Posted on 16 August 2008 by David
Below is the text of a post of mine published on the OurKingdom site last week. It stimulated a lively debate, which has led me to think further about the fundamental issues involved. I discuss these below after the copy of the OurKingdom post:
Giving only Scotland a say on independence negates the existence of Britain
[...]
Filed under: England, Scotland, Scottish Claim of Right, Scottish independence, United Kingdom, Wales, constitutional reform, federal UK, nationalism, parliament, politics, referendum, sovereignty | 4 Comments »
Posted on 18 July 2008 by David
Here’s how I see the asymmetric devolution settlement brought in by New Labour in 1998. This may not be terribly original; but it could serve as a useful guide to the cynical politics that has brought us to our present pass.
Scotland-side, there’s the view that devolution, rather than being merely a nationalistic movement for greater [...]
Filed under: Conservative Party, David Cameron, England, English independence, First Past the Post, Labour Party, PR, Scotland, Scottish independence, Wales, Welsh independence, constitutional reform, devolution, parliament, politics, proportional representation, sovereignty | 8 Comments »
Posted on 9 June 2008 by David
The Sunday Times reported yesterday that Frank Field has urged Gordon Brown to hold an immediate UK-wide referendum on the future of the Union. The Labour MP is quoted as saying, “Unless Gordon Brown wrongfoots [Alex Salmond] by addressing the English question and by holding a UK-wide referendum before he has the chance to build [...]
Filed under: England, English independence, Frank Field, Gordon Brown, Labour Party, Scotland, Scottish Claim of Right, Scottish independence, United Kingdom, constitutional convention, constitutional reform, parliament, politics, referendum, sovereignty, the English Question | 2 Comments »
Posted on 5 June 2008 by David
In his speech to the University of Hertfordshire on Tuesday of this week, Labour MP Frank Field made out a strong case for the right of all UK citizens, not just Scottish voters, to determine the future shape of the UK: “Wendy Alexander . . . recently called for an early referendum on independence. Yet [...]
Filed under: David Cameron, England, English Parliament, Frank Field, Gordon Brown, Labour Party, Scotland, United Kingdom, constitutional reform, devolution, federal UK, parliament, politics, referendum, sovereignty, the English Question | 4 Comments »
Posted on 1 June 2008 by David
Just signed the Downing Street petition for a referendum on English independence I came across today. This actually calls for a referendum on English independence irrespective of whether the Scots are offered a referendum on independence for Scotland, or if they go ahead and have one anyway whether the British government, or the Scottish First Minister for England, [...]
Filed under: Britain, Downing Street petition, England, English independence, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Scottish independence, Wales, Welsh independence, constitutional reform, devolution, federal UK, nationalism, parliament, politics, referendum, sovereignty, unionism | 3 Comments »
Posted on 17 May 2008 by David
Another way to address the question of the constitutional options that should be put to all the nations of the UK at the same time as a Scottish referendum on independence for Scotland (see previous post) is to say that we should all have a vote, not just on independence for our respective countries, but [...]
Filed under: Britain, Britishness, Cornish independence, Cornwall, England, English identity, English independence, Englishness, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales, Welsh independence, devolution, federal UK, federalism, parliament, politics, referendum, sovereignty | 8 Comments »
