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UK ‘status quo simply can’t survive’ says co-chair of Wales Constitutional Commission

26 Jun 2022 2 minute read
Professor Laura McAllister

The constitutional status quo in the UK “simply can’t survive” according to the co-chair of a commission looking at Wales’ future relationship with the rest of the UK.

Prof. Laura McAllister of Cardiff University is co-chairing the Independent Commission on the Constitutional Future of Wales alongside former Archbishop of Canterbury Dr Rowan Williams.

In comments reported in the Scottish National newspaper, she said that to break up “it only has to be one” part of the UK that needed to want to leave.

And even if that did not happen, there needed to be a discussion about how the future UK would work.

“Don’t forget there are a whole host of problems with federalism that we all know about – not least size and balance and appetite for regional devolution in England, and confederalism essentially requires independent nations to want to come together and pool parts of what they are responsible for,” she said.

“But I do think the status quo simply can’t survive and think we are getting close to that point now.”

‘Not sustainable’

She made the comments at a conference organised by University College London’s Constitution Unit.

“If you draw the parallel with a failing partnership in one’s personal life, a marriage and so on, both partners don’t have to agree they want a divorce, it only has to be one,” she added.

“The problem at the moment is that if there is one partner in the arrangement who feels very strongly it isn’t working for them, then it derails and undermines the whole Union itself.”

Sarah Sackman, public and environmental lawyer at Matrix Chambers, who spoke at the conference about the work of Labour’s constitutional commission headed by Gordon Brown, was also reported to have said the status quo of the Union was “not sustainable”.

“We might muddle through for another few years, depending on the electoral landscape, but it is not sustainable,” she said.


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Phil Jones
Phil Jones
1 year ago

Prof Laura sounds like the ideal candidate for President of Cymru when we break free.

Fi yn unig
Fi yn unig
1 year ago
Reply to  Phil Jones

I’m not kidding you, when Royalists say scornfully ‘Who would you choose as a president if we replaced the Royal family?’ I think of Prof Laura for president of a free Wales. Honest!

Adrian Meagher
Adrian Meagher
1 year ago

I am not sure the powers that be in Westminster can agree on anything other than more of the same. If they had a modicum of vision, they would be falling over themselves to allow Gwyl Dewi to be a bank holiday in Wales. But they just find lame excuses why it wouldn’t work. Pathetic!

Richard
Richard
1 year ago

We need to get real …..apart from
a few crumbs which ARTD can win for his 💯 loyalty to the BJ – we will get nothing until we stand up and seize the day ….as a confident aspiring and inclusive nation 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

Where is Grayham Jones when we need him ?

I’r Gad

Last edited 1 year ago by Richard
Arwyn
Arwyn
1 year ago

I’d really like to see Nation look at Glyndwr Cennydd Jones’ proposal on the IWA site. It won’t be everyone’s cup of tea but I do think it’s the sort of change that might get a majority saying “You know what, I can live with that.” My instincts say that events are about to get ahead of the Westminster bubble. The potential for something ugly to happen is there. If we have a viable alternative to the UK it could persuade a majority to transition to new constitutional arrangements and that it could happen quite quickly. My personal red line… Read more »

CapM
CapM
1 year ago
Reply to  Arwyn

GCJ’s League-Union idea is basically the proposal of a Unionist who’s conceded that independence (for Scotland at least)is the obvious outcome but can’t bring himself to let go of the Union’s apron string. Every benefit his concocted League-Union would deliver can and is delivered by tailored multinational agreements. Such as – Nordic council, New Hanseatic League (Ireland a member),Benelux League, Craiova Group (SE Europe), Visegrad Group (E Europe) and others. Then of course there’s big ones such as membership of the EU and Nato All have the benefit of members being independent nation states and all without the need for… Read more »

Arwyn
Arwyn
1 year ago
Reply to  CapM

No, that’s a poor misrepresentation of the idea and the man.

Last edited 1 year ago by Arwyn
Kerry Davies
Kerry Davies
1 year ago

She is merely stating the obvious. Westminster Tories are so concerned about the break-up of the union they are veering hard right in trying to diminish devolved powers. In trying so hard to take back control they risk losing everything. If they wreck devolution for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland they also wreck that of London, Manchester and other mayoralties and then they will have trouble.

The Original Mark
The Original Mark
1 year ago

Things really are getting serious, we’ve even got Munira Wilson Lib Dem mp for Twickenham, suggesting the army are used to break the rail strikes, rather apt as Churchill sent the troops into Tonypandy when he was with the Lib Dems?

Phil
Phil
1 year ago

’UK Status Quo simply can’t survive’… Quite right. Only Francis Rossi left after Rick Parfitt passed away. Let’s hope that he can go on for at least a little while longer

Popsie
1 year ago

Approaching this with a completely open mind, Prof. Laura?

Fi yn unig
Fi yn unig
1 year ago
Reply to  Popsie

Professor Laura McAllister.

Not My Real Name
Not My Real Name
1 year ago
Reply to  Popsie

Are YOU Popsie?

SundanceKid
SundanceKid
1 year ago

Or may be “Poopsie” would be more apt.

Gareth
Gareth
1 year ago

It is not just Laura McAllister, but lots of other experts in the field have said this for some time now, some saying if we do not change, London will have to go the same way as Singapore, due to the imbalance in our system. The establishment in England will never give up power, for a federal, 4 equal states, within the UK. Even the English people have voted against devo in England.

Steven
Steven
1 year ago

I don’t know a lot about Welsh politics coming from Scotland but I can tell you Federalism is non stater Scotland don’t want same with England.I feel there is no big appetite for Federalism & what works for Germany & Canada maybe won’t go well for the U.K. & I don’t think a Union set up for federalism too work.

George Bodley
George Bodley
1 year ago

Time for independence

Ken covack
Ken covack
1 year ago

I have followed the career of Professor Laura Macallister for some time, her head is screwed on the right way. She shoots from the hip and holds back nothing, she is my idea of a truly independent speaker and font of knowledge far greater than my own. I will agree with her, not because of where she grew up or where she now stands after years of education and dedication, but simply because she is right, unionism is dead it has run its course, and it has proven to have failed over centuries. Why should one nation within a union… Read more »

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