A divided kingdom: pro-independence parties surge across Britain

Reuters ^ | May 8, 2026 | Andrew Macaskill, Elizabeth Piper and Amanda Ferguson

[MinorityRepublican]

Three of the United Kingdom’s four nations are set for the first time to be governed by pro-independence parties after elections on Friday which nationalists said marked the death knell of the centuries-old union.

A breakup of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland is by no means imminent, and polling showed voters were motivated by factors other than independence, but the outcome is likely to make Britain harder to govern.

Michelle O’Neill, the Northern ​Ireland First Minister from Sinn Féin, which wants to end British rule of the province and unite it with Ireland, described the parliamentary votes in Scotland and Wales – held alongside ‌English local elections – as a “moment of seismic change”.

“I don’t think there can be any clearer sign that Westminster’s time is coming to an end for the people here and the people in Scotland and Wales,” she told Reuters.

‘SLEEPWALKING INTO THE END OF THE UNITED KINGDOM’

The United Kingdom’s four nations have proud separate identities and regularly fought wars before coming together as one political entity over the centuries, with ties often straining since then.

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TOPICS: United Kingdom
KEYWORDS: nationalism

[MtnClimber]

BREXIT or you are an EU slave.

[DIRTYSECRET]

So tell me. How many separate countries? It’ll catch on within the homelands of our enemies.

[JSM_Liberty]

And an English nationalist party winning in England

[No name given]

Absolutely right.

[God luvs America]

LOL- earlier it was “the hard right wins!!”....now they admit they are “pro independence parties”

Rooters is having a difficult time of it...

[adorno]

So, where would tourists go after England is no more?

BTW, a broken up UK will be easier for the Muslims to conquer. Hmm... maybe it was they who started this whole mess for braking up the Kingdom. Do Muslims have a king?

But, once the chaos is over, we’ll have Allahland, or Allahstan, Goneland. Nobody will ever know about the country that gave birth to the U.S., since the Muslims will make sure to erase that history.

And, since the British accent will be gone, what new favorite accent will Hollywood look for?

(Just thinking ahead).

[ScaniaBoy]

Typically Reuters!

The Scottish National Party has lost 6 seats (so far) and although still the largest party will not win a majority in the parliament.

The one almost certain result of the election is that a new referendum on Scottish secession from the UK will be pushed far into the future.

The Welsh nationalists did much better (gaining 20 seats), but did not win a majority by themselves either. The Reform party (English nationalists!?) gained 34 new seats and is the second largest party in Wales (43 vs 34 seats).

[Bruce Campbells Chin]

Worth noting that none of the pro-Independence parties has an actual majority, though.

It would definitely be good for England if the Scots left. They drag the entire UK left.

[RockyTx]

EEXIT SCEXIT WEXIT NIEXIT

[PGalt]

“erase that history”...YES. The extinction of one of the greatest civilizations in human history. Very sad.

[Reily]

Scotland would be a welfare queen supported by the EU.

Land of Adam Smith!

[adorno]

“erase that history”...YES. The extinction of one of the greatest civilizations in human history. Very sad.

All empires have an end. Even the Roman empire came to an end. And it was mostly destroyed from within.

The Soviet Union also came to an end, and the Russian Federation is also coming to an end.

The American domination over the world will also come to an end, and with that, so will the U.S.

People don't know a good thing until it's gone.

[Bruce Campbells Chin]

Land of Adam Smith!

Sadly, they've fallen a long way since then.

[TTFX]

and France is the land of Voltaire and Bastiat

[PGalt]

The interesting question is, what will replace those that advanced civilization to greater heights?

[montag813]

The UK is already completely lost. Look at the candidate names in the borough of Tower Hamlets, which contains the East End of London, University of London, the Canary Wharf business district, and the most skyscrapers of any English council (pop 325k):