Calling ourselves English

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Calling ourselves English

What is wrong with the concept of separating the countries which make up the British Isles, if they want to leave. 

European history is full of deals to amalgamate land and people against their will. Political heads of state seemed to do little else but plot to amalgamate some hapless neighbouring nation, often on the slim pretension that many of the people living there belonged originally 'somewhere else' and that the 'somewhere else' feels it's their duty to assimilate the people.

The British Isles, that amalgamation of four countries with four separate identities has an ancient history of conflict and and forced subordination by the largest power, England. Perhaps it is time to loosen the grip of Westminster and let those countries, those that do, go their own way. There could be agreement, especially trade, similar to those which are founded in the EU. Freedom of movement, friction-less boarders, no tariff barriers and even a common currency would make the collective group much the same without the bickering. If Northern Ireland amalgamated with Southern Ireland and become one country again then the island would have a true physical border and its union with Europe would be solved. Scotland, which wishes independence should be given it and if it wants to, join the EU in its own right. Of course if we stay out of Europe then a hard boarder would apply but since we and the Scots have grown away from violence, (unlike the Irish, where the fear of internecine conflict between the Irish makes a boarder of any kind problematic)  then a hard boarder would be simple to construct. That leaves sleepy old Wales where the last leader to oppose the English Owen Glendower, was in the 1400s and since then, the main call to nationalism comes from Cardiff Arms Park, although Clyde Cymru might disagree, there doesn't seem a great appetite to strike out on their own. 

Would we, shorn of Scotland and Ireland be any the worse off in England and Wales. The immediate benefit to the Exchequer in Westminster would be dropping the Barnet Formula where a subsidy is paid to Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales to adjust spending on public services. This is a cost to England with no obvious return. The cross boarder industries, such as Whisky and animal products would be subject to treaty. The shipyards on the Clyde and in Belfast would no longer tender for navel shipping orders which one assumes, being outside Europe and its rules of procurement, could then go to Teesseside and Gosport. The academia of Scotland in particular, might be encouraged to stay at home and not fill the Ministerial posts in Westminster.

What would be the upside. 5.3 million Scots and 1.8 million NI people would be off our books. The income from the tax losses netted against the expenditure would be a net gain to Westminster. Their schooling and their health would be for their own revenue raising ability. The cost of pensions would have to be phased out over time but eventually that would also come off the books.

What is the downside.  Other than this mystical sense of history where at the cost in blood of thousands of yeomanry a king or queen would settle a territorial dispute and one of their pals, a 'Lord of the Realm' would bequeath another title.

Surely we have moved a long way from this concept of sovereign regency and can adjust our sense of command and ownership. Surely we can become what we started out as, a tribe of people with sufficient in common to call ourselves English.