As long as a hundred of us remain alive, never will we on any conditions be subjected to the lordship of the English. It is in truth not for glory, nor riches, nor honours that we are fighting, but for freedom alone, which no honest man gives up but with life itself.From The Declaration of Arbroath Medieval Scotland’s most iconic document, the Declaration of Arbroath, … [Read more...] about Declaration of Arbroath: no political cherry-picking!
Sovereignty
Fractured Union
The future of the United Kingdom is endangered as much by unionists as it is by nationalists because of a misconception of the 314-year-old Union itself, according to a new book* by this author. It explores the complex history of union in these islands and the many varieties of unionism and the meanings given to the union. There is, it argues, not just one union or one … [Read more...] about Fractured Union
Why language matters
Language is not neutral. Words convey meaning and prisms through which meaning is established. But words can also be prisons. And few terms confine us more than sovereignty. Its origins are instructive. Like much political theory, sovereignty has roots in theology. The Sovereign was the Jealous One, the Indivisible, the Unlimited, the All Powerful in perpetuity. It is … [Read more...] about Why language matters
Ireland: small EU state model?
As a former colony with a strong sense of independence, Ireland’s willingness to pool its hard-won sovereignty in the European Union has most often been explained as a necessary trade-off between formal sovereignty and effective sovereignty. When Ireland joined the European Communities (EC) it had all the formal attributes of a sovereign, independent state but it was in fact an … [Read more...] about Ireland: small EU state model?
Brexit and parliamentary ‘sovereignty’
Parliamentarians are seeking to exploit in the Brexit negotiations what they believe to be an incontrovertible, though normally only latent, power over the government.On Monday (April 8) they passed the European Union (Withdrawal) (No. 5) Bill 2017-19, which received Royal Assent and became the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2019. It was designed to force the government … [Read more...] about Brexit and parliamentary ‘sovereignty’