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{{Short description|Proposed constitutional reform of a confederation of sovereign states}} |
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{{distinguish|Confederation of British Industry}} |
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A '''British confederation''' or a '''confederal UK''' has been proposed as a concept of ], in which the ]; ], ], ], as well as ] become separate ] that pool certain key resources within a ] with a central authority. Under the system, the central authority exists with the consensus of the constituent countries, which also maintain a right to ], if they wish.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2019-10-11 |title=A new model for the UK? |url=https://www.iwa.wales/agenda/2019/10/a-new-model-for-the-uk/ |access-date=2022-04-08 |website=Institute of Welsh Affairs |language=en-US}}</ref> |
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{{redirect category shell| |
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== Current status of the UK == |
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{{R with history}} |
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{{See also|Intergovernmental relations in the United Kingdom}}The United Kingdom is a ] and a ]. The UK Parliament is composed of the House of Commons and the House of Lords, the UK government is led by the Prime Minister, ] and the head of state is ].<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=CoR - UK intro |url=https://portal.cor.europa.eu/divisionpowers/Pages/UK-intro.aspx#:~:text=The%20United%20Kingdom%20is%20a,of%20State%20is%20the%20Queen. |access-date=2022-10-12 |website=portal.cor.europa.eu}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=2022-09-18 |title=King Charles III, the new monarch |language=en-GB |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-59135132 |access-date=2022-10-12}}</ref> |
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}} |
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The UK is an ] ], where Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland have ] operating under authority delegated by the UK Parliament, but ].<ref name=":1" /> The "UK is a unitary state, not a federation or a confederation." according to ].<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-08-19 |title=Wales and Scotland not nations and independence should be made 'impossible' says Lord Frost |url=https://nation.cymru/news/wales-and-scotland-not-nations-and-independence-should-be-made-impossible-says-lord-frost/ |access-date=2022-10-12 |website=Nation.Cymru |language=en-GB}}</ref> However, it is arguable that the UK, due to being a 'union state', is more politically/nationally diverse than even some federal states.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2015-02-10 |title=Four options for configuring the British constitution |url=https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/politicsandpolicy/the-future-of-the-british-constitution/ |access-date=2022-10-23 |website=British Politics and Policy at LSE}}</ref> |
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== Concept of confederation == |
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In relation to the Czecho/Slovakia situation, a confederation has been defined as a loose union that has a central authority that is limited in its core powers. This central authority exists with the consensus of the constituent sovereign countries, which also maintain a right to succession.<ref name=":2">{{Cite book |last=Stein |first=Eric |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=1UYYMn4GKzIC&dq=snp+independence+confederation&pg=PA130 |title=Czecho/Slovakia: Ethnic Conflict, Constitutional Fissure, Negotiated Breakup |date=2000-01-26 |publisher=University of Michigan Press |isbn=978-0-472-08628-3 |pages=21 |language=en}}</ref>{{relevance}} |
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=== UK confederation concept === |
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According to the ], the concept of a confederal UK may include the following: |
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# The individual sovereignty of England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales. |
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# The ] of each country represented in a Confederal Assembly where matters such as freedom of movement, residence, employment in neighbouring countries would be subject to negotiation. |
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# Joint budgetary funds raised annually and contributed by each member country as an agreed proportion of ]. Each country operates their own tax systems and their own bank, but together may agree on a common currency. |
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# The confederation is defined by an agreed treaty which includes references to e.g. internal trade, currency, defence, foreign relations. |
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# Each decision made by the confederal assembly must be individually implemented in each country's government. |
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# Each country has independent ] and a ].<ref>{{Cite web |date=2019-10-11 |title=A new model for the UK? |url=https://www.iwa.wales/agenda/2019/10/a-new-model-for-the-uk/ |access-date=2022-04-08 |website=Institute of Welsh Affairs |language=en-US}}</ref> |
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The independent Constitution Commission on the Constitutional Future of Wales identified two questions on a confederal union in the case of ]: |
