To want English independence

[hanwiluk]

I am English and all I want say on is England. This will be the third Scottish referendum, the Welsh have had three with another in the pipeline. NI have had two referenda. The English have never had a referendum on England - not one in our 1500 year history. I would vote yes for English independence tomorrow.

sorry Dia, not ignoring NI deliberately, I'm just never quite sure how things stand at present. Obviously know the past issues. Should chat to my friend from NI about it a bit more really but usually only see her on nights out. She'd think I was odd!

See, the rabid fuck off you are nasty responses to anyone who wants to be English and proud of it.

We, English people, have been equally hijacked by the UK/Westminster juggernaut. So much so that any identity we have is unclaimable, racist and just plain wrong.

Well SHUT THE FUCK UP. Stop blaming me for what our forefathers did, all the UK nations went to war, gained overseas territories, owned plantations, live in foreign enclaves.

I want to be able to say, without apology, I am English. Why is that so impossible?

erm you just did

I'm just never quite sure how things stand at present

Nor me i sometimes try to catch up but its far too complicated and i live here. Cant imagine trying to follow it from across the water.

The free prescription nonsense spouted on mn is tiresome and has thankfully already been explained. I honestly couldn't tell you when I last had a prescription for anything. The majority of people aren't on shitloads of prescription drugs funnily enough.

I think it's fine. I'm Scottish but first gen- mother was Belarusian but raised in England, my grandparents all Belarusian. I would not want us all to break up the UK but equally my mum has mentioned it's got a bit tiresome as there's quite a few comments around lately about white settlers or English invaders. Most British people are mongrels and weren't involved in that, anyone who knows anything about the highlands for eg will know it's the Scottish landowners who mainly did for ordinary folk. My grandparents have more of a reason to have barbed comments about Russia (although everyone sees it as pretty much not foreign so there aren't really) or even Germany, but guess what? They aren't stuck in the past going over and over battles and injustices which have nothing to do with today's population or today's situation, and those were in their lifetime, how long ago was any invasion of the rest of the UK?

28% of London's inhabitants are in poverty. I don't think it is WM favouring London, favouring the SE or even favouring England. They favour themselves, their families and other rich people, whether they live in Kent, Cheshire, Pembrokeshire or Glasgow.

Just wanted to say that lots if people love the English.

The Dutch and Danish love you guys, loads of Americans do, many Germans do (especially Cornwall and the countryside), lots of rich people all over the world are desperate to give their children an English education.

It is only your direct neighbours that don't love you, as is the case with any country!

Identity crisis? Naaaaah

Nomama

That's what I was talking about in my post about England having a national identity crisis. My DH is English though has lived in Wales a long time, we've discussed it a lot.

If someone says they're proud to be Welsh, it's fine. If someone says they're proud to be English there is often an unasked but still clear question about their political leanings.

I think for starters, the St George's flag needs to be reclaimed from racist political parties like the BNP. England should also have it's very own national anthem.

There should be some kind of English Parliament that only English people are involved in and affected by. Every other nation in the UK has one.

Westminster should remain as the government of the United Kingdom alone.

I think Scotland voting yes would have dire consequences for all. It makes me twitch when people in Wales talk about doing the same. How? It is totally unfeasible. Unless we take back the water supplies. Even then it is tenuous. I don't think England would do superbly out of being an entirely independent nation either.

English inpendence would in some ways make things easier.

Each other part of the UK would get the ability to govern themselves without all of the threats of being kicked out of the EU etc that Scotland have been facing.

Well said Dalek. I think what is needed is electoral reform.

I feel this is one of my reasons for voting Yes as a Scottish person, to have a more representative government. I hope that whatever the result of the referendum, electoral reform follows in the UK parliament, because at the moment it doesn't represent the vast majority of people living in England, Wales, Scotlsnd or Northern Ireland. That is what it exists to do, that is the point of representative democracy.

If Scotland should leave the union I hope this provide impetus for reform, so that the people of the UK can have a fairer government. And obviously if we stay I would hope that reform would be on the agenda too.

I think the English politicians were short sighted when they set up the devolved parliaments in not having an English parliament.
If they had and there had been fewer UK MPs and most stuff done in the devolved parliaments for each country in the UK then the Scottish situation may not have got as bad.

If people hadn't voted to keep first past the post in elections it may have helped as well. I find it bizarre so many people voted to keep that, OK the alternative wasn't pr but better than fpp

Let's all make friends and play nice now.

Well the last comment brought out the usual suspects ...........It would be well to remember that we were effectively ruled by 50 odd Scottish Labour MP's for 13 years under The War Criminal Blair and his Junta . 200,000 dead Iraqi's and counting..................

you don't make a lot of sense - I'm sorry but you seem to be rambling Sharon x

Aargh! The changing the clocks thing makes me mad every time someone beings it up. They change the clocks all over Europe don't they - surely it can't all be for the benefit of Scottish farmers (or more likely school children).

That is a very nice and gentle comment. But I'm really not .........

Only ever 1 post

Not returned to their thread

I think I smell a sticking troll

What Dalek said.

And yes to perma-BST. I am totally ignorant of the issues so my SAD brain says:

"Bugger off, Scotland, and take your clocks with you. Cheerio!"

[sits back to enjoy lighter evenings untroubled by worrying about Scottish farmers and pedestrian schoolchildren]

I'm British. My grandma was Welsh, my granddad Scottish and I'm married to an Irish man.

Breaking it up all seems a bit bonkers.

I'm shocked at the incredibly rude and uncalled for responses to the op.

why? are you new?

There has never been a prime minister, chancellor of the exchequer, education or indeed any other minister that has sat in Westminster with a Northern Irish home constituency. Begrudge us Stormont if you want but really we have historically been the most under represented people in the UK. And as for subsidising us - the English did have a role to play in the decades of armed conflict we have suffered so maybe paying towards healing it wouldn't be out of the question