Book review: Why the English are more of a threat to the Union than other countries

Far from fearing the break-up of the United Kingdom — clear majorities of English Conservatives supported Scottish independence (79%) as a price worth paying for England’s exit from the EU

The 2018 Future of England survey warned of union trouble ahead. It found that the British union described as “precious” by the then UK premier Theresa May had scant backing from her own Conservative Party supporters or self-professed Unionists in other parties.

THERE are two words that a certain species of British politician cannot utter without sounding as if they are scraping something exceedingly smelly off their boots. The politicians are, normally, of the left and centre, and the words are English nationalism. It’s the menace that dare not utter its name in polite metropolitan company.

The problem — and it now seems to be a problem that will soon become imminent for the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland — has been best explained not by politicians but by writers unafraid to look at an excavation appliance solution and call it a spade.