Scotland has voted to remain in the United Kingdom, for now and for now is all it is because as sure as night follows day the independence question will inevitably rear its ugly head yet again. It is simply a matter of time. It doesn’t matter what further concessions are granted to the Scots because the Nationalists will still complain and demand more. Things have changed for ever within the UK and that is not hyperbole, it is fact. Our politicians and leaders need to take a long hard look at our country and need to plan the future rather than wait for events to overtake them – and us.

In time we may well thank Alex Salmond for giving us, the English majority, a wake-up call and for stirring us from our apathetic stupor. For too long now, we English have been bovine-like, silent and accepting of all that has been served on us. Is it fair that the UK, and the prosperity and welfare of all its inhabitants, could have been destroyed by less than 2 million Scottish militants without the rest of us even being consulted? The population of the UK is approximately 64 million with roughly 54 million English and under 6 million Scots, although you would be forgiven for thinking it was the other way round with all the whining and whingeing constantly emanating from north of the border.

Calls are now being made for an English parliament and it must happen if only for the sake of democracy and fairness. Many of us feel almost disenfranchised as we watch our country ruled by a London elite who seem incapable of relating to the rest of the country. Many people in the north of England, for example, feel just as disenchanted as the Scots but, showing a typical English trait, they have just grumbled a bit, accepted their fate and carried on as before.

If the UK has a future (and as a British citizen, I sincerely hope it does) then that can only be by a more equal and equitable distribution of power and money. England needs her own parliament to rank alongside the existing chambers of the Scots, the Welsh and the Northern Irish. It should be established in a central part of England, somewhere like Birmingham or Manchester but certainly well away from London.
All of those parliaments should have greater control over matters of regional economics and taxation but should ultimately be accountable to the UK parliament in London. Maybe we should look closely at the American model particularly since Americans don’t appear to have any problem with nationality whilst still being proud to be Texans, New Yorkers, Tennesseans or whatever.

We have to do something though because without action the eventual destruction of the United Kingdom is assured.