (Senedd), and Northern Ireland Assembly, each with varying powers. The devolved legislatures in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are now permanent parts of the UK constitution. It is said that devolution has allowed further democratic expression and policy innovation in these three nations. England accounts for 84% of the UK's population, and its economy is the biggest. UK economic policy is largely based on the economic conditions of England. Scotland roughly accounts for 8.5%, Wales 5% and Northern Ireland 3% of the UK's population. The asymmetry between the England and the other members of the United Kingdom has been voiced as a reason for its potential breakup.


Reasons for dissolution of the United Kingdom

The reasons for breaking up the United Kingdom may be specific to each of the movement in the four countries, although overlapping reasons may exist, as well as general criticisms of how the UK and the UK government currently operates. Some reasons expressed in multiple movements are listed below: * National identity – decline in Britishness: A 2021 opinion poll showed a third of respondents in Scotland said they felt Scottish but not British. In a March 2020, Opinium Research poll, 46% of those polled in Britain felt both British and English/Welsh/Scottish/Irish, 37% identified more strongly with their home nation, and 21% more British. English Conservatives were more likely to identify as English than Labour voters who identified as more British. In Wales, it was reversed, Tory areas were more British than Welsh, with 46% of Labour areas and 40% of Wales stated "More Welsh". In Scotland, 57% felt more Scottish than British, compared to 26% equally Scottish-British, and 19% more British, whilst in Wales it is said that a majority feel some part British, leading to calls for the Welsh and Scottish pro-independence campaigns to "reclaim Britishness". * Differing political ideologies – The different political parties and their ideologies in the devolved administrations and the UK Government, also managing many affairs for England has been voiced as a reason for a potential breakup. The
centre-right Centre-right politics lean to the right of the political spectrum, but are closer to the centre. From the 1780s to the 1880s, there was a shift in the Western world of social class structure and the economy, moving away from the nobility and ...
Conservatives Conservatism is a cultural, social, and political philosophy that seeks to promote and to preserve traditional institutions, practices, and values. The central tenets of conservatism may vary in relation to the culture and civilization in ...
form the current UK Government, whereas in Scotland and Wales,
Centre-left Centre-left politics lean to the left on the left–right political spectrum but are closer to the centre than other left-wing politics. Those on the centre-left believe in working within the established systems to improve social justice. The c ...
parties, the Scottish National Party and
Welsh Labour Welsh Labour ( cy, Llafur Cymru) is the branch of the United Kingdom Labour Party in Wales and the largest party in modern Welsh politics. Welsh Labour and its forebears won a plurality of the Welsh vote at every UK general election since 192 ...
respectively, hold power. Northern Ireland has a powersharing coalition, between unionists and nationalists. * Boris Johnson - During his tenure, some critics of Johnson described him to endanger the union, stating his unpopularity in Scotland is "driving voters to back independence". In June 2022, his approval rating in Scotland was polled at 12%, with 83% dissatisfied, compared to 53% satisfied for Nicola Sturgeon. A pro-Scottish independence blogger stated that pro-independence supporters have an interest in keeping Boris Johnson as UK Prime Minister as it would otherwise "deprive us of the most effective recruiting sergeant for ..independence". Under Johnson, the Joint Ministerial Committees of the UK Government and devolved governments "never met in full". * Rise of English nationalism –
Gavin Esler Gavin William James Esler (born 27 February 1953) is a Scottish journalist, television presenter and author. He was a main presenter on BBC Two's flagship political analysis programme, ''Newsnight'', from January 2003 until January 2014, and pr ...
and
Fintan O'Toole Fintan O'Toole (born 16 February 1958) is a polemicist, literary editor, journalist and drama critic for ''The Irish Times'', for which he has written since 1988. O'Toole was drama critic for the '' New York Daily News'' from 1997 to 2001 and ...
have argued that the rise in
English nationalism English nationalism is a nationalism that asserts that the English are a nation and promotes the cultural unity of English people. In a general sense, it comprises political and social movements and sentiment inspired by a love for English c ...
was a force behind support for Brexit, would post a threat to the union it "may not survive". They believe the rise in Englishness was reactionary to the devolved bodies established in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Esler in particular states that even after "four centuries the United Kingdom had survived Scottish, Welsh and even violent Irish nationalism, but it may not survive the rise of English nationalism".
Chris Patten Christopher Francis Patten, Baron Patten of Barnes, (; born 12 May 1944) is a British politician who was the 28th and last Governor of Hong Kong from 1992 to 1997 and Chairman of the Conservative Party from 1990 to 1992. He was made a life pe ...
, former Conservative Chairman described the Johnson government to be "English nationalist" that will "hasten the break-up of the union". * Poor intergovernmental relations – Mark Drakeford, Welsh First Minister, stated that the "current ohnsonUK Government ..is instinctively hostile to devolution", and that "undermines the case for the Union rather than strengthens it". Boris Johnson was reported to have reportedly said Scottish devolution is a "disaster". * Muscular unionism – a form of unionism stated by some to be exercised by the Johnson Conservative UK Government, involves various controversial strategies to promote the union, including by-passing devolved administrations to award funding relating to devolved areas, to include the UK flag on large infrastructure projects and requests for UK diplomats to stop referring to the UK as a union of four nations. The efforts have been criticised as being counter-productive and even encouraging independence. * Potential EU membership - Since
Brexit Brexit (; a portmanteau of "British exit") was the withdrawal of the United Kingdom (UK) from the European Union (EU) at 23:00 GMT on 31 January 2020 (00:00 1 February 2020 CET).The UK also left the European Atomic Energy Community (EAEC or ...
, many in Scotland in particular have called for a second independence referendum to have a chance to apply for EU membership. In the 2016 referendum, Scots voted majority to remain in the EU. Plaid Cymru, the largest Welsh pro-independence party, supports EU membership following the potential independence of Wales even though Wales voted for the UK's withdrawal. Some also argue many Scottish independence supporters are also against EU membership. * Potential British Confederation membership - A British Confederation or a Confederal UK has been proposed as a concept of
constitutional reform of the United Kingdom There have been various proposals for constitutional reform in the United Kingdom. Current system The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a constitutional monarchy governed via a Westminster system of parliamentary democracy ...
, in which the
countries of the United Kingdom The United Kingdom, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (UK), since 1922, comprises three constituent countries and a region: England, Scotland, and Wales (which collectively make up the region of Great Britain), as well as Nor ...
;
England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...
,
Scotland Scotland (, ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a border with England to the southeast and is otherwise surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the ...
,
Wales Wales ( cy, Cymru ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by England to the Wales–England border, east, the Irish Sea to the north and west, the Celtic Sea to the south west and the ...
, as well as
Northern Ireland Northern Ireland ( ga, Tuaisceart Éireann ; sco, label= Ulster-Scots, Norlin Airlann) is a part of the United Kingdom, situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, that is variously described as a country, province or region. Nort ...
become separate sovereign groups or states that pool certain key resources within a confederal system.


