Scottish imperialism is thriving, apparently. Not satisfied with getting their paws on the reigns of power within our current borders the Scottish National Party is busy formenting rebellion in what were Scots lands in days of yore...Bring on the battle for Berwick upon Tweed. According to the newswires,"Christine Grahame, MSP for southern Scotland, has "invited" the people of Berwick to "come back into the fold" and swap their allegiance from England to Scotland.
Historically, the town has been a battleground between England and Scotland for centuries.
It has changed hands between the two nations no less than 13 times and was last won by the English in 1482.
It has changed hands between the two nations no less than 13 times and was last won by the English in 1482.
But in a poll, organised by local newspaper the Berwick Advertiser, 77% of all those who voted said they would like to be governed by Scotland once more.
Keith Hamblin, deputy editor, said: "I was surprised by the result. I am a Berwick man born and bred and I regard myself very much as English.
"I think, though, that people feel the quality of life is better in Scotland since devolution.
"Also, we are losing our borough council next year. It's being replaced by a new unitary authority, so all our administration wil be run 60 miles away further south. So people feel they're going to be left out even further on the frozen north."
The town already has Scottish loyalties when it comes to football. Its team, Berwick Rangers FC, has played in the Scottish league for years.
Ms Grahame hopes the rest of the town will also become fans of the idea of being Scottish."
Watch out England. It'll be Newcastle next!!
6 comments:
Given Scotland's past history of imperialism I'm not too worried ;)
In a recent poll 100% of people think that controversial news stories should not be created using polls that are designed to show whatever opinion the pollster intends. OK, my poll consisted of asking myself and err my girlfriend, but hey a poll is a poll!
It is typical of the SNP to use such a story/poll to try and ignite Scottish national passions to take back land that has been lost tae the auld enemy but apparently it is not just the SNP that think that this a good idea.
“Liberal Democrat and Scottish National Party politicians in the Scottish parliament have put forward separate motions calling for Berwick to be restored to Scottish rule."
Furthermore the Telegraph reports “Berwick's football team plays in the Scottish league, the local accent sounds Scottish, most of its banks are Scottish”. That convinces me!
But wait, Cardiff City play in the English league perhaps as consolation of loosing Berwick, England could just take Cardiff?
And deciding national borders based on accents is certainly an interesting one, especially with the concerns that many people have at the moment with immigration. I have Scottish accent in Southampton, perhaps we could set a little Scottish colony in our flat that would allow me to go to university for free!
With RBS’s quest for world domination, perhaps the SNP (and Lib Dem’s) could use them as a weapon to invade other countries!
i cant believe scottish political parties would actually have the gall to do that - unbelievable. On the other hand if the people of Berwick feel closer to Scotland (and all those free public services) who are we to stop them? After all, Scotland's an egalitarian paradise compared to poor old class ridden England. I do like your idea for RBS world domination though. Corporate imperialism recommences, hundreds of years after the fall of the East India Company
James VI (James I) declared the town neither belonging to England nor belonging to Scotland but part of the united Crown's domain. Berwick was never formally annexed to England. I think it became part of Northumbria in 1885? So, is it part of England or Scotland, or neither?
Why stop at Berwick? Newcastle isnt that far away either. And then take Nova Scotia, New Caledonia and while we are at it, why not anything else "New" we come across- New Zealand, because of its Scottish population and why not New York too?
Why not an alliance with Northern England to our mutual benefits.
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