devolution

THE DISUNITED KINGDOMEnglish social studies 2008

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THE UNITED KINGDOM OF GREAT BRITAIN AND NOTHERN IRELAND

Name adopted in 1927.

England is the oldest country

In the 13th century Wales was united with England

Scotland 1707

Ireland in 1801.

… The major part of Ireland got full independence in 1922

… 6 northern counties remain in union as Nothern Ireland

CONSTITUTIONAL MONARCHY

One of the oldest democracies in the world

Constitutional monarchy since the 13th century.

… That the monarchy has limited power

No written constitution

2 important adoptions securing the power of parliament

… Magna Carta (1215)

… Bill of Rights (1689)

DEVOLUTION

The labor party came to power in 1997 with devolution as one of its key policies

Devolution means the transferring of power from central government to regional or local authorities

Following a referendum in 1999 on the matter of devolution Wales, Scotland and Nothern Ireland now have their own national assemblies.

Scottish Parliament and a Welsh Assembly.

THE ROOTS OF NATIONAL DIVERSITY

AD 410 the Romans left Britain

Britain's Celtic inhabitants were invaded by Angles, Saxons and Jutes

700 AD most of Britain’s Celtic speakers were confined to the far west (present day Wales and Cornwall) as well as the north where the Roman Empire never reached and the Gales were the dominant group

Followed by the invasion of Vikings and the Normans bringing new culture and linguistic input

SEPARATE NATIONAL IDENTITIES

The English

The Scots

The Welsh

… Still feel different from each other

Rule Britannia – First in 1740 (james thomson)

England and Wales – treaty 1536

England and Scotland treaty 1707

… Different education, church, laws

… Parliament the same

CREATING A NEW NATION

The Stuarts reign

Queen Anne (1702-14) 18 pregnancies – five children

Protestants – fear of Catholics

George 1 from Germany

… A united Kingdom fought off Jacobites

… Most famous “Charles Edward Stuart” the battle of Culloden Moor “in Scotland

GREAT BRITAIN A PROTESTANT NATION

Struggling towards an imperial ambition

Ireland and some land in North America

Scotland disaster Panama, England pays costs

Try to compete with Spain, Portugal, France and Holland

British empire (Scotland many famous empire-builders)

… David Livingstone, Mungo Park, James Ross, Tomas Cochrane, Thomas Brisbane

IRELAND'S ROLE

Different from the other nations

Treated like a colony because of the separation of the Irish sea.

Officially incorporated into the Untied Kingdom in 1801

Catholic traditions suppressed

SCOTLAND

Election of 2007 The Scottish Nationalist Party won the election

SNP’s goal is independence for Scotland

A 1997 poll asked the Scots: do you feel more Scottish or British? 63 % Scottish

SNP’s policy was then to go for devolution as a temporary stage on the road to full independence

The Scottish parliament of 1997 to deal with health, prisons, education.

NO LONGER… GREAT BRITAIN?

Polls show an increasing number of Britons no longer feel primarily British

No more a common project?

… Religion

… The Empire

… The enemies

… The monarchy

NATIONALISM AND DEVOLUTION

The republic of Ireland independent since 1922 has blossomed as a result of EU membership.

Margaret Thatcher – unemployment in urban Scotland and Wales, miners strike

Labour party – devolution as its core policies

… Referenda in Wales and Scotland setting up the Scottish parliament and the Welsh Assembly

Northern Ireland divided between the majority protestant population and the Republicans or Nationalists, mostly Catholic.

2007 the new Northern Ireland Assembly - power sharing

ENGLISHNESS

An English national identity

Union Jack – the red and white cross of St. George

West Lothian Question

… Welsh Assembly, Scottish parliament

Scottish parliament 2007 – the Scottish national Party the largest

… SNP wants to keep an independent Scotland in the European Union

Wales Plaid Cymru the biggest opposition facing labour

BREAKING UP IS HARD TO DO

Uk’s position in the Security Council at the United Nations

Nuclear deterrent

British army

Monarchy?