Is this even possible?
By virtue of Scotland’s foundation membership in the United Kingdom of Great Britain via 1707’s Act of Union, if Scotland achieves her re-independence(1) she would not be leaving the Union so much as dissolving it, much like a marriage. Unfortunately for Lesser Britain, the EU would almost certainly ignore this legal inconvenience (much as it did with Ireland’s NO vote) and treat this new state as the effective successor entity to the old UK, insisting that it fulfil its relevant treaty obligations.
But what if there was no obvious successor state? What if the rump-UK were to fragment further, each part having its own parliament? What could the EU realistically do if the new nation-states choose not to become EU members?
Legally, Scottish re-independence is therefore the easiest route for England to achieve her own re-independence, in her case from the EU. The key is for the creation of an English parliament at the same time as Scotland regains her independence. With a separate representative body to the British parliament, Englishmen could then legitimately claim that England is not the UK's successor state.
Then it’s bye-bye Brussels and England will have won back her sovereignty, free of EU laws and foreign interference.
Thus, Scotland achieving her re-independence is England’s best way of separating from Brussels and becoming a nation again. A good reason for Englishmen to get behind Scottish independence, and another reason for English and Scottish nationalists to work together.
Notes
(1) Re-independence is a more correct term than ‘independence,’ which implies that it is something new. Scotland was an independent country for more than eight centuries, during which time England was successfully conquered twice by both the Danes and the Normans.
Thus, Scotland achieving her re-independence is England’s best way of separating from Brussels and becoming a nation again. A good reason for Englishmen to get behind Scottish independence, and another reason for English and Scottish nationalists to work together.
Notes
(1) Re-independence is a more correct term than ‘independence,’ which implies that it is something new. Scotland was an independent country for more than eight centuries, during which time England was successfully conquered twice by both the Danes and the Normans.
10 comments:
Re-independence of course. I do hope our politicians begin to use the term.
Hi Rosie,
Let's hope so.
At a stroke it silences all the Unionist nonsense on legitimacy, and forces people to look at the historical record.
As much as I encourage your distaste for the EU I can tell you from my experience that they simply will tell view England as the UK, end of story. Shop closed and c'est tout.
England will still be ruled from Westminster, we wont get an English Parliament for the English Parliament is Westminster. Westminster passed the entry in to the EEC and hence must honour it - this is certainly one of the lines they will play, the EU that is.
Intriguing thoughts, PM.
Surely, if the Lisbon Treaty is ratified before Scotland dissolves the Union, then Scotland is still bound by the treaty?
But assuming you are right, Cameron not wanting England to have her own parliament suggests that he is aware that Union members would not be bound by the treaty - which further suggests that he is dead keen on the EU.
It's becoming plainer by the day.
Spitfire 13,
I agree. Your problem is that your Continental types tend to refer to the UK as Angleterre, Ingleterra, etc.
As far as they are concerned, it's the same thing.
But maybe this is a way of putting some distance between England and Britain. It would only work though if the English parliament was quite different to the British parliament, which would cease to exist when the English parliament declared its sovereignty.
I always thought York was a nice place.
Greetings Fausty,
Agreed.
Cameron is a signed up Euroboy. He might go for English votes for English laws (a perfectly fair and reasonable proposal) but he would never do anything to undermine the sovereignty of Westminster and create an English House elsewhere.
He knows he'd never sell it to Middle England.
Interesting point; the rump part of Great Britain and Northern Ireland having to re-apply for membership of the EU as The United Kingdom etc no longer would exist.
That would set the fox amongst the chickens.
Indeed, Mr Lugs.
"Your problem is that your Continental types tend to refer to the UK as Angleterre, Ingleterra, etc."
It's done here too of course Outlander. Prince Charles whilst in Scotland (and therefore wearing a kilt and playing at being The Duke of Rothsay at the time), remarked that it was a beautiful English summer's day...
We talk about Anglo-American co-operation, why never Brito-American... ?
Tris,
Personally, I look forward to reading about Scoto-American cooperation.
If it makes sense, and it is done with mutual respect.
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