McDONNELL THREATENS BREAK UP OF UK

As part of a desperate bid to woo voters in Scotland, John McDonnell has apparently said that a future Labour government in the United Kingdom would not attempt to stop the Scots holding another referendum on the vexed subject of their independence. However, this puts him at odds with the leader of the Scottish Labour Party, so it looks like another mess over referendums.

Labour has previously been as opposed to breaking up the United Kingdom as has every other party of note; the only ones in favour are the nationalists in Scotland and Wales and, of course, those who want to establish a united Ireland. McDonnell's latest commitment changes things dramatically and potentially heralds a break up of the UK with Scotland going its own way. Once the UK has left the EU, it could well mean the Scots gaining their independence from the United Kingdom only to cede it to the far more bureaucratic and authoritarian powers in Brussels; as a very small nation, Scotland would also find its voice carries little weight in the debating chambers of the EU.

The Scottish Nationalists have previously suggested that leaving the United Kingdom would be managed quite simply. The Queen, or her successor, would remain head of state and the Scots would keep sterling as their currency; there would be no 'border problems' and movement of people and goods would not be hindered. Given the attitude of the European Union to the little matter of the border between Northern Ireland and the Irish Republic, as well as its insistence that new member states must adopt the Euro as their currency, this all seems to be 'pie in the sky'.

IF Scotland achieves independence and then seeks to join the EU, it would have to adopt the Euro. The border between Scotland and England would become a frontier and the EU would undoubtedly want to implement border controls to prevent the nasty English from gaining any advantage. Tearing up the Acts of Union of 1706 and 1707 would throw the British Constitution into crisis and it is far from certain that the government in London would look kindly on the monarch continuing to also have a role in Scotland. The Scots might then be faced with either finding a different monarch or accepting the creation of a Presidential post - President Sturgeon, perhaps.

McDonnell's plainly electioneering stance demonstrates just how far Labour is now prepared to go in order to gain power. For power in Westminster, they will happily sacrifice the integrity of the United Kingdom. These power hungry Marxists must never be allowed to gain office.