Opposition

Supporters for the continuation for the United Kingdom oppose its breakup. Political parties, with seats in the
House of Commons The House of Commons is the name for the elected lower house of the bicameral parliaments of the United Kingdom and Canada. In both of these countries, the Commons holds much more legislative power than the nominally upper house of parliament. ...
, opposing a breakup include: *
Conservative Party The Conservative Party is a name used by many political parties around the world. These political parties are generally right-wing though their exact ideologies can range from center-right to far-right. Political parties called The Conservative P ...
(UK) * Labour Party (GB) * Liberal Democrats (GB) *
Democratic Unionist Party The Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) is a unionist, loyalist, and national conservative political party in Northern Ireland. It was founded in 1971 during the Troubles by Ian Paisley, who led the party for the next 37 years. Currently led by J ...
(NI)


Response

In 2021,
UK Prime Minister The prime minister of the United Kingdom is the head of government of the United Kingdom. The prime minister advises the sovereign on the exercise of much of the royal prerogative, chairs the Cabinet and selects its ministers. As modern pr ...
Boris Johnson Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson (; born 19 June 1964) is a British politician, writer and journalist who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Leader of the Conservative Party from 2019 to 2022. He previously served as F ...
, announced his second ministry's various efforts to keep the union together. A solution described by Johnson's Scottish secretary Alister Jack as "Project Love", involves replacing formerly EU investment funds with a "shared prosperity fund" awarded to various local authorities in the United Kingdom. The fund will be managed by the UK Government and its
civil service The civil service is a collective term for a sector of government composed mainly of career civil servants hired on professional merit rather than appointed or elected, whose institutional tenure typically survives transitions of political leaders ...
. The fund has been criticised for not involving the devolved governments. In June 2021, Johnson was claimed to be "not that interested" in the union by
Dominic Cummings Dominic Mckenzie Cummings (born 25 November 1971) is a British political strategist who served as Chief Adviser to British Prime Minister Boris Johnson from 24 July 2019 until Cummings resigned on 13 November 2020. From 2007 to 2014, he was a ...
, Johnson's former advisor. Downing Street dismissed the claims. A
Guardian Guardian usually refers to: * Legal guardian, a person with the authority and duty to care for the interests of another * ''The Guardian'', a British daily newspaper (The) Guardian(s) may also refer to: Places * Guardian, West Virginia, Unite ...
editorial, described the UK Government may be hoping that separatist feeling is dispelled over time as long as the benefits of the UK are well enough advertised. The same article however stated that the Conservatives approach to maintaining their
Northern England Northern England, also known as the North of England, the North Country, or simply the North, is the northern area of England. It broadly corresponds to the former borders of Angle Northumbria, the Anglo-Scandinavian Kingdom of Jorvik, and the ...
red wall seats involving "confected rows over flags, history and race" may "not resonate
ith The Ith () is a ridge in Germany's Central Uplands which is up to 439 m high. It lies about 40 km southwest of Hanover and, at 22 kilometres, is the longest line of crags in North Germany. Geography Location The Ith is immediatel ...
Scots". Others have stated that "unionism has singularly struggled to articulate its vision as to why Scottish voters should be persuaded". In June 2021, Mark Drakeford, Welsh FM, announced a plan titled "Reforming Our Union" and described the UK as a "voluntary union" "of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland
hat A hat is a head covering which is worn for various reasons, including protection against weather conditions, ceremonial reasons such as university graduation, religious reasons, safety, or as a fashion accessory. Hats which incorporate mecha ...
must be based on a partnership of equals", with devolution a "permanent feature". The plan had twenty ideas for the union including
reform of the House of Lords Certain governments in the United Kingdom have, for more than a century, attempted to find a way to reform the House of Lords, the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. This process was started by the Parliament Act 1911 introdu ...
into a constitutional body, centralised funding for devolved legislatures, respect for devolved matters, and devolution of justice and police to Wales inline with Scotland and Northern Ireland.


