Re Brexit, just to recap, here is the outcome of the 2016 Referendum:
Region | Turnout | Remain votes | Leave votes | Remain % | Leave % |
England (with Gibraltar) | 73.0% | 13,266,996 | 15,188,406 | 46.62% | 53.38% |
East Midlands | 74.2% | 1,033,036 | 1,475,479 | 41.18% | 58.82% |
East of England | 75.7% | 1,448,616 | 1,880,367 | 43.52% | 56.48% |
London | 69.7% | 2,263,519 | 1,513,232 | 59.93% | 40.07% |
North East England | 69.3% | 562,595 | 778,103 | 41.96% | 58.04% |
North West England | 70% | 1,699,020 | 1,966,925 | 46.35% | 53.65% |
South East England | 76.8% | 2,391,718 | 2,567,965 | 48.22% | 51.78% |
South West England & Gibraltar | 76.7% | 1,503,019 | 1,669,711 | 47.37% | 52.63% |
West Midlands | 72% | 1,207,175 | 1,755,687 | 40.74% | 59.26% |
Yorkshire and the Humber | 70.7% | 1,158,298 | 1,580,937 | 42.29% | 57.71% |
Northern Ireland | 62.7% | 440,707 | 349,442 | 55.78% | 44.22% |
Scotland | 67.2% | 1,661,191 | 1,018,322 | 62.00% | 38.00% |
Wales | 71.7% | 772,347 | 854,572 | 47.47% | 52.53% |
In the Referendum, of the nine regions in England, all except London voted to leave.
London is as typical of England as is the Vatican is to Italy. It’s far more ethnically diverse, far more involved with the EU, in terms of vested interests – finance, commerce, banking, insurance etc. If the London remain/leave figures are removed from the England total, proportion of leave would be even higher: 44.6% to remain, 55.4% to leave.
Northern Ireland wanted to remain in the EU because Southern Ireland is in the EU and the difficulties which have arisen over border controls caused by leaving the EU were predicted, and predictable.
Scotland wanted to remain in the EU because those Scots who wanted independence from the rest of the UK thought that in the (admittedly unlikely) event they accomplished that aim, as an independent country they would gain entry to the EU,, but they’d have to meet all the conditions and satisfy all of the EU members states to achieve that objective, and likewise the separation criteria for leaving the UK. Seems a bit bizarre to me that they want to get Westminster out of their hair but would be content to be ruled by Brussels and Strasbourg.
Not sure how much sway Scotland would have in the EU, in which the 27 member states and a total population of 448.4 million. Scotland would add 5.4 million, so the total would be 453.8 mill, of which Scotland would be just 1.2% - about on a par with Slovakia. Scotland in the EU would have to scrap the Scottish pound, adopt the Euro, and the EU border would be between Scotland and England. (should the 27 member States agree to accept them).
That would be fun. (not).
It always amuses me when Scots bang on about independence from Westminster.
During the Blair years, the British Parliament was stuffed full of Scottish MPs in key positions:
Gordon Brown: Chancellor, later for a brief time Prime Minister.
Lord Chancellor: Lord Irving.
Robin Cook: Sec of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs.
Alistair Darling: Sec of State for Social Security.
John Reid: Leader of the House of Commons, Lord President of Council, Secretary of State for Health.
At Health, Reid controversially increasing capacity by introducing
private companies to run treatment centres for knee, hip and eye operations. He claimed this provided extra staff and extra capacity to help treat more patients in the NHS at an unprecedented rate. He was criticized for giving GPs a 22% pay rise while also allowing them to opt out of providing weekend and evening treatment. As Health Secretary, Reid had been in favour
of limiting the government's proposed smoking ban as much as possible. Reid won in the cabinet, gaining an exemption for private clubs and pubs that did not serve food. The
House of Commons rebels proposing a complete ban were successful when MPs were given a free vote on the issue.
Patricia Hewitt voted with the rebels against the Cabinet's proposals. (Reid arrived at the House of Commons "drunk one day and tried to force his way on to the floor to vote. When an attendant stepped forward to stop him, Reid threw a punch "Reid stopped drinking in 1994 and gave up his 60-a-day cigarette habit in 2003).
So a Scottish Secretary of State for Health delayed the introduction of the smoking ban, whereas the Scottish Assembly had already banned it in Scotland. A ‘Tartan tail wagging the English dog’. Likewise, the Police Pay Review Body made a recommendation to government that Police Officers should get a modest pay rise. Gordon Brown said it was ‘unaffordable’. The Scottish Assembly thought otherwise, so Police Officers in his own constituency got their rise, but officers in the rest of the UK didn’t.
The biggest farce border wise, was during the pandemic when Nicola Sturgeon thought she could control the movement of the virus by having different rules from south of the border. Errrm?