The Empire Crumbles

First Scotland, then the Falkland Islands - what's next, Gibraltar? Britain's resolve to keep what's left of its empire is clearly being tested at the moment. When the Queen dies, Australia will probably declare a republic (unless Charles abdicates for the popular William, which isn't likely) and then other Commonwealth countries will follow suit.

And I suppose that's fair. As an Englishman, I wouldn't want the face of a foreign head of state on MY banknotes either thank-you-very-much, so why should Australians have to put up with it? If right is on our side in the current debate over the Faulklands' sovereignty (and I believe it is), if all people have the right to self-determination, then Scotland should definitely have their referendum on independence. David Cameron's argument is that Scotland would suffer immensely should they break from the U.K, but it's really a matter of our prestige.

Scotland will have the North Sea oil and gas (which we've failed to dry up entirely over the past 40 years), an NHS, and a generally sound infrastructure thanks to Britain to ensure they won't sink down to the level of, say, Bulgaria economically (apologies to any Bulgarians reading this). They'll suffer a bit, sure - their students will probably start paying tuition fees for instance - but on the whole they'll do fine and good luck to them.

The real problem is the rest of the UK. Cut by a third in size, our economy will suffer greatly, as will our presence on the world stage. What will happen to Trident? What about the national debt? The questions are endless, and that's why this will be kicked around for decades before anything definite happens. Alex Salmond, although he's a very capable man, may not even live to see Scottish independence.

As for the Falklands, I find Argentina's moaning rather hilarious. I've never seen such an obvious propaganda campaign designed to win support for a PM since Thatcher won the Falklands conflict. Britain has not been provocative in any way. William's deployment there is purely ceremonial (as is the entire Royal Family), and the warship we've sent there is merely replacing an older one. It's Argentina that has upped the ante recently by blocking Falklands ships from their ports etc. Even if Britain was 'militarising the conflict', we have every reason to. There is sort of a precedence for Argentina invading, after all... 

But I don't think Cameron's prepared to lose the Falklands or Scotland any time soon - not on his watch. Britain has been in decline as a power for decades, and that would be the final nail in the coffin.