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"What evidence is there that England and/or other parts of the UK would join in any free association or confederal arrangements with Wales which would constrain their own freedom of action? |
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If other parts of the UK were unwilling to enter into shared governance arrangements with an independent Wales, how would cross border matters be managed?"<ref name=":16">{{Cite web |title=Interim report by The Independent Commission on the Constitutional Future of Wales |url=https://gov.wales/sites/default/files/publications/2022-12/independent-commission-the-constitutional-future-of-wales-interim-report-december-2022.pdf}}</ref> |
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== UK confederation proposals == |
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As early as 1892, the concept of a "Britannic Confederation" has been raised which mentioned the possibility of England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales entering such a confederation as separate states.<ref>{{Cite book |last=White |first=Arthur Silva |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=yURXzJWQ1eYC&dq=britannic+confederation&pg=PA55 |title=Britannic Confederation: A Series of Papers by Admiral Sir John Colomb, Professor Edward A. Freeman, George G. Chisholm ... |date=1892 |publisher=G. Philip & Son |pages=50–51 |language=en}}</ref> |
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=== By academics === |
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Gerald Holtham, Hodge Professor of Regional Economy at ], also outlined his support for a confederal UK in an article for the think tank ].<ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-02-01 |title=The British Confederation of States |url=https://www.compassonline.org.uk/the-british-confederation-of-states/ |access-date=2022-04-08 |website=Compass |language=en-GB}}</ref> |
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Prof ], of the Institute of Legal and Constitutional Research at the ], has produced a paper discussing his support for a confederate UK. Gallagher was the UK government's most senior adviser on devolution and constitutional matters. He worked on the number 10 policy unit under ].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Gallagher |first=Jim |url=https://ilcr.wp.st-andrews.ac.uk/files/2020/09/Jim-Gallagher-08-2020-1.pdf |title=Could there be a "Confederal" UK?}}</ref> |
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In 2019, ], Regius Professor of Moral and Pastoral Theology, ], suggested it was time to form a British Isles confederation, also replacing the House of Lords with a senate elected by the assemblies/parliaments of constituent countries.<ref name=":0" /> |
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==== A League-Union of the Isles ==== |
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In March 2022, ] of the ] produced a document "A League-Union of the Isles" discussing constitutional options for the UK with a preface by former first minister of Wales ]. The author presents multiple potential constitutional options for the UK/UK nations including: ], ], confederalism, confederal-federalism, sovereignty within the EU and ]. The author settles on confederal-federalism, a union of sovereign nations that stands between federalism and a confederation, with an agreed confederal ] between national parliaments, which jointly form a "Council of the Isles". The proposed union would include the following: |
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* Rights of movement, residence and employment in any nation within the union |
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* Each nation would have its own legal jurisdiction in addition to a "Supreme Court of the Isles" |
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* A common currency and a central "Bank of the Isles" |
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* Each nation would have its own tax regimes and contribute a proportion of their GDP to the "Council of the Isles" |
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* Defence, foreign policy, internal trade, currency, large scale economics and "Isles affairs" governed by the "Council of the Isles" |
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* Each nation holds 4 seats at the UN general council and one collective seat at the UN Security Council <ref>{{Cite web |last=Trust |first=Federal |date=2022-03-28 |title=A League-Union of the Isles - Book Recommendation |url=https://fedtrust.co.uk/a-league-union-of-the-isles-book-recommendation/ |access-date=2022-04-14 |website=The Federal Trust |language=en-US}}</ref> |
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=== By politicians === |
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Former Plaid Cymru leader ], advocated for a "Britannic Confederation" that included Wales, and produced a booklet including this proposal in 1988.<ref>{{Cite web |last=admin |date=2012-03-16 |title=Challenge facing Plaid's new leader |url=https://www.iwa.wales/agenda/2012/03/challenge-facing-plaid’s-new-leader/ |access-date=2022-10-11 |website=Institute of Welsh Affairs |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Gwynfor Evans - gwynfor.net |url=https://www.gwynfor.net/llyfrau.html |access-date=2022-10-12 |website=www.gwynfor.net}}</ref> |