Controversial muscular unionism

Pro-union approaches by the Johnson UK Government have been described as "Muscular unionism" or "know-your-place unionism". The strategy involves various strategies used to promote the union, with some described as controversial. This includes policies to by-pass the devolved administrations to award funding relating in devolved areas, the Internal Market Bill (described to roll back devolved powers), to include the UK flag on large infrastructure projects and requests for UK diplomats to stop referring to the UK as a union of four nations. Some media has stated that Johnson "made the calculation that most voters don't care which level of government delivers particular projects as long as things improve". The efforts have been criticised as being counter-productive and even encouraging independence. Some have described the approach to be an inevitable response to the failure of devolution as intended by the
First Blair ministry The first Blair ministry lasted from May 1997 to June 2001. After eighteen years in opposition, Labour ousted the Conservatives at the May 1997 election with a 179-seat majority. The Prime Minister, Tony Blair, who turned 44 years old days af ...
to tackle the rise in separatism, or to support the notion of a British nation, and that the "centrifugal forces unleashed by devolution must be balanced by a centripetal role .. fthe British State".
Gordon Brown James Gordon Brown (born 20 February 1951) is a British former politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Leader of the Labour Party (UK), Leader of the Labour Party from 2007 to 2010. He previously served as Chance ...
, former UK PM, stated that Johnson should stop his policy of "muscular unionism" as it would help the cause for Scottish independence.
Ciaran Martin Ciaran Liam Martin, (born 19 September 1974), was the first CEO of the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC). In September 2020 he was appointed Professor of Practice in the Management of Public Organisations at the Blavatnik School of Governmen ...
, involved in creating the framework for the 2014 Scottish referendum for the UK Government, stated that muscular unionism "is pushing forward a single, British nationalist vision of the future, working to shape government policy to realise it, and relying on an English electoral majority to deliver it. And if you don’t like it, know your place". Mark Drakeford, Welsh FM, clarified his government's support for the union but stated that "muscular unionism" was "bad for the UK", and that "raids on the powers of the Senedd is not the way to persuade people that the UK is a deal
hat A hat is a head covering which is worn for various reasons, including protection against weather conditions, ceremonial reasons such as university graduation, religious reasons, safety, or as a fashion accessory. Hats which incorporate mecha ...
they want".


