My Conservative Home article
I support the Union of the UK. I despair of the way the SNP in Edinburgh and the Labour government of Mr Burnham wish to go over all the old arguments about Scottish “independence” . We were told that was all settled by a referendum for a generation. The UK has been governed as a united kingdom, so important military facilities have been located in Scotland. Scotland provides a substantial amount of the Union’s wind power to the mutual benefit of those living on both sides of the Scottish border. There is free trade and free passage of people over the notional border. Unpicking it all would be costly and divisive.
I also believe in the democratic resolution of issues and have no wish to retain an unwilling people and region in our Union. That is why I supported holding a referendum and agreeing that just the Scots should vote on the issue of whether they still wanted to stay with us. They said they did. You cannot keep asking the same question about something that has such big constitutional and political ramifications. Investors and governments making decisions about where things should be located need some certainty. Uncertainty about Scotland remaining in the Union puts off some investors and introduces strategic reluctance about Scotland into UK government thinking.
As an Englishman who prefers them to stay I would not have worried if they had voted to leave but would have argued for a clean, full and fast untying of the links. England would have shed a lot of borrowing and saved substantial tax revenues which currently flow north so financially would have benefitted. There is more to being a nation than money, but it would have been some compensation for the emotional and political loss.
What is so frustrating to most voters today is to see the governing party of the Union and the governing party of Scotland spending so much time on this issue we thought settled. They both put out misleading statements and both fail to analyse the problem in a way that can produce a good solution.
Labour in Westminster have wrongly thought for more than fifty years that offering the Scots devolution to their own Parliament would end their quest for independence. Each time it does not they offer more devolution of powers, further fragmenting government. As I forecast in my Death of Britain? book in 1999 it just fuels the SNP. It encourages an SNP government to keep making more demands of London, threatening London with Scottish exit if there are not more gifts of power and money sent to the Scottish Parliament. Mr Burnham last week tried a counter by pointing out the Scottish government centralises decisions in Scotland and says they should devolve more themselves to large Councils or powerful Mayors. The SNP predictably answers by ratcheting up the independence language. I accept that people in Scotland have voted for a devolved Parliament, so we need a find a better way of letting it function without it just being a means to campaign for break up of the Union.
The SNP do not seriously want independence. They have for years been sketchy about what an “independent” Scotland would be like. They lost the last referendum as their campaign failed to answer obvious questions convincingly. What currency will they have? Who will pay all the extra taxes when grants from England end? How will they be able to sustain their large borrowings without the UK credit rating? What will replace the lost defence jobs? What terms would they get to enter the EU? Would they be able to negotiate all the trade deals they would lose when exiting our shared Agreements? Would there still be a common travel and work area with England and Wales?
The SNP have said they would want to enter the EU. That would mean they would immediately surrender the right to choose their own laws in a wide range of areas and have to accept over 100,000 laws the EU has already settled and imposes on members. It would mean they would need to follow what socialists call the austerity economics of the EU, with demands they keep borrowing to less than 3% of GDP and debt to under 60%. It would mean accepting EU taxes and having to make a contribution to a large and growing EU budget out of new taxes on the people of Scotland.
The SNP used to say they wanted to keep the pound sterling as their currency. It greatly limits a country’s ability to run its own economic policy if it uses the currency of another. It would mean Scotland had to accept interest rates for its savers and borrowers set by the Bank of England, with Scotland no longer being a consideration or having any representation around the Bank table. That sounds like being a monetary colony of England, not like independence.
Now they say that they would live with the pound for an unspecified time then maybe get round to their own currency. If they opted for the Euro as part of a big package to join the EU, that too means the end of any idea of settling your own interest rates and money policy. They seem to think they could join the EU with an opt out from the Euro but there is no guarantee they would secure that concession the UK negotiated for itself when the Euro was created.
The SNP are clear they want to move the UK nuclear deterrent out of Scotland and become a nuclear free country. They would ask to join NATO and would seek to establish their own military forces and intelligence systems. There would be a long transition to fill as they did so, and Scotland would be far less well defended without some agreement to rely on UK forces and presumably to pay for the service the rest of the UK could continue to provide. The loss of shared intelligence with the US and Five Eyes would be particularly damaging.
More importantly, what would need to be done at the border with England? Trade and people flow freely all the time we are one country. It is naive to think that could continue if Scotland asserts independence, and of course impossible if Scotland joins the EU. In the EU Scotland would need to impose border controls over people and goods to conform with the Schengen rules and with the Customs Union. The problems the EU has created over the Northern Ireland border might get repeated.
