The Guardian view on Liz Truss: a Little Englander PM risks running a Little England

Kili

An interesting piece on Truss and the possible break up of the union

pansyface

From that Guardian column:

Of equal concern is English indifference to the fate of the union: more than four in 10 people would welcome or aren’t bothered by Scotland going its own way.

That’s an ambiguous statement. As an English person with Scottish parentage who lived in Scotland for a good number of years and who, during the first referendum, voted to leave (all those years ago), I would not want my leave vote to be seen as “indifference”. I voted to leave because I believed, and still believe, that Scotland can and would be a far better country as an independent country.

Statistics are bendy things, aren’t they?

Obelixx

If you look at average annual government expenditure per capita in the 4 nations, the wonder is that the English aren't more enthusiastic to see the break up of the Union.

https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/sn04033/#:~:text=In 2020/21, public spending,11% above the UK average)

The Scots who voted for union back in the 1707 were bribed to do so because Queen Anne wanted to ensure a Protestant succession to her throne.   It was not popular with the vast majority of Scots from any walk of life then and, given the state of Westminster governments of both persuasions in recent decades, it is not surprising they want independence now.

nick615

Hearts v Heads?

WAMS

I am not convinced Truss could find Scotland on a map.

pansyface

She grew up in Paisley. And remembers it “fondly”…🙂

didyw

I really don't want Scotland to leave.  I really didn't want us to leave the EU.  I'm pretty sure that nations working together are stronger than smaller nations trying to go it alone.
Similarly, I think N.Ireland would be better off as part of the Republic of Ireland.

Hostafan1

Generations of Londoncentric government are responsible for pushing folk away

nick615

didyw  Watch this space?  I feel NI is on the brink.  Hostafan1  In the days before modern communications businesses were centred on where the trade took place, mainly London but also Liverpool, Glasgow Southampton and Bristol.  When I worked in London one could see the weekly banana boat unloading right beside London Bridge.

Balgay.Hill

didyw said:

I really don't want Scotland to leave.  I really didn't want us to leave the EU.  I'm pretty sure that nations working together are stronger than smaller nations trying to go it alone.
Similarly, I think N.Ireland would be better off as part of the Republic of Ireland.

That's the problem. England voted to be a little country on its own, but Scotland and N. Ireland voted to be part of the EU.

nick615

I don't think this is the right place for yet another Brexit debate but it all revolves around the politics of the EU becoming less and less acceptable to those, like me, who voted enthusiastically to join the Common Market.