Reasons for unionism in Scotland

Reasons for continuing the union can be summarised as follows: * Currency – In the event of independence for either Scotland or Wales, the issue over currency is brought up. A
currency union A currency union (also known as monetary union) is an intergovernmental agreement that involves two or more State (polity), states sharing the same currency. These states may not necessarily have any Economic integration#Stages, further integratio ...
between an independent Scotland and the remaining UK was ruled out in the lead-up to the 2014 referendum. Scotland can continue to use the
pound sterling Sterling (abbreviation: stg; Other spelling styles, such as STG and Stg, are also seen. ISO code: GBP) is the currency of the United Kingdom and nine of its associated territories. The pound ( sign: £) is the main unit of sterling, and t ...
without a currency union, however will lack control over its
monetary policy Monetary policy is the policy adopted by the monetary authority of a nation to control either the interest rate payable for very short-term borrowing (borrowing by banks from each other to meet their short-term needs) or the money supply, often a ...
, such as
interest rate An interest rate is the amount of interest due per period, as a proportion of the amount lent, deposited, or borrowed (called the principal sum). The total interest on an amount lent or borrowed depends on the principal sum, the interest rate, th ...
s as those would be the responsibility of the
Bank of England The Bank of England is the central bank of the United Kingdom and the model on which most modern central banks have been based. Established in 1694 to act as the English Government's banker, and still one of the bankers for the Government of ...
, the UK's
central bank A central bank, reserve bank, or monetary authority is an institution that manages the currency and monetary policy of a country or monetary union, and oversees their commercial banking system. In contrast to a commercial bank, a central ba ...
, who may prioritise the UK's economy over Scotland, in the absence of a currency sharing agreement. * Business - Some sources suggest some business uncertainty and potential restructuring of businesses so that headquarters are relocated in the country where the greatest amount of business occurs. Additional argument that have been made by the Better Together campaign include: * Security - Scotland's security is "strengthened" as part of the United Kingdom. * Two parliaments - Part of both Scottish Parliament and UK Parliament. * Economy - "Size, strength and stability of the UK economy". * New business orders - The UK is "better placed" than Scotland to "win new orders" for businesses * Connections - Some people have family and friends either side of Anglo-Scottish border, (although independence may not affect travel). * Society and culture - Scotland's society and culture "will be enriched" as part of the UK.


Alternatives

* Devolution system reform– A
The Economist ''The Economist'' is a British weekly newspaper printed in demitab format and published digitally. It focuses on current affairs, international business, politics, technology, and culture. Based in London, the newspaper is owned by The Econo ...
article argued that "a better combination of devolution and centralisation would compel governments to work together". The author argues that the existing devolution settlement "is making the United Kingdom chronically miserable", as politics in Scotland and Northern Ireland are "dominated by unresolved arguments about the constitution", neglecting local issues, such as healthcare and schooling. The editor suggests that powers were "crudely handed out" to devolved bodies and the resulting politics "favour blaming the centre estminsterrather than working with it". Leading to clashes over issues such as new nuclear power stations or gas drilling as energy policy is reserved to Westminster but planning is devolved. An "exchange" of powers to allow for better co-ordination, such as increasing devolved say over immigration and EU relations in return for increased UK-devolved cooperation in major transport links and energy security, as well as direct Westminster involvement in devolution failings over health and education, was advocated. * Federal system -
Federalism in the United Kingdom Federalism in the United Kingdom (also termed variously as a Federal UK or British Federation) refers to the concept of constitutional reform, where there is a division of legislative powers between two or more levels of government, therefore sover ...
has been touted as an alternative political system to prevent a possible breakup.


Apathy

Some in England have argued, the contentious
Barnett formula The Barnett formula is a mechanism used by the Treasury in the United Kingdom to automatically adjust the amounts of public expenditure allocated to Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales to reflect changes in spending levels allocated to publi ...
and
West Lothian question The West Lothian question, also known as the English question, is a political issue in the United Kingdom. It concerns the question of whether MPs from Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales who sit in the House of Commons should be able to vote ...
would be solved through the breakup of the union. In October 2017, 88% of leave voters polled would accept a "yes" vote win in a second Scottish independence referendum in return for Brexit, 81% of the same leave voters also saw destabilising the Northern Ireland peace process to be "worthwhile" to guarantee Brexit. Among leave voters, those supporting the Conservatives were more likely to support Scotland independence and Northern Ireland's peace process destabilised than Labour leave voters, although still a majority of Labour leave voters. In 2018, polled voters in England stated by 62% they would want money raised in England spent in England and not in Northern Ireland, with 73% of Conservatives and 22% of Labour voters supporting this view.
HM Treasury His Majesty's Treasury (HM Treasury), occasionally referred to as the Exchequer, or more informally the Treasury, is a department of His Majesty's Government responsible for developing and executing the government's public finance policy and ec ...
in 2018, gave £10.8 billion annually to Northern Ireland, compared to £8.6 billion annually to the EU. In June 2019, a YouGov poll showed a majority of members of the UK-ruling Conservative Party would support Scotland and Northern Ireland breaking up the UK to achieve Brexit. A November 2019 poll, showed collectively 58% of Leave voters across the UK were supportive of Scottish independence, this was composed of 41% of voters who would accept it, if it were the price for Brexit, and 17% of Leave voters would support Scottish independence regardless of circumstance. In the same poll, UK Leave voters were also asked on Welsh independence, with 28% yes to Welsh independence to 26% no, and for a United Ireland with 25% yes to 19% no, if these scenarios were the price to pay for Brexit. A May 2021 poll, commissioned by ''
The Daily Telegraph ''The Daily Telegraph'', known online and elsewhere as ''The Telegraph'', is a national British daily broadsheet newspaper published in London by Telegraph Media Group and distributed across the United Kingdom and internationally. It was fo ...
'', showed only 32% of English voters were opposed to Scottish independence, with 25% supporting and 30% no strong opinion/opposition. A majority of those aged 18–34 believe an independent Scotland would "thrive", compared to only 19% of those over 55. ''
The Yorkshire Post ''The Yorkshire Post'' is a daily broadsheet newspaper, published in Leeds in Yorkshire, England. It primarily covers stories from Yorkshire although its masthead carries the slogan "Yorkshire's National Newspaper". It was previously owned by ...
'' argued Scottish independence would benefit England and give needed funds spent in Scotland to
Yorkshire Yorkshire ( ; abbreviated Yorks), formally known as the County of York, is a Historic counties of England, historic county in northern England and by far the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its large area in comparison with other Eng ...
.


