Scotland has 59 seats in the British Parliament, of which 41 voted Labour in this week's General Election, and only one voted Conservative.
David Cameron proposes to reduce the number of MPs by 10%, i.e. 65 out of 650.
On the GE results, giving Scotland her "independence" (within the European Empire, of course) would mean the Conservatives having 305 seats out of 591, a 9-seat majority. The DUP in Northern Ireland could add the support of another 8 seats, at a price.
Or the Conservatives could drop the Unionist part of their party's title altogether, and cut Northern Ireland and Wales "free" as well. Only 9 of the 117 constituencies in the quasi-Celtic countries voted Tory. This would leave an English-only Parliament (eagerly desired by some on the interwebs) of 533 seats, 297 of them Conservative - a 30-seat majority for the Tories, even on the latest disappointing showing. Central Office could then simply relocate to Buckingham Palace to begin a thousand-year reign.
The political temptation to assist the European fragmentarian project must be immense.
And then there is the financial side. Comparing revenue and expenditure, how much do Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales cost the British government?
2 comments:
"the Conservatives could drop the Unionist part of their party's title altogether"
Well they dropped the conservative bit so why not?
You are spot on - the demand for the right for England to govern herself will become deafening when English people realise that the only reason they don't get the party they voted for in the main as govt is the votes of the Scottish and Welsh Labour MPs. Forget the Nationalists in Scotland, Wales and NI, the English will demand separation.
Its anecdotal, but even among my friends, many of whom are leftward leaning, there is no love lost for the Scots and Welsh, especially. It used to be that people in England supported the national football sides of the Celts. Now they cheer for the team they are playing. That antipathy to the Celtic fringes has yet to be translated into political action. I suspect this election will accelerate such a process.
Post a Comment