The 300th anniversary of the Act of Union

"The celebration yesterday of the 300th anniversary of the Scottish passing of the Act of Union was distinctly muted", notes the Irish daily, considering Scottish independence and the limitations of devolved governmentment. "The West Lothian question - the incongruity in having Scottish MPs in Westminster voting on English issues when their counterparts are denied the same right on issues devolved to Scotland - has acquired a salience in British politics that is seriously embarrassing Labour. Gordon Brown has a particular problem as the first putative Scottish prime minister since Harold Macmillan. On Sunday he warned of a "balkanised Britain" fractured by the twin forces of nationalism and multiculturalism. Such hyperbole, conjuring up visions of sectarian war, do little for the case for the union. Nor indeed do Labour's prophets of economic doom - the EU has demonstrated that still smaller states can prosper happily within its ambit, yet preserving the key elements of sovereignty."

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