Legal procedure

The order of breaking up the UK is debated in media, some state that Scotland is the most likely to leave, followed by a United Ireland, whose movement is bolstered by Scotland. Wales is sometimes perceived to be the last. In March 2021, a poll revealed 44% of respondents in Northern Ireland, thought Scottish independence would make an Irish border poll more likely.


Independence referendum process

Constitutional arrangements are reserved to the UK parliament. In January 2012, the UK Coalition government launched a consultation in facilitating a "legal, fair and decisive referendum" on Scottish independence. In October 2012, the Edinburgh Agreement was signed by UK Prime Minister David Cameron and Scottish First Minister
Alex Salmond Alexander Elliot Anderson Salmond (; born 31 December 1954) is a Scottish politician and economist who served as First Minister of Scotland from 2007 to 2014. A prominent figure on the Scottish nationalist movement, he has served as leader ...
, transferring the power to hold an independence referendum in 2014 to the Scottish Parliament. The
Scottish Independence Referendum Act 2013 The Scottish Independence Referendum Act 2013 is an Act of the Scottish Parliament, which was passed on 14 November 2013 and came into force on 18 December. Together with the Scottish Independence Referendum (Franchise) Act 2013, it enabled th ...
, an
Act of the Scottish Parliament An Act of the Scottish Parliament ( gd, Achd Pàrlamaid na h-Alba) is primary legislation made by the Scottish Parliament. The power to create Acts was conferred to the Parliament by section 28 of the Scotland Act 1998 following the success ...
set out how the 2014 referendum operated. The UK Government stated that, if a simple majority of the votes cast were in favour of independence, then "Scotland would become an independent country after a process of negotiations". If the majority was against independence, Scotland would continue to be a part of the United Kingdom. In the event of a majority for Yes, the Scottish Government had proposed an independence date of 24 March 2016. It was suggested that, following the conclusion of negotiations, the UK Parliament would legislate for Scottish independence to take place on the date that had been negotiated. Calls for a second Scottish independence referendum have been rejected by the UK Government. In January 2021, Boris Johnson stated that a referendum should be a "once-in-a-generation", and that the 41-year gap between the referendums on the European Communities/Union between 1975 and 2016, was "a good sort of gap". On 28 June 2022, Scottish Government proposed 19 October 2023 to be a proposed date for a referendum, and published a draft "Scottish Independence Referendum Bill" the same day. The Scottish Government asked
Boris Johnson Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson (; born 19 June 1964) is a British politician, writer and journalist who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Leader of the Conservative Party from 2019 to 2022. He previously served as F ...
for formal consent for the referendum but Johnson has refused calls for a referendum, stating "now is not the time".
Dorothy Bain Dorothy Ruth Bain (born 1964) is a Scottish advocate who has served as Lord Advocate since 2021. She is the second woman to hold the office after Elish Angiolini. Bain previously served as the Principal Advocate Depute from 2009 to 2011, the ...
Lord Advocate , body = , insignia = Crest of the Kingdom of Scotland.svg , insigniasize = 110px , image = File:Official Portrait of Dorothy Bain QC.png , incumbent = Dorothy Bain KC , incumbentsince = 22 June 2021 , appointer = Monarch on the advice ...
for Scotland, stated she is concerned that the recent proposals for a referendum may be unlawful. There has not been a referendum held on independence in Wales. Adam Price, leader of pro-independence Plaid Cymru has advocated for a referendum. Price stated a referendum would be held "within five years" if Plaid Cymru won a majority in 2021 Senedd election. Plaid Cymru later gained one seat totaling thirteen, but their vote share decreased, and with Labour retaining power. In March 2022, Price admitted independence would take "longer than we would hope".


