‘Angry’ Scotland should be more like Wales and accepts its place in the union says Scottish academic
‘Angry’ Scotland should be more like Wales and accept its place within the union, a British academic and former Conservative Member of the Scottish Parliament has said.
Prof. Adam Tomkins, returning from a holiday in Pembrokeshire, said that Wales felt “much more at ease with itself than Scotland” because it did not have an adversarial relationship with England.
Instead, it demonstrated a “collaborative unionism” that sought to fix the problems of the United Kingdom rather than leaving it.
“Britain would be a happier place if both England and Scotland paid more attention to Wales,” Adam Tomkins said in the Scottish Herald.
“Returning from two weeks’ family holiday in Pembrokeshire, I was struck by how comfortable and confident Wales is at wearing both elements of its identity at once.
“Everywhere you go the Welsh flag and the union flag are flown together. Wales is distinctly not England, but it does not measure its Welshness in units of anti-Britishness.
“Once upon a time, Scotland was much the same. But, unlike Welshness, Scottishness has now become much angrier, asserting itself by reference to what Scots are not (we are Scottish not British) rather than by accommodating and embracing both at the same time.
“In Wales the sense of pride in strong national identity is both palpable and ubiquitous, but it is offered as something to celebrate rather than in any adversarial spirit of us-versus-them.”
‘Snap’
In Scotland, Adam Tomkins said, the Scottish and UK governments were failing to engage with each other because of the demand for independence on the one hand and a refusal to concede any power on the other. “Each position is as thoughtless as the other,” he said.
“It is the Welsh who are leading the thinking on the future relationships our governments will need to have with one another. But their work is like tumbleweed in the corridors of power in both Edinburgh and Westminster.”
He added: “The Welsh know that the future will need more shared governance, not less. Whether we are talking about public health or international trade, this is manifestly true.
“The Welsh also know that the current structure of the UK state is astonishingly poor at managing shared governance in practice. We have a tendency either to devolve and forget, or to over-centralise: it’s either your problem for you alone, or our issue for us alone.
“Yet, as the Welsh Government says, this is the opposite of a strong and durable settlement. It is a weak and brittle way of approaching power and, unless we adapt – unless we become more like the Welsh – it will snap and break.
“A kinder, gentler nationalism, and a more constructive, collaborative unionism. These are the hallmarks of Welsh politics. Both Scotland and England would do well to take heed.”
Adam Tomkins was a was a Member of the Scottish Parliament for the Glasgow region from 2016 until he stood down at the 2021 elections. He is the is the John Millar Professor of Public Law at the University of Glasgow School of Law.
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Prof Adam Tomkins holidayed in Little England Beyond Wales and is now an expert on our attitudes to the toxic union? Ahhhh confirmation bias is a terrible thing. I am amazed at the amount of conclusions he drew about national opinions on complex matters, from a week pottering about in Tenby. But then, this might just be the latest in a number of salvos where the Cons lie to try and drive a wedge between us and the Scots. Trying to “divide and conquer” so to speak. Like they did with Brexit. I mean everyone’s getting on well after that… Read more »
Funnily enough if you drive into Tenby around election time you will see dozens of Plaid Cymru signs so not as ‘little Ingerland’ as everyone likes to think.
Yeah I know a few {younger} people from South Pembs who are very pro Cymru. It may be like the resurgence of cornish identity in the wake of mass migration to the area, may be the way things have gone in Wales after devolution. Anyway, very positive that people from South Pembs have begun to realise that they are part of the family too.
Agreed, I might add that I know plenty of older people (including relatives of mine) who were previously very hostile to devolution let alone independence yet they now support full independence. Also, if you are ever in Dinbych-y-pysgod take a look at the memorial to Prince Albert – it dates from the mid-nineteenth century yet all of the wording on the memorial is bilingual (with Welsh first). So again, South Pembs is not as ‘Little England’ as many people suppose it is. I’ve always wondered about the use of the term ‘Little England’ when applied to South Pembs, were they… Read more »
It’s from when Henry VIII planted English and Flemish settlers there and banned the Welsh from living there, in order to get a strategic toe-hold, much like Edward I tried to do with towns like Caernarfon. Their descendants still form the majority south of the Landsker Line, so it’s a positive sign that South Pembs is embracing Welshness to the extent that it now is. That claim by Tomkins that Wales is full of butcher’s aprons flying next to Y Ddraig Goch is utter tosh, by the way. Again, wishful thinking. I’ve seen just one in the whole of Wrexham… Read more »
Very pleased to hear that. Will update my perceptions accordngly
He’s a regular Tory spouter of nonsense, ignore it.
