At the risk of saying something political, two cheers for the Union. 300 years of peace between two traditional enemies is no small feat, however much people on either side of the border might carp and moan from time to time. The heather is always greener on the other side of the Tweed, as the old Gaelic proverb goes.
Only two cheers? Well, not everyone came out of the Union settlement well. The church I work in was somewhat suppressed during the years that followed. The Union settlement is responsible to some degree for the two state-related churches being related to the state in the way that they are. There are those of us yet who would undo that part of the knot.
For my money, the Union is a good thing, but needs a little tinkering with. England needs devolution for the current settlement to be secure. A parliament in York or Winchester or somewhere would help. Not devolution to the English “regions” either. Wales needs its parliament on the same model as the others and not an Assembly. Westminster should be for matters reserved to Westminster – and the Commons could act as a second chamber to the devolved parliaments in some cases. A federal Britain for me then. Oh, and no House of Lords. Oh no, not one.
A Federal British Republic, disestablishment of all churches and no religious schools for me.
I’d Vote for it, but remember to keep this in perspective.
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=17524
Correction
Link was lost – See NASA Earth Observatory image ID 17524