Both sides in this worrying dispute are undermining the interests of voters in Scotland and in the rest of the UK. The SNP are trying to sell a new kind of dependence for a Scotland that would be dominated by the EU and dependent on doing deals with the EU, NATO and other international bodies. The UK government keeps applying the medicine of devolution to an illness which is made worse by that treatment. No wonder the rows go on and on with no resolution possible. The SNP and Labour look like two bald men arguing over a comb.
October 21, 2026
I would give independence to the Scottish/Wales/ Northern Ireland and save the English billions of pounds in the process plus we would have our own parliament
October 21, 2026
No thanks devolution – needs rolling back we have far too much government and far too many politicians already. We end up paying taxes so that different arms of government and spend our money fighting and arguing with each other. A bit like running a business where the marketing department, finance department, HR department, legal department and r&d department are all at loggerheads and endlessly taking each other to court at vast expense. A malignant tumour within the management of the country or company.
JR “You do not save the Union with more devolution” indeed not it need rolling back.
Devolution by Brown and Blair was in my view attempted gerrymandering it backfired as was rather predictable. As David Starkey puts it in his videos Blair (and Brown) was worse than two world wars.
October 21, 2026
+1
October 21, 2026
Mick, the truth is neither Scotland and Wales don’t really want independence and Ireland doesn’t want the North ad an anchor on its economy.
Liebour want to Balkanise Britain according to EU dictate ti make it easier to divide and rule.
It’s time the premium paid to the devolved governments was stopped and they stood on their own two feet. We, the English taxpayers are being Royally screwed.
October 21, 2026
Devolution has been a useful ploy to gain extra advantage within the union.
Labour lost Scotland through taking Scottish voters for granted. With SNP in disarray, Burnham, probably hopes to win back lost votes even if it means throwing more cash at Scotland .
October 21, 2026
We should save the money and cut back hugely on the levels of devolution, politicians and the state sector – Drakeford, Sturgeon, SNP, Welsh Labour, Plaid and all these extra layers of government have been a total disaster for the Scots, the Welsh and the UK gets the bill. As a child we often went on holidays to various bits of Wales hardly ever heard anyone speaking Welsh now they are all force fed with it for political reasons. Enjoyable holidays they were too – though it did rain rather too much.
True the Welsh did occasionally set alight to the holiday homes of the English back in those days.
October 21, 2026
Quite so, and the SNP never wanted to accept independence requirements, no £, removal of England’s defence infrastructure, cancellation of shipbuilding work, cancellation of Barnett funding, full costs of NHS England support, stopping of all manner of economic preference support by contracts given elsewhere. ETC ETC,.
October 21, 2026
Sure and apply to make England a new US State too
October 21, 2026
Excellent summary thanks. Kemi Badenoch should say a Conservative govt will not enter into any discussion on this issue, which was meant to be settled at the referendum in 2014, until 2044 at the earliest. At that time, if there really is the possibility of a majority of Scots wanting to separate from the UK, we can have another referendum. In the meantime, it’s interesting to note how the power to make laws and regs such as the Scottish govt now has leads inexorably to more leftism, as it does not come with the responsibility to raise the money for the leftism with higher taxes (or borrowing which equals deferred taxes).
Scottish devolution has been a (predictable) disaster for Scotland and damaging for the whole UK. But we are where we are.
October 21, 2026
Good morning.
When do we, the English, get a vote on independence from the UK ?
I do not want to hear people say that there is no public desire on the matter, because no polling on this has been done. I am sure if people realised how much money we could save by propping up this union I am sure they might vote to leave.
It would also be good for the others as they would have to face reality of their situation without the English taxpayer papering over the funding cracks.
October 22, 2026
There is an English independence petition on the government website just now it’s had less than 1500 supports in 3 months.
October 21, 2026
So the “troubles” bill passes. The House of Commons passed the Northern Ireland Troubles Bill on October 20, 2026, by a vote of 330 to 178. Put forward by the dire Northern Ireland Secretary Sir Chris Bryant and Hillary Benn. WHAT dire MPs we seem to have.
So Jackdaw finally get the go ahead from the dire and out of her depth PPE graduate energy secretary. I assume more legal actions will absurdly delay it further.
October 21, 2026
To put this to bed we should have two further referenda.
First we agree the terms on which they leave. This will be an England, Northern Ireland and Wales only referendum and will be agree or disagree. The question should be in the event that Scotland votes to leave……..
Once those terms are agreed, the Scots can vote to accept them or stay.
We have seen the problems with agreeing terms after the fact. Voters need certainty.
October 21, 2026
Brexit for everyone. But the independence of Scotland is undermined by the claim to join the EU.
October 21, 2026
Devolution started by Blair in 1998, but never ended. Who was left out of this process. Why England of course. We have been ignored, threatened with being chopped into EU bite-size pieces and commanded to create Mayoral fiefdoms. All in an attempt to destroy the unity of England.
