Quote:
Originally Posted by Unionist
You have selected only one out of my several points, Andrew, which hardly constitutes a decisive rebuttal.
As regards the argument you did pick up, the significance of that particular point is that over a long period of time the Scots and English have effectively intermingled a lot and moved freely across Britain, thus lots of English people have a Scots heritage and the Union is a demographic fact as well as a political fact.
I did not, of course, suggest that any campaigner for English independence advocated prohibiting Scots from living in an independent England. That is merely a straw man argument that you have put up in order to knock it down.
(I do note on your website, however, that you advocate a suspension of immigration. Would this apply equally to Scottish, Welsh and Irish people as to others?)
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In common with others Unionist, you persist in using the blood-line approach! However, it is very indeterminate for a number of reasons. One is that the largest amount of 'intermingling' has been in England, not Scotland nor Wales! Immigration in England whether from Scotland or Wales or elsewhere has been vastly greater in the last fifty years. Indeed, the latest ONS projections forecast that over 90% of immigration in the coming decades will be to England. Consequently, the populations of Scotland and Wales as proportions of the UK's total will decrease, whilst that of England's will increase!
The fact of the minor nations remaining self contained and relatively pure is evidenced by their Parliamentary representation. As I've pointed out before, no English people represent any of the Parliamentary Constituencies in Scotland, whilst over thirty Scots occupy seats in England!
Then there is the matter of objective evidence. Those who regard themselves as ethnic English were prevented from recording that in the 2001 Census. Consequently, it is more difficult to accurately gauge the extent of 'intermingling' in each of the home nations.
There can be no proper, long lasting Union whilst some of the parties become increasingly detached and contrive to treat the major partner adversely.
Finally, I would opine that transcending this 'ancestral' approach is the important matter of attitude. Believe it or not, there are foreign born individuals who come to England because they love it, its ways and customs, and want to adopt them. For the UK to survive these people need to be welcomed and included, all other factors being satisfied.
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