Devolution: the disunited kingdom

Abstract

The British state appears to be under pressure from both above and below. While some fear British national sovereignty is threatened by the growth of a European superstate (see Chapter 16), others suggest that it could disintegrate into smaller component parts in response to demands for further devolution and decentralisation. It cannot be assumed simply that the British state will go on for ever, in its present form with its current boundaries. In this chapter we review some of the pressures threatening the unity of the United Kingdom. We examine the variously expressed nationalist pressures in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales, culminating in very different forms of devolution for each area, with considerable but as yet unclear implications for the future of the British state and the majority nation, England. We conclude with a brief analysis of alternative scenarios.