There can be little debate that the Scottish Independence Referendum has been healthy in terms of shaping the future of the Union. As much as I am pleased with the outcome, I also pay respect to some of the perfectly solid arguments made by Alex Salmond throughout the campaign. One argument in particular is the economic dominance London has over the whole UK.
Had the Scots voted the other way, I have no doubt that the inevitable debate on English Regions acquiring more powers at the expense of Central Government, would have accelerated. As it is the Scottish Referendum still appears to be acting as a wake up call to the dominance of the isolated Westminster elite.
Had the Scots been asked a rather different question instead- should Scotland become part of a Great Britain Sporting Team across all sports, then I am convinced the Scots would have said a bigger NO than the 55% delivered by this Independence Referendum. The ability to accomodate different distinct national identities is a massive strength of the Union that should not be underestimated.
The challenges of maintaining the Union now go beyond addressing English devolution imbalances and ensuring that Scotland gets that craved Devo-Max option, which appears to have cross-party support across pro-unionist parties. Potentially, not all of the nations of the UK have the same recognition that Scotland does, along with Wales and Northern Ireland. Having gained National Minority status earlier this year, steps must now be taken to ensure that Cornwall gets it's own National Assembly along with their own sporting independence, if that is what the Cornish people want.
I believe that the imbalance currently being felt by some Cornish people, offers the Scottish Nationalist Party the opportunity to reinvent itself against the backdrop of last night's crushing referendum result. Scottish Politics will always need a force to counterweight Scottish Labour. The Scottish Conservatives and Scottish Liberal Democrats simply can't provide it. The referendum result does not alter the SNP's electoral success ever since Scottish Devolution was set up.
With the Union of the United Kingdom still to face some challenges ahead, the interests of the Scottish electorate may now be better served by a strong party that will stand up for Scottish interests within the Union. Mebyon Kernow, Cornwall's equivalent of the Scottish Nationalist Party has an English language name that simply reads Party of Cornwall. Mebyon Kernow's current aims are for Cornwall to acquire a National Assembly, as opposed to separation from the Union. The SNP rebranding to PARTY OF SCOTLAND may well strike the right chord with Scottish voters whose disillusionment with the Westminster Village shows little sign of going away.
Had the Scots voted the other way, I have no doubt that the inevitable debate on English Regions acquiring more powers at the expense of Central Government, would have accelerated. As it is the Scottish Referendum still appears to be acting as a wake up call to the dominance of the isolated Westminster elite.
Had the Scots been asked a rather different question instead- should Scotland become part of a Great Britain Sporting Team across all sports, then I am convinced the Scots would have said a bigger NO than the 55% delivered by this Independence Referendum. The ability to accomodate different distinct national identities is a massive strength of the Union that should not be underestimated.
The challenges of maintaining the Union now go beyond addressing English devolution imbalances and ensuring that Scotland gets that craved Devo-Max option, which appears to have cross-party support across pro-unionist parties. Potentially, not all of the nations of the UK have the same recognition that Scotland does, along with Wales and Northern Ireland. Having gained National Minority status earlier this year, steps must now be taken to ensure that Cornwall gets it's own National Assembly along with their own sporting independence, if that is what the Cornish people want.
I believe that the imbalance currently being felt by some Cornish people, offers the Scottish Nationalist Party the opportunity to reinvent itself against the backdrop of last night's crushing referendum result. Scottish Politics will always need a force to counterweight Scottish Labour. The Scottish Conservatives and Scottish Liberal Democrats simply can't provide it. The referendum result does not alter the SNP's electoral success ever since Scottish Devolution was set up.
With the Union of the United Kingdom still to face some challenges ahead, the interests of the Scottish electorate may now be better served by a strong party that will stand up for Scottish interests within the Union. Mebyon Kernow, Cornwall's equivalent of the Scottish Nationalist Party has an English language name that simply reads Party of Cornwall. Mebyon Kernow's current aims are for Cornwall to acquire a National Assembly, as opposed to separation from the Union. The SNP rebranding to PARTY OF SCOTLAND may well strike the right chord with Scottish voters whose disillusionment with the Westminster Village shows little sign of going away.
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