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], Welsh political reporter said in 2014 that the constitutional ideas proposed by former Prime Minister ] and former ] ] were moving towards a confederation.<ref>{{Cite web |last=admin |date=2014-03-13 |title=Acts of disunion |url=https://www.iwa.wales/agenda/2014/03/acts-of-disunion/ |access-date=2022-10-11 |website=Institute of Welsh Affairs |language=en-US}}</ref> Jones was reportedly a supporter of a confederal system and worked with ] on his recommendations for constitutional reform of the UK. There does not seem to have been any evidence to suggest that Brown's recommendations included a confederal-type model.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Shipton |first=Martin |date=2022-10-23 |title=A Labour landslide could be bad news for devolution {{!}} Martin Shipton |url=https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/politics/labour-landslide-could-bad-news-25321333 |access-date=2022-10-27 |website=WalesOnline |language=en}}</ref> |
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Following the 2015 UK general election, then leader of Plaid Cymru, ] adapted the party's constitutional stance back to the traditional party position of an ] within a UK confederation.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Osmond |first=John |date=2015-11-01 |title=Three Welsh Leaders in Search of a Constitutional Future for their Country |url=https://www.euppublishing.com/doi/abs/10.3366/scot.2015.0097 |journal=Scottish Affairs |volume=24 |issue=4 |pages=463–475 |doi=10.3366/scot.2015.0097 |issn=0966-0356}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2012-06-29 |title=There'll still be a Britain, says Plaid leader |url=https://www.itv.com/news/wales/2012-06-29/therell-still-be-a-britain-says-plaid-leader |access-date=2022-10-12 |website=ITV News |language=en}}</ref> |
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In 2019, Plaid Cymru leader ] also advocated for a "Britannic Confederation between Wales, Scotland and England", similarly to the ] union between Belgium, Netherlands and Luxembourg. Price said “I would argue that by pooling their powers within both Benelux and the European Union, the three countries have enlarged and strengthened their sovereignty. By operating closely together they have obtained greater flexibility and reach in the exercise of national power, grown their economies, and enhanced their presence on the world stage.”<ref>{{Cite web |title=Plaid leader calls for 'Benelux' model of cooperation between nations of Britain post-independence |url=https://www.southwalesguardian.co.uk/news/17733860.plaid-cymru-leader-adam-price-calls-benelux-model-cooperation-nations-britain-post-independence/ |access-date=2022-10-11 |website=South Wales Guardian |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Benelux Treaty of Economic Union - Belgium-Luxembourg-Netherlands |url=https://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/60666/Benelux-Treaty-of-Economic-Union}}</ref> |
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In 2021, in a ] Constitution Committee, "Inquiry into the Future Governance of the UK", Dr Paul Anderson suggested that further research was merited for a federal or confederal UK. He noted that this may, "contrary to the current dominant opinion among pro-Union political elites, create an even looser union". He also suggested that the ]'s campaign for independence prior to the ] included "hallmarks" of a confederal UK.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Dr Paul Anderson – written evidence (FGU0011) |url=https://committees.parliament.uk/writtenevidence/25987/html/}}</ref> |
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In 2022, ], former ] MP and member of the House of Lords advocated for a "Britannic Confederation", "in which sovereignty of the three nations and the Province is acknowledged, but they pool their sovereignty for certain purposes—for example, the recognition of the Queen as the head of a Britannic confederation. Plaid Cymru and the SNP currently accept the monarchy as the Head of State, recognising a Britannic dimension to our identity as well as our own national identity." "Secondly, there might be an acceptance of sterling as the currency and a reconstituted Bank of England acting as a central bank for a confederation. Thirdly, there is scope for defence co-operation. The SNP supports an independent Scotland being part of NATO, though this is obviously complicated by the question of nuclear weapons. There is surely a pragmatic solution to enable defence co-operation.”<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-06-10 |title=Wales' indy movement not 'anything like Scotland' says member of Labour constitutional commission |url=https://nation.cymru/news/wales-indy-movement-not-anything-like-scotland-says-member-of-labour-constitutional-commission/ |access-date=2022-10-11 |website=Nation.Cymru |language=en-GB}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Constitutional Commission |url=https://hansard.parliament.uk/lords/2022-06-09/debates/3FEB7844-A0C0-4665-9E89-13FF85730646/ConstitutionalCommission |access-date=2022-10-13 |website=UK Parliament}}</ref> |
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== Northern Ireland == |
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Professor ] of the ] has noted that an element of a confederacy already exists between the Republic of Ireland and UK's Northern Ireland. Following the ] of 1998, the ] (of the island of Ireland) was established which is responsible for 12 policy areas.<ref>{{Cite book |last=O'Leary |first=Brendan |url=https://www.ucl.ac.uk/constitution-unit/sites/constitution-unit/files/25.pdf |title=The British-Irish Agreement: Power-Sharing Plus |publisher=The Constitution Unit School of Public Policy (UCL) |year=1998 |language=English}}</ref> |
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== See also== |
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== References == |
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{{reflist}} |
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