So give the Scots another referendum and give the vote to the English too. That will guarantee their ‘independence’ will free England of the burden and constant whining from over the border.
English parliament for England…….
October 21, 2026
This issue is unlikely to ever go away. Given the pressure from the Scottish parliament lets have the guts to take them at their word as representing the people of Scotland and start the uncoupling process – put up or shut up.
October 21, 2026
I am one of those that would like to see proper, or at least in my way of thinking proper devaluation. More akin to how the USA lets its States get on in an independent manner, I see it as starting with the traditional counties, shires, running their own affairs. With the Central Government butting out of the EU doctrine of being the UK’s Local Council and getting on with the National, International needs of the Country – but like the USA needing just around 180 MPs to get the job done. Parliament is to egotistical to embrace full democracy.
The flaw in the half-hearted attempt that the Socialist put in place for devolution was that Central Government still held the purse strings, dictated direction – had direct rule. The UK Parliament lives in fear of itself.
Then take a pragmatic look at the dogs-dinner called devaluation dished up. Edinburgh telling Glasgow what’s best for it. South Wales dictating policy to North Wales? and so on. In the eyes of these Socialist hanging on to their jobs in the Palace of Westminster, they don’t even see that Yorkshire has a bigger population and economy than Scotland but the people of Yorkshire have less of a voice than Scotland – are they less of a people?
It should always be government, management, from the closest to the need that dictates. That follows the logic and the commonsense of ‘government of the people, by the people, for the people’ that is the only thing that defines the core principle of a democracy. Rule by a Politburo that dictates personal ideology from those that hijack the top is not democracy, its simply a dictatorship, it destroys the life of the many for the ego of the few
October 21, 2026
Yesterday the discussion was the French rioting. Before that the 1970’s, then the Budget, the voting systems and so on virtually every discussion has a similar vein with a similar conclusion – democracy, because it is not there it is programmed out by a Politburo of political ideologues. They have all focused on self, on the personal needs of self, they ignore the majority in favour of a few.
The UK Parliament is not managing the Country, the Nation for the benefit of ‘all’ the people, they are ruling it to gerrymander the results of the next election – they would get rid of that as soon as they find a way.
The UK parliament are so wrapped up in personal ‘ego’ they fight, fight the people of this great country. They don’t believe and will fight the desire of ‘government of the people, by the people, for the people’ that is the only thing that defines the core principle of a democracy. If you need proof the greater majority in this Parliament has already declared that wish to hand the rule, and it is rule of the people to an unelected unaccountable Quango in a foreign land.
October 21, 2026
The independents pine for some romantic notion of Albany, just like the Irish Nationalists about their Hibernia.
If it were an English independence movement they would all be called far right.
The Scottish independence referendum was all lies just like the EU referendum – a pretence it was about the money.
Would the Scots please make up their mind? Either go for independence or get rid of the expensive talking shop of Holyrood. I like the Scots and hope they will stay with us; we make a good team.
October 21, 2026
The political class is fixated by issues in which the population as a whole, on both sides of the Scottish border, have no interest.
The ‘Scottish Government’ don’t even have a definition of what constitutes a Scotsman.
They seem to claim that if you live in Scotland, you are Scots. So by moving back and forth over the border you can change your ethnicity repeatedly.
This is a level of lunacy which calls for Sectioning. The people of these isles are fed up to the back teeth with our elitists denying their existence, just as ( some people here of different ethnicities ed)are fed up with being told they are British, and their ethnicity and loyalties are denied.
This is TRUE institutional rascism. The denial of the races and the desire to eradicate them. This is what MUST be stamped out.
The political class is the root and cause of the problem.
October 22, 2026
British when it suits, ethnic when pressed.
October 21, 2026
Yes, settled for a generation but the next generation is already here and we must remember the Union was not put together by any democratic means. Also when we see the daily squabbling on TV coming from the largely English parliamentry types down in London you have to admit it must be a bit of a turn off for those living in the regions for want of a better word. There will always be people living in these islands moving about intermarrying working here and there so its only an a question of how they want to govern themselves and taking back control is just one way. After all northern european countries had few checks on the movements of its peoples for even long before the EEC as had Britain when you could move about freely between Neterlands Belgium luxemburg and even Britain etc largely unhindered – remember there was a time before the common man held a passport and life and commerce flourished so there is little point in putting up spurious arguments to say why devolution won’t work – then what about if devolution was put into a new framework? – what about a new federation of the British Islands? still some hard thinking to do.
October 21, 2026
The notion of Scotland seeking so-called independence and wanting to join the EU is completely daft.
October 21, 2026
Whatever the outcome, I am thoroughly disgusted at how England is treated by politicians of most parties.
