Rtn Keith Dabbs: How United is the United Kingdom?

The answer our member Keith Dabbs gave us during his talk today was “Not very”. In fact the different countries of the United Kingdom have never been completely united.

He took us back to Roman times, when the Romans conquered what is now England but not Scotland, Wales or Ireland. Similarly, both the Anglo-Saxons and the Normans conquered England but not the other countries. It was only once things had settled down after the Conquest that the English, under their Norman kings, went on to establish their rule in Wales and Ireland. England and Wales were administered as one. Scotland joined with them to form Great Britain in 1707.

The four countries of the United Kingdom kept their distinct identities. In Wales this was through Welsh language and culture, Welsh currently being spoken by about 10% of the population. Scotland kept its identity through maintaining its separate laws and institutions, although there only around 1% of the population speak Gaelic.

When what is now the Republic of Ireland obtained its independence, six of the counties of Ulster voted to remain part of the United Kingdom. Northern Ireland had never been a distinct entity before then, so in that sense it is an artificial country. However, the Republic has felt the loss of those six counties because they account for most of Ireland’s industrial activity.

In modern times Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland have all had separate legislatures. As we know, Scotland has a strong movement advocating independence.

There are arguments for joining Northern Ireland with the rest of Ireland. The latest poll showed that 47% of Northern Ireland’s population wished it to remain part of the United Kingdom and 42% wished it to join the Republic, with 11% undecided.

There is a weaker case for an independent Wales. Before the English takeover it was not a single country but divided into principalities. Because of its mountains, for some residents travel to an from England is easier than travel to and from other parts of Wales.