“kinder gentler nationalism”????? Give away our resources for nothing and offer no future for our youth unless they go to London? Is that what you had in mind professor? It’s time for Wales to be more like Scotland, not the other way around.
There would have been more british/English people around Pembrokeshire than Welsh people during the holidays lol. It’s obviously a wind up article by the former English MP.
However, sadly he is right in one respect, the Scots have embraced Nationalism far better than we in Wales. Can’t help but think its down to their education system, where else in the world would teaching of your own countries history not be mandatory in schools. All I learned about was British history which of course didn’t include Wales.
Correct about the teaching of Scottish history. I asked a Scot who now lives in NE Wales what do they teach in history in Scottish schools. He answered “Bannockburn, Bannockburn, Bannockburn”. In Wales, Kirsty Williams has given us “local history”, with no Welsh national focus.
When I was at high school in Scotland I knew more about the corn laws and the Magna Carta than the Enlightenment and the declaration of Arbroath. The teaching of history has improved in Scotland and is definitely not all about Bannockburn. He sounds like an embittered unionist
He said it in a neutral way. He was telling us that Scotland now teaches Scottish history to its schoolchildren.
As it should be unlike the education system in so called wales are they still
teaching english history in schools in wales? ?
Considering the kippers tried to wipe out the language and culture of the people of the khumry its not surprising it was an attempt at cultural genocide .
Same in Scotland in my school days. No Scottish history whatever except for the odd battle date. Hope it has improved these days.
“whatsoever”
The odd thing is that I see very little anger in the Scottish independence movement. Just joy and excitement at the possibilities that independence offers. And a genuine celebration of the richness, diversity and potential of Scottish society.
Unionism on the other hand seems to be infused with bitterness, anger and obsessions with some of the most unpleasant aspects of the recent past. Empire, militarism and warfare. And of course negative attitudes towards “foreigners” and immigrants.
Wales is a liberal, open minded, progressive country so I’m not surprised it is trying to find some sort of compromise for the Union but it’s too late and neither Scotland or England want it for different reasons. Wales is now better off assessing its strengths and capabilities and how they will contribute to making independence a success.
I often like your comments Steve, even when I disagree. Wales is, for the most part, a liberal country. We could become an open minded and progressive nation alongside retaining our liberalism, but I see no evidence to suggest that we are either one of those adjectives now, or ever have been. Are there open-minded people here? Sure, you certainly seem to be a good exemplar of that. Are there progressive values on display in Wales? Depends on what that annoyingly fluid term means, but certainly (to varying degrees depending on the definition). Do we have our fair share of… Read more »
From my experience, the heavily Welsh speaking parts Wales are very resentful of Polish, Czech and Lithuanian immigrants, so I’d say they are far from progressive. They will have to be willing for their environment to lose some of their native culture in order to do so.
Well thank you Professor Adam Tomkins for the nice little pat on the head (not).
Perhaps he should have added ‘now be good-little subservient Celts, know your place and do as your English masters tell you’.
Patronising little s**t.
This is nothing more than an exercise in wishful thinking. There are examples of what he states all over Cymru, but it is by no means an accurate blanket description of the whole country’s attitude towards the union. He could have drawn a line through his own patronising comments and simply said “The general mood in Wales is for greater devolution, with an increasing number favouring independence, whereas the mood in Scotland is for independence, by a fluctuating margin”.
Upon reading this article, Scots have asked me, “What is the Cymraeg for ‘patronising numpty’?”
Happy to oblige: T-O-M-P-C-Y-N-S
the former conservative member appears to have a very blinkered view.
It’s fair to say that he has something of a track record…!