English paypayers have no clear representation, yet we are treated as a cash cow, forced to subsidise all three other parts of the UK, all of whom have their own dedicated parliaments.
Labour under Blair has got us into this mess and has no intention of correcting our democratic deficit. Indeed, our host used to be very supportive but even he seems to have dropped the idea.Why is that ?
I would offer all three other parts of the UK the choice of independence or staying within the UK, but on condition that the Barnett Formula is brought to a swift end if they choose to remain within the UK. Furthermore, whatever the outcome of the votes, English MPs would henceforth sit as an English Parliament, with full control of taxation and spending.
Personally, I hope that NI votes to join Eire and Scotland opts for independence. That would save us English taxpayers at least £35bn a year. Wales can do what it likes, but needs to raise internally, all the money it chooses to spend on itself.
October 21, 2026
All for one and one for all, the four parts of the union have differing political & economic settlements, one part is even controlled by another country/union ….apart from our shared union flag, which is now deemed racist, the union is dead. One question ‘what is the advantage to England in having a union ?’
We once had a shared history; I don’t see a shared future ….and I blame our politicians for their policies of devolution
October 21, 2026
Scotland’s excessive wind generation is not beneficial to England. The payments for curtailing excess and the rates paid in various subsidies have given us the highest costs and are destroying industry. Chris Stark pushed the excessive wind when in Scotland and has brought this deluded policy to the rest of the UK as the chief advisor. We would benefit from Scottish independence and should tell the to keep their excess and end the other subsidies. It would also mean that we could go abroad without paying for a ferry.
October 21, 2026
The SNP have made it quite clear,every time questioned,that they are fully committed to full independent
nationhood for Scotland and a negotiated full membership of the EU.This also raises the tricky question
of NIreland.A referendum there would not be so clear-cut : stay with England,join Scotland+EU,join Eire+EU.
Certainly an independent Scotland raises the question of the monarchy.Being King of non-bordering
Commonwealth countries is one thing(annual Royal visits) but squatting both sides of the border is quite
another matter.
October 21, 2026
The SNP will never change into a responsible government so long as its supporters live off English taxpayers. Cut their financial support through the Barnett formula and they might grow up. End exclusive voting rights in Parliament for Scottish MPs – if the business is in the national parliament its for all the nation’s MPs to debate and vote on it. If something is truly ‘Scotland only’ (not much truly is) then tell the Scottish parliament to deal with it and that there will be no taxpayer’s money for it from the rest of the country.
October 21, 2026
Happy Trafalgar Day ….God bless our Navy
October 21, 2026
If Scotland have independence they would have to pay road tax to deliver their goods to English ports for export they would also have to show their passport before entering England
England could also put tariffs on Scotlands goods whisky cheeses and shortbread etc etc
October 21, 2026
Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland all live on UK taxpayers’ money. I suggest they should all be offered financial independence immediately. England should stop all subsidies so they have to live on their own income and borrow money without UK backing. After five years of that, let them each have their referendum on independence. I suspect they would all want to remain part of the UK.
As for Scotland rejoining the EU, I would say no chance. They have no substantial financial offer to make to the EU and would almost certainly drain the EU budget.
October 21, 2026
The SNP remind me of a scene I came across last week – a parked car, apparently driven by an infant. Mummy had plonked her 4-year-old son in the driving seat of the car while she lounged in the passenger seat and focused her attention on her mobile phone. The child was rattling the steering wheel rapidly to and fro, and beaming fit to bust.
As a means of entertaining him and keeping him quiet, it was a brilliant solution. However, as a method of transport, it was never going to work, whatever the child’s illusions on that score.
October 21, 2026
Who in the union are going to pay the UK debt, now that its passed £3trillion https://debt-clock.org/
October 21, 2026
Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland will take their fair share of the National/UK debt of course.
Probably not in their calculations, but it should be, why should England be taken for yet another ride ?
Also remind them that the Barnet Formula ends, you want independence, then you take the rough with the smooth, and pay your own way for everything you want or need.
October 21, 2026
Brexit for everybody. The claim for independence for Scotland is undermined by the call to join the EU, until there is an economic case to do so. What are the economic figures on that?
October 21, 2026
Independent Scotland:at present the majority of SNP voters and Scots Labour voters favour the end of
the Monarchy.Anything to be shot of England??
October 21, 2026
The nationalists seem to believe they can leave the UK and also leave behind their share of the UK debt. There has even been a legal opinion given that this is true. Nobody has attempted to put this belief straight to my knowledge, why not ?
Also, why are we continuing to invest in Scottish wind farms, thereby giving them the upper hand in the forthcoming independence negotiations? Which I am sure are coming sooner or later.