United Ireland referendum process

The
Northern Ireland Act 1998 __NOTOC__ The Northern Ireland Act 1998 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom which allowed Westminster to devolve power to Northern Ireland, after decades of direct rule. It renamed the New Northern Ireland Assembly, established by ...
, a statute of the
Parliament of the United Kingdom The Parliament of the United Kingdom is the supreme legislative body of the United Kingdom, the Crown Dependencies and the British Overseas Territories. It meets at the Palace of Westminster, London. It alone possesses legislative suprema ...
, provides that Northern Ireland will remain within the United Kingdom unless a majority of the people of Northern Ireland vote to form part of a united Ireland. It specifies that the
Secretary of State for Northern Ireland A secretary, administrative professional, administrative assistant, executive assistant, administrative officer, administrative support specialist, clerk, military assistant, management assistant, office secretary, or personal assistant is a w ...
"shall exercise the power o hold a referendumif at any time it appears likely to him that a majority of those voting would express a wish that Northern Ireland should cease to be part of the United Kingdom and form part of a united Ireland". Such referendums may not take place within seven years of each other.


Potential aftermath following Scottish independence

In the event of Scottish independence, some media have suggested a potential domino effect, galvanising independence movements elsewhere in Europe. Some have described such an event as the "end of the British Empire" and may encourage the movement for a United Ireland. In 2022, a research study stated 89% of the business owners consulted saw a UK breakup being "a significant threat" to the successful prospect of their business.


Inter-Britain borders

The First Minister of Scotland has said that a trade border would form on the
Anglo-Scottish border The Anglo-Scottish border () is a border separating Scotland and England which runs for 96 miles (154 km) between Marshall Meadows Bay on the east coast and the Solway Firth in the west. The surrounding area is sometimes referred to ...
due to 'regulatory and customs requirements’ placed on Scotland if it rejoins the EU. A Welsh Liberal Democrats candidate claimed if Wales were independent, passport checks would be needed on the
England–Wales border The England–Wales border ( cy, Y ffin rhwng Cymru a Lloegr; shortened: Ffin Cymru a Lloegr), sometimes referred to as the Wales–England border or the Anglo-Welsh border, runs for from the Dee estuary, in the north, to the Severn estuary i ...
. The UK accounts for 60% of Scottish exports, and rejoining the EU would mean Scotland leaves the customs union and single market of the United Kingdom, increasing the cost of trade.
Michael Keating Michael, Mike or Mickey Keating may refer to: Politics * Michael Keating (Irish politician) (born 1946), Fine Gael then Progressive Democrats TD from Dublin * Michael Keating (Manitoba politician) * Michael Keating (political scientist) (born 1950) ...
has argued
Common Travel Area The Common Travel Area (CTA; ga, Comhlimistéar Taistil, ) is an open borders area comprising the United Kingdom, Ireland, Isle of Man, and the Channel Islands. The British Overseas Territories are not included. Based on agreements that are no ...
between the Republic of Ireland and United Kingdom can extend to an independent Scotland. Jess Sargeant of the
Institute for Government The Institute for Government (IfG) is a British independent think tank which aims to improve government effectiveness through research and analysis. Based at 2 Carlton Gardens in central London and founded as a charity in 2008, it was initially ...
, argued Brexit checks taking place in
Kent Kent is a county in South East England and one of the home counties. It borders Greater London to the north-west, Surrey to the west and East Sussex to the south-west, and Essex to the north across the estuary of the River Thames; it faces ...
would potentially be replicated along the Anglo-Scottish border with a potentially EU-member Scotland.


International standing

The break-up of the union following the departure of Scotland, which has 8% the UK's population and a third of its landmass, has been described to have a "huge impact on the UK's role in the world". Others have argued that independence movements "undermine Britain's power abroad" and with the "numerous distractions" eliminated by a successful break up.


NATO

Currently, the Scottish Government and first minister of Scotland supports
NATO The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO, ; french: Organisation du traité de l'Atlantique nord, ), also called the North Atlantic Alliance, is an intergovernmental military alliance between 30 member states – 28 European and two No ...
membership Member may refer to: * Military jury, referred to as "Members" in military jargon * Element (mathematics), an object that belongs to a mathematical set * In object-oriented programming, a member of a class ** Field (computer science), entries in ...
in the event of Scottish independence but is opposed to the UK's nuclear bases housed in Scotland. SNP's defence spokesman Stewart McDonald has said "I'm not suggesting for a minute that we would turn our backs on what's expected of us as an alliance member but we very clearly wouldn't become a permanent base for nuclear weapons". The SNP notes that countries such as Finland and Sweden are currently in the process of joining NATO and do not have nuclear weapons. The UK would also retain its NATO membership, however in the event of Scottish Independence would likely have to relocate its Trident Nuclear Programme. The Republic of Ireland, is not part of NATO. The Senedd in Wales currently has a majority of ministers that supports NATO membership. Plaid Cymru is opposed to nuclear weapons and therefore according to leader Adam Price, NATO membership.


