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submitted 2 weeks ago by Naive@lemmy.world to c/asklemmy@lemmy.world

I heard that Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales leaders are planning to meet to break up UK. Is it really true? Anyone from UK here who can tell me what is actually happening there?

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[-] Clbull@lemmy.world 17 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago)

As things currently stand, Andy Burnham will just flat-out reject their demands. The only way I can see him agreeing to another referendum is if the next general election leads to a hung parliament with Labour as the biggest party.

A better question would be if such a referendum would succeed.

Scotland: probably not. But then again, one of the biggest reasons the Scottish people voted to remain twelve years ago was due to them losing their EU membership by going independent. They could apply to join the EU, but it's very possible that Spain could veto their accession on the basis that they don't want to give legitimacy to the Catalan independence movement. Brexit is a game-changer that could make Indyref2 succeed. And Hungary under Viktor Orban could have rejected it because he was a useful idiot to Russia. What doesn't help Scotland's case for independence is that the SNP nosedived in popularity since Nicola Sturgeon resigned.

Wales: definitely not. Support for Welsh independence is actually pretty damn low. Plaid Cymru winning big in the Senedd moreso represents how badly Labour fucked up under Keir Starmer. Welsh voters tactically voted them in to prevent a Reform UK majority.

Northern Ireland: maybe. The gap has narrowed since Brexit, and there is a particular clause in the Good Friday Agreement where the Secretary of State must agree to hold a referendum to unite Ireland if it appears likely that such a vote would succeed. I think the reason why this hasn't happened is because our deal with the EU has largely shielded Northern Ireland from the negative consequences of Brexit via a backstop.

[-] HobbitFoot@thelemmy.club 4 points 2 weeks ago

Northern Ireland is likely a major reason why Brexit hasn't been finalized yet. There is really no good solution to the trilemma.

Part of me was wondering if the Tories were going to let an Irish reunification vote happen while they were in power as a way to tie up the last issues with Brexit.

[-] echodot@feddit.uk 3 points 2 weeks ago

Given the Tories track record up until that point, I wouldn't put it past the brexitiers to have not thought about Northern Ireland until after the referendum, and it was pointed out that it would be a problem.

[-] kazerniel@piefed.world 1 points 2 weeks ago

They could apply to join the EU, but it’s very possible that Spain could veto their accession on the basis that they don’t want to give legitimacy to the Catalan independence movement.

From what I've read Spain would only veto it if Scotland seceded "illegally". If the rUK agreed to let Scotland leave, Spain wouldn't really have a justification for the veto. Iirc their constitution forbids secession, so Catalonia tried to do it "illegally". (A bit ridiculous to have such a law imho, if there's popular support for independence.)

[-] Naive@lemmy.world 0 points 2 weeks ago
[-] Clbull@lemmy.world 2 points 2 weeks ago

Nope. Starmer resigned. Burnham became Prime Minister a few weeks ago.

[-] Naive@lemmy.world 1 points 2 weeks ago
[-] echodot@feddit.uk 4 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago)

There isn't really any appetite for him to resign. The whole point of him going was for Burnham to become prime minister, they literally don't have anyone else left, he is all they've got, which I suppose is better than the Tories who've got no one, the absolute best that they could put up would be Jimmy Dimly, and that's scraping the barrel.

[-] Naive@lemmy.world 1 points 2 weeks ago

I fear that far right will take over your country. I am already worried for Germany since AfD won at one place and how they were doing N@zi salutes. And also, how billionaires are backing the far right agenda is insane.

[-] GalacticGrapefruit@lemmy.world 2 points 2 weeks ago

If we're lucky, he might outlast two cabbages.

[-] Naive@lemmy.world 1 points 2 weeks ago

what is meaning of that? I am sorry, I am not good at English idioms and proverbs.

[-] moopet@sh.itjust.works 2 points 2 weeks ago

One of the recent prime ministers famously didn't outlast a lettuce. Someone (a newspaper iirc) set up a photo shoot with a lettuce and let it rot; the PM (Liz Truss) was out before the lettuce.

this post was submitted on 13 Sep 2026
86 points (93.0% liked)

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