Spent 2 weeks on in a holiday cottage now an expert on Welsh attitudes to the toxic “union” that’s made Wales poorer and invisible in the world. Do us a favour.
I challenge Prof. Tomkins to stand in a busy Glasgow, Edinburgh or Dundee bar and tell the Scots to ‘accept their place.’
I challenge him to ask some Welsh folk in Splott, Morriston or Merthyr too…
This ignorant Scottish Tory and alleged academic should go back to school. He says, “angry Scotland should follow Wales by accepting its place within this Union.” Patronising little Englander. He forgets this fact. Wales was never given a choice to be part of any Union. We had a knife to our throats. We were invaded in 1277 by an occupying force, and the knife was viciously turned in 1535 & 1542 when we were annexed by England. Which meant our native Welsh Laws were dissolved, a law codified in the 9th century, older than England itself, was removed by force.… Read more »
This has got to be up there with one of the worst articles I’ve ever read. I didnt think I’d find someone less in tune than JRM with what the people of Scotland think about the constitution, then this ‘academic’ came along
Tomkins was a Tory list MSP in Holyrood for 5 years. Well known for his staunch support of the union, he has never let facts interfere with his anti Scottish (and now Welsh narrative).
I feel sorry for Wales, having to host Adam Tomkins and show him a good time on holiday, only for him to be unkind to Wales.This is another attempt by a Tory to promulgate the myth that Scotland hates England. It is nonsense. Of course, club rivalry at football, like any derby game. Scotland objects to Westminster rule, in the main, and particularly to Tories, who are rarer and rarer in Scottish politics. yet, we are subjected to our democracy being altered by a Tory government in another country. I am sure Wales feels the same. This constant slight of… Read more »
I hear what you say the so called welsh only hate the upper class tory kippers from what i gear i have work mates in wales who are English but they are decent sorts its not the general population of England that most people are against they have the same issues as the rest of us in the Dis uk though like the other nations they to have their nationalists biggots
what a unionist trumpet
Not very good at reading the room the Prof is he 🤣👌🏻
Tomkins is spot on. Wales voted for Brexit unlike Scotland and there are far more Welsh Tory MPs than Scottish Tory MPs. Plaid are a poor third in Wales, nowhere near the strength of the SNP.
Scotland is split on independence, Wales backs devolution but is overwhelmingly anti independence and wants to stay in the UK
Yes Wales voted for Brexit. But Welsh voters in Wales didn’t. The very high leave vote of the English people living in Wales (23% of the population) was what created the majority. Check out the recent article in The Guardian on the subject.
From what i was told on a different site it was the kippers in wales that swung the the vote for leave and that was by someone from wales aparrently an analysys was done dont know if this has been confirmed though
If this ignorant con thinks there is a race called British he is an idiot the uk is made up of at least 5 nations he needs to do some research on the Britons
Why is this man of letters, an esteemed academic not able to grasp that maybe, just maybe, the relationships between the nations of these islands would actually be a lot more harmonious and at ease without the straitjacket of the British state? Kinship with neighbouring, culturally-related states with family and other ties is a natural and universal phenomenon; it does not need parroted diktat such as ‘Family of Nations’ or ‘Our United Kingdom’.
Depends how you look at it, the major difference I think his Scotland makes all this noise but when given the chance they balked whereas Wales have just bored their time if offered a referendum Wales if only voted by the Welsh would leave the union The ‘British’ very quick to forget it was Wales that created the union Henry Tudor (7) was very much Welsh and he led a host of mostly Welsh and Northern English ( in a time they descended from Welsh and not Vikings or French as most of Richards southern and matches lords and their… Read more »
He’s right to point out (unpopularly given this site’s readership bias but absolutely correctly) that separatism is much more on the agenda in Scotland than in Wales. But it’s because of very different histories. Scotland went into Union with a range of key social and political institutions on which a continuing sense of Scottishness rested (law, church, education) because they remained separate from England’s. Some of these are now far less significant (church and law especially) and becoming less so by the year. The result is Scots feeling increasingly that their Scottishness is threatened and looking to separatism to address… Read more »