= UK's nuclear arsenal in Scotland

= The proposed removal of nuclear weapons from an independent Scotland as requested by an independent SNP-led Scottish Government, has been described as a potential "geopolitical catastrophe". The UK may be faced with a difficult decision on where to house its nuclear arsenal outside Scotland, and may question keeping it at all over relocation expenses. The UK without nuclear weapons have been described to "destroy ..the UK's diplomatic and military capability in the international arena, depriving the US of one of its most important and long-standing allies".


United Nations

In the event of independence, Scotland and Wales would have to apply for UN membership, whereas Northern Ireland would likely be integrated with existing member Ireland. This would likely be a simple formality of applying and being accepted following a legal procedure with the recognition of the UK Government. The UK would also retain its UN membership and security council seat. Some have argued that a break-up of the UK would increase calls for reform of the
United Nations Security Council The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) is one of the Organs of the United Nations, six principal organs of the United Nations (UN) and is charged with ensuring international security, international peace and security, recommending the admi ...
, with a
rump state A rump state is the remnant of a once much larger state, left with a reduced territory in the wake of secession, annexation, occupation, decolonization, or a successful coup d'état or revolution on part of its former territory. In the last case, ...
UK's seat increasingly questioned. However, any reform would require the support of all five
permanent members of the United Nations Security Council The permanent members of the United Nations Security Council (also known as the Permanent Five, Big Five, or P5) are the five sovereign states to whom the UN Charter of 1945 grants a permanent seat on the UN Security Council: China, France, R ...
including the successor to the UK, which like
Russia Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a List of transcontinental countries, transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia, Northern Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the ...
(inheriting from
Soviet Union The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, it was nominally a federal union of fifteen national ...
) would likely retain their seat if they are recognised as the UK's
successor state Succession of states is a concept in international relations regarding a successor state that has become a sovereign state over a territory (and populace) that was previously under the sovereignty of another state. The theory has its roots in 19th- ...
. Some independence supporters have argued an independent Scotland would gain a temporary seat at the Security Council, as have European countries such as Ireland and
Norway Norway, officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic country in Northern Europe, the mainland territory of which comprises the western and northernmost portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula. The remote Arctic island of Jan Mayen and t ...
, although Scotland will no longer influence the UK's permanent veto.


Commonwealth

Prior to the EU referendum, an op-ed in ''
The Independent ''The Independent'' is a British online newspaper. It was established in 1986 as a national morning printed paper. Nicknamed the ''Indy'', it began as a broadsheet and changed to tabloid format in 2003. The last printed edition was publis ...
'' theorised that Brexit may indirectly cause the
Commonwealth of Nations The Commonwealth of Nations, simply referred to as the Commonwealth, is a political association of 56 member states, the vast majority of which are former territories of the British Empire. The chief institutions of the organisation are the Co ...
, which the British Monarch currently leads, to face questions on its future should the UK potentially breakup.


Flag

Media outlets have speculated what would happen to, specifically the design, of the Union Jack (also known as the Union Flag), the flag of the United Kingdom. The flag is composed of St Andrew's Saltire (for Scotland) intersecting with a
Saint Patrick's Saltire Saint Patrick's Saltire or Saint Patrick's Cross is a red saltire (X-shaped cross) on a white field. In heraldic language, it may be blazoned "''argent, a saltire gules''". The Saint Patrick's Flag (''Bratach Naomh Pádraig'') is a flag compos ...
(Kingdom of Ireland), overlaid by
St George's Cross In heraldry, Saint George's Cross, the Cross of Saint George, is a red cross on a white background, which from the Late Middle Ages became associated with Saint George, the military saint, often depicted as a crusader. Associated with the cru ...
(Kingdom of England, which included Wales). The
College of Arms The College of Arms, or Heralds' College, is a royal corporation consisting of professional Officer of Arms, officers of arms, with jurisdiction over England, Wales, Northern Ireland and some Commonwealth realms. The heralds are appointed by the ...
of England, Wales and Northern Ireland stated in 2013, that the flag did not require a redesign in the event of Scottish independence as it was expected that the Queen
Elizabeth II Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; 21 April 1926 – 8 September 2022) was Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms from 6 February 1952 until her death in 2022. She was queen regnant of 32 sovereign states during ...
would remain head of state of an independent Scotland. During the 2014 Scottish referendum, proposals for replacing St Andrew's Saltire with some Welsh or no element were proposed. Any resulting changes to the Union Jack may increase calls for changes to flags which use the Union Jack in canton, in the top-left, such as
Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...
, and
New Zealand New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island count ...
. Fiji and Tuvalu previously removed the Union Jack from their flags, but later reverted the decision with Tuvalu reverting in 1997 and Fiji in 2016.


