TWO columnists for the Guardian have written articles in favour of Scottish independence following the First Minister's call for a new referendum to be held by 2021.
The articles appear to mark a change in approach to the subject among the London media, which encouraged Scots to stay in the Union back in 2014.
Yesterday, writer John Harris penned a piece titled "My England is in a mess. Scotland’s case for splitting away is stronger than ever", while Simon Jenkins wrote a column called "Some sort of Scottish independence is inevitable. May needs to face up to it".
While both columnists have previously spoken positively about the idea of Scottish independence, the move could show a change in attitudes among journalists south of the Border.
In his article, Harris points to the Tories' lurch to the right, Labour's lack of a coherent Brexit policy, and Ukip and the Brexit Party's popularity as examples of England's failing political system. He says in comparison Scotland looks "Like a model of good sense".
He continues: "In that context, the case for splitting away from England is easier to make than ever, and when first minister Nicola Sturgeon spoke last week to the Scottish parliament, she did a pretty eloquent job.
"Beyond the glaring fact that Scottish and English politics now have almost nothing in common, there is a deep sense that Brexit is testing some of the UK’s already-fragile institutions to destruction. Even if a Labour government at Westminster succeeded in calming things down by getting to grips with some key social and economic problems and handing Scotland more power, a great mess of unresolved disagreements within England – about immigration, the country’s place in the world, and the basics of what it is to be a modern country – would still fester away, and hold back progress across the UK."
Meanwhile, in his piece, Jenkins asked the question: "Was there ever a better moment for divorce from a marriage so dysfunctional as the United Kingdom?"
Jenkins looks at independence from a more constitutional perspective, adding that the future of the United Kingdom is now a "cardinal" issue in British politics – one that, he argues, won't go away.
But while it looks as if the mood may be shifting, fellow Guardian writer Martin Kettle responded to his colleagues', saying that "nationalism is not the answer" to the current problems faced by the UK.
I don't often disagree with John. But I do on this. Nationalism is not the answer. https://t.co/r9G2GgpqMi
— Martin Kettle (@martinkettle) April 28, 2019
The words echoed the Guardian's editorial on independence, published shortly before the 2014 vote, which took the line: "Nationalism is not the answer to social injustice".
Find out more about our 10,000 Steps independence campaign here.
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