If you're in Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland, do you still feel part of a 'united' kingdom?

[JesusInTheCabbageVan]

I'm in Wales, with family in England. Obviously I've always been aware of the divide (with some aspects more divided than others) but I feel increasingly like I don't even recognise England. It doesn't sound safe, the government is so chaotic it's not even funny any more, and now yesterday. Does anyone else feel like England's handling of the pandemic will permanently and fundamentally change the dynamics of the UK?

Maybe not Boris, he has burnt all his bridges already.
But future PM. They should all work together, plan together. And the UK PM should be the leader and pushing force on this.
They need to show some unity and unison.

I'm English by birth but live in Scotland married to a Scot. My side of the family is originally from Scandinavia and I feel more Scots than English most of the time. I don't recognise the England of my childhood from 40 years ago when I see the news anymore. Its very sad that our diversity and different strengths that used to make us stronger across the whole now seems to divide us even further and each devolved goverment must bear some of that responsibility

@celtiethree

The more Boris exerts leadership over the devolved nations the quicker independence will come about. Boris is loathed in Scotland. Once the ramifications of the Internal Market Bill actually start playing out then I think the break up is pretty much guaranteed.

I’m Scottish and I don’t loathe him- I loathe NS.

By Boris exerting leadership do you mean 'putting the other nations in their place?'.

BJ needs to exert more leadership over the devolved nations.

He can't even exert leadership over his own hair.

In Northern Ireland I think we have always felt like an afterthought, the poor relation troublemakers and an inconvenience.

Brexit just brought that more to the fore as we were always going to be outvoted no matter what the implications for us would be

One good thing from the pandemic is that our devolved leaders seem to have finally been able to step up to the mark and make measured joint decisions.

BJ needs to exert more leadership over the devolved nations.

That's not how it works. Health is a devolved issue. Boris Johnson can't change that. It's like saying he needs to exert more control over France.

This has been the second post in as many days about Welsh independence.

All that’s actually happened, is that Wales went into lockdown a few days earlier than England

Surely, variations such as this are inevitable with devolution? If each country had to a agree to doing everything on exactly the same day and in the same way, then they’d would be no point in devolution would there?

Different populations, different economies and a different set of decisions to weigh up for each of the four nations.

Every country across the world has done things slightly differently.

Wales going into lockdown “first” is neither here nor there, Christ on the bike! Hardly evidence of trailblazing and that independence is nigh. A population of 3 million (mainly rural) is far less than the NW cities of England that were already in that position. As I say, different economies , different populations, different decisions.

Just like Scotland have said exams will be cancelled next summer. Nobody is jumping up and down in Scotland saying, “look at us - independent” based on that. I actually think Scotland should go independent, but not in the basis of slightly different decisions on Covid or schools.

I can totally understand how some regions of England, not to mention Wales, Scotland and NI must feel very alienated - because they are really.
Look at the way there was no furlough money when Liverpool and Manchester etc were in lockdown. Then, London goes on lockdown - yes, miraculously the money is available for all! Who suspected?

The irony is, that the support for this govt swung away from London in the last election and the people who voted them in are now seeing the fallout (hopefully). But maybe they think it was worth it to “Get Brexit Done” - only they know...

No no control, leadership and building the sense of togetherness, because lately is lacking.
To lead the relationship building between them all is nothing close to try to control them. But I would love if they could put a common front when it comes to covid.

Zahra the problem, I think, is that although the 4 nations are responsible for some things, such as education and health, there are no robust borders between each country, so people can come and go. They can live in one country and shop, go to school, socialise in another, and this complicates things when lockdown dates and rules are different.

Never felt part of a United Kingdom.
Always felt Scottish first and always wanted Scottish Independence.
Nothing in my adult life experience has done anything to change my view.

BJ needs to exert more leadership over the devolved nations
😂😂
He's not even capable of leading his own party! Cummings is!.

@wellthatsunusual

By Boris exerting leadership do you mean 'putting the other nations in their place?'.

Yes

By Boris exerting leadership do you mean 'putting the other nations in their place?

Yes

Why? Why do you think their views are less important?