English identity and impact

Some academics have argued the break-up of the United Kingdom would rebirth
English national identity A national identity of the English as the people or ethnic group dominant in England dates to the Anglo-Saxon period. The establishing of a single English ethnic identity dates to at least AD 731, as exemplified in Bede's ''Ecclesiastical Histor ...
, which has been subsumed into the wider
British national identity British national identity is a term referring to the sense of national identity, as embodied in the shared and characteristic culture, languages and traditions, of the British people. It comprises the claimed qualities that bind and disting ...
. England accounts for 85% of the UK's population and has big
soft power In politics (and particularly in international politics), soft power is the ability to co-opt rather than coerce (contrast hard power). In other words, soft power involves shaping the preferences of others through appeal and attraction. A defin ...
on its own. There is some speculation over what role England may take following a potential UK breakup, whether England will inherit many of the former UK's responsibilities or retreat from the world stage and become
isolationist Isolationism is a political philosophy advocating a national foreign policy that opposes involvement in the political affairs, and especially the wars, of other countries. Thus, isolationism fundamentally advocates neutrality and opposes entan ...
.


Confederation of independent states

Proposals for a looser organisation after a possible break-up have been put forward, such as a confederation encompassing what potentially would be the former United Kingdom. A confederal proposal advocates that the national parliaments of the currently constituent parts of the United Kingdom; England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland become independent
sovereign state A sovereign state or sovereign country, is a polity, political entity represented by one central government that has supreme legitimate authority over territory. International law defines sovereign states as having a permanent population, defin ...
s that share policies such as rights of movement, residence, employment in neighbouring countries, internal trade, use of currencies, defence, and foreign relations, although subject to negotiation, within a
confederation A confederation (also known as a confederacy or league) is a union of sovereign groups or states united for purposes of common action. Usually created by a treaty, confederations of states tend to be established for dealing with critical issu ...
. A Confederal Assembly will hold no powers to implement confederal policies, with each independent country responsible for implementation.


Opinion polling


Support

* Scottish independence - Support for Scottish independence was 28% versus 57% against in 2011. In October 2020, support reached a high of 58% in favour of Scottish independence. A May 2022 Scottish independence opinion poll showed a 1% lead for remaining in the UK (45% for independence vs 46% against). In 2021, think-tank BritainThinks showed that with ‘don’t knows’ removed, 59% of people across the UK thought that Scotland would vote to become independent “in the next year or so”. * United Ireland - A 2017 poll in Northern Ireland showed 27% in favour of Irish reunification versus 52% against. An April 2022 Northern Ireland opinion poll on a United Ireland showed a 16.2% lead for remaining in the UK (31.9% for a United Ireland vs 48.2% against). * Welsh independence - Support for Welsh independence has increased from in 2014 to its highest support of in April 2021 when excluding don't knows. A June 2022 poll on Welsh independence showed a 25% lead for remaining in the UK (25% for independence vs 50% against).


See also

*
British Empire The British Empire was composed of the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates, and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom and its predecessor states. It began with the overseas possessions and trading posts esta ...
*
Partition of Belgium The partition of Belgium is a hypothetical situation, which has been discussed by both Belgian and international media, envisioning a split of Belgium along linguistic divisions, with the Flemish Community (Flanders) and the French-speaking Commu ...
*
Dissolution of the Soviet Union The dissolution of the Soviet Union, also negatively connoted as rus, Разва́л Сове́тского Сою́за, r=Razvál Sovétskogo Soyúza, ''Ruining of the Soviet Union''. was the process of internal disintegration within the Sov ...
*
Dissolution of the union between Norway and Sweden The dissolution of the union ( nb, unionsoppløsningen; nn, unionsoppløysinga; Landsmål: ''unionsuppløysingi''; sv, unionsupplösningen) between the kingdoms of Norway and Sweden under the House of Bernadotte, was set in motion by a resolu ...
*
Dissolution of Russia The dissolution of Russia is a hypothetical unraveling of the Russian Federation from a unified state to various potential independent successor states. The term is used in academic literature and journalism in discussions about Russian statehood ...
*
Nationalisms and regionalisms of Spain Both the perceived nationhood of Spain, and the perceived distinctions between different parts of its territory derive from historical, geographical, linguistic, economic, political, ethnic and social factors. Present-day Spain was formed in the ...
*
Kosovo independence precedent On 17 February 2008, the majority of members of the Assembly of Kosovo, including Hashim Thaçi, and Fatmir Sejdiu (who were not members of the Assembly), not acting in the capacity of PISG, declared Kosovo an independent and sovereign state. K ...
* 2017 Catalan independence referendum


Notes


References

{{Secession in Countries Separatism in the United Kingdom Partition (politics) Dissolutions of countries Public policy proposals