Fractured Union
Michael T. Kenny
Abstract
Abstract The question of the United Kingdom’s survival, for a long time taken for granted, looms large in British politics. This book uncovers the roots of today’s crisis, exploring British MPs’ and civil servants’ assumptions about, and understandings of, the Union, and highlights a growing sense of pessimism about its long-term viability. It explores the following key questions. Why has the UK’s political class struggled to engage productively with devolution? Has the growing disenchantment of many English citizens with government based in London challenged how politicians and bureaucrats have approached the UK Union, and the governance of England in particular. How and why have recent crises—most notably the 2014 vote on Scottish independence, Brexit, and the covid-19 pandemic—damaged trust and created conflicts between central and devolved governments. And will the UK Union break apart in the next few decades? Fractured Union offers an account of the gradual loss of British unity, illuminating the forces and pressures now shaping the future of both nations and peoples. As nationalism rises across Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, and England, this book issues a sharp challenge to those who believe in a united kingdom: deliver better, more responsive government—or risk the UK falling apart.