Scotland has voted left of centre for ever but has had to endure many years of right wing government. They voted to remain in the EU but will be forced to leave.
Our ideology is consistently overridden by England. And Boris clearly is completely contemptuous of Scotland. His handling of the crisis is shocking. He has squandered billions on a totally ineffective track and trace , destroying the one chance of managing the epidemic without constant lock downs. All to divert money to his cronies and not give anything to the NHS which he clearly wants to privatise.
I cannot comprehend why anyone voted for him or why they would continue to support him. So yes- I feel totally alienated from England and fully support Scottish independence . Which is not the same as being an avid SNP supporter

I'm in Scotland, loathe the snp, and nationalism which is dividing Scotland. However divided the UK may appear to be makes no difference whatsoever.

Even if the whole of the Welsh electorate had voted remain, the U.K. would still have left the EU with 14,121,568 votes to remain vs 15,188, 406 votes to leave. Also, 854,572 people in Wales voted to leave while 1,018,322 voted leave in Scotland. Yes, I know Scotland has a higher population but they still contributed more leave votes than Wales. If you want to find someone to blame for leaving the EU- it’s not the Welsh. Can we please stop the whole “poor Scotland” vs “ignorant Wales” act.

As per usual, everyone seems to judge a whole nation through London lenses. To put it in perspective, only around 82 thousand more people voted to leave rather than remain in Wales.

The people making sweeping statements in favour/against different areas in the U.K. are causing unnecessary divide. Hoping that Wales learns from “it’s” mistake is pathetic and completely unfounded.

I feel the division ometimes when we're 'forgotten' in day to day conversations. For example, I've noticed a few threads on here lately about current rules / exceptions and posters all jump on chastising the OP for breaking the rules - as they apply to England - without even bothering to ask their location. There's just this assumption sometimes - it's like the rest of us don't exist.

@wellthatsunusual

By Boris exerting leadership do you mean 'putting the other nations in their place?

Yes

Why? Why do you think their views are less important?

Well in Scotland NS has her own agenda. Even today after the death of Sean Connery Ian Blackford and NS were dropping the fact he was an avid supporter of Scottish independence into their condolences. He lived in the frigging Bahamas! If he lived Scotland so much he would have stayed.

Besides the fact that I hate the SNP and their agenda, I think that there are too many different rules which is causing confusion for the public. Then one of the nations makes a move and the next one follows suit a week or two later, meanwhile the public are bracing themselves and are overwhelmed with anxiety of what lies ahead.

And .... in case you haven’t noticed, people who are in stricter lockdown regions/countries just decide visit the places that have less strict rules. For example now international travel is been prohibited in England, those who are determined to go on holiday will just take a flight from Scotland. We need to move in unison to prevent this.

I’m English, but have lived in Scotland for the last 46 years. I regard myself as British, and can’t stand the divisive SNP separatists who are hell bent on tearing our country apart.
I take issue with them claiming to speak for the whole of Scotland, too. There are a quarter of a million Tory voters in Scotland, and even a third of SNP supporters voted for Brexit. We vote as individuals, not a block vote as one entity called Scotland. So it’s meaningless to say “Scotland” voted to remain in the EU.
I hope we remain a United Kingdom, rather than commit financial suicide by choosing independence- which even the SNP’s own economic advisers admit would leave us worse off for at least 25 years.

I don’t think it has helped that Johnson has chosen this moment to effectively say “go and be fucking devolved then”.

I don’t feel British, never have. I’d more likely describe myself as European. But I am Welsh and feel immensely let down by my countrymen and women over Brexit.

However, for a nation of only 3 million, the disenfranchised are the overwhelming majority not the minority. So many communities have still not recovered from Thatchers tenure, both economically and psychologically.

Never have and never will 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

I've always thought of each part of the UK as separate countries being brought down by the prime minister in Westminster, no matter if he's English or not! But I don't think much of any politicians regardless of whether they're in England or elsewhere. I live in Scotland and am Scottish but don't feel British in the slightest unfortunately.

I definitely feel less British now. I felt European, British and Scottish in that order and voted against against Scottish independence as I wanted to stay within a larger economic area and specifically wanted to be part of a Europe. I was absolutely aghast that the Brexit vote was allowed to take place and felt like I had been duped.

I now feel European, Scottish and way way down the line British. I don’t think I’ll get over my anger of what the conservatives have done to this country.