The matter of England
The matter of England
This Chapter considers what Hazell once called the ‘gaping hole’ in the devolution settlement, England. It could be said that the English question has become the damnable question in British politics. Current expressions of Englishness have a particular context: the new complexity of United Kingdom governance and the uncertainty of how England fits into it. Most of the proposals for accommodating a distinctive political voice for England within the United Kingdom pose great difficulties for coherent governance and potential dangers for the Union. The chapter argues that the time has not yet arrived for dealing with this question. And when or if it does, it is likely to be the consequence of changes elsewhere in the United Kingdom rather than because of any serious press of English public opinion.
Keywords: Englishness, Britishness, West Lothian Question, national mood, identity
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