Part 12
THE United Kingdom (UK) is another amalgamated examination on this question. Once member to the European Union (EU), a political, trade, and monetary body of 28 countries e.g. UK, Germany, France etc. 513M population represented by 751 Members of Parliament elected by direct suffrage among member states. There is a president of the EU Commission, and president, Council of European Union. However, in a sovereign act, the UK voted in a 2016 referendum to divorce the union in “Britain Exit” (Brexit). A year before, Greece was also on the verge of leaving the Eurozone when 25 Greek MPs formed the Popularity Unity.
Great Britain are islands with four countries, England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland. Thus, addressed United Kingdom of Great Britain and North Ireland. The original Ireland was split into two. South Ireland became a separate state after a previous war against British rulers in a revolution known as ‘Easter Rising’. Insurgent warfare was from 1919-21 with 26 counties forming the Irish Free State, then renamed Ireland in 1937, and a republic, 1949. The remaining 6 counties, formed North Ireland, gaining “home-rule”, and remaining with the UK. In November 2005, the independence movement Sin Fein with the Irish Republican Army, launched political and guerilla offensive (3,000 killed & thousands wounded since 2001) to unite the 32 counties, end partition with the UK, gain international recognition, and establish an independent Irish Republic.
Current “Brexit” has caused growing concerns over the future of the UK. Wales and England voted to leave EU, while N. Ireland and Scotland to stay. Under Great Britain, a mix federal/unitary union, Scotland is preparing an independence referendum before 2021 “as it was being dragged out of the EU”. A 2nd attempt after 2014 when Scots rejected the divorce by a slim 10% despite 300 years being part of the UK. While North Ireland assembly was suspended since 2017 from “self-rule” and remains under Westminster.
