London faces nationalists

UK voters surprised Europe by giving Conservative outgoing premier David Cameron an absolute majority in parliament. Success of the Scottish nationalist party, defeat of the Labour, liberal-democrats, and UKIP (English anti-Europeanists). On the whole, the various nationalisms in the Kingdom grew (in addition to those in Scotland also Wales and North-Ireland), ever less “united”. Cameron reiterated his intention to call an in/out referendum on Britain’s EU membership by 2017. This is probably an alarming topic for Brussels, which immediately sent a statement by the president of the European Council David Tusk (Poland): Donald Tusk: “I count on the new British Government making the case for the United Kingdom’s continued membership of the European Union: A better EU is in the interest not only of Britain but of every member state”. Other Community institutions, i.e. EP parliament and Commission, are more or less on the same wavelength. The fact remains that with the May 7 elections British history now appears to have made a U turn. Clifford Longley, Catholic, BBC commentator, former religious correspondent for “Times” and the “Daily Telegraph” shared his reflections on Britain’s most revolutionary post-war elections with Silvia Guazzetti for SIR Europe”. There is talk of a crisis between England, represented by David Cameron’s Conservative party, that won last week’s elections, and Scotland, that sent to Westminster as many as 56 nationalist parliamentarians and which demands increased autonomy from the central powers. What’s the true picture? “Today’s situation is more complex that the one we would have had if the Scots had consented to past September’s independence. In that case, Scotland would have become another Country and the question would be solved. Instead, the Scots decided to continue being part of the United Kingdom with a majority no-vote in the referendum. However, in the recent elections they decided to support the nationalistic party, strengthening its presence in Westminster, thereby brining the problem of the autonomy from the land of Braveheart to the very centre of British power”. Is there a way out? “There is if we change the Constitution from a Federal perspective. Scotland, along with Wales and Northern Ireland, could become independent economies, fiscally independent from Westminster. There would be many advantages and the Scots would obtain what they want while continuing being part of the United Kingdom. British politics works because it cleverly manages to bend without breaking, as Edmund Burke said. If they wanted to, the British could give life to a perfectly functioning federal kingdom”. Does Cameron’s electoral victory reflect the voters’ recognition of his economic policy that ensured GDP growth and lower unemployment? “Citizens changed their minds at the last minute and decided they didn’t want to run any risk. They refused to focus on change and chose to secure a good-performing economy despite welfare cuts coupled by insecure and poorly paid jobs”. Cameron has promised another 12 million cuts to subsidies. This worries many families including Catholic and Anglican bishops… “David Cameron has never been clear about which welfare cuts he wants, this leaves room for government negotiation. There are also many new conservative parliamentarians that could be members of the most moderate area of the party, who are worried about the poor. Also Cameron doesn’t know what to do, nor what his party wants from him. He’s an honest man, and he certainly has no intention of causing a crisis in society. There is reason to hope that other cuts will be avoided”. But the criticism made was that they are distant from the man on the street… “I think this is true. Conservatives are in good faith, but they often don’t understand the man on the street. For example, they introduced the ‘bedroom tax’, which took away benefits from those with an extra bedroom, without understanding people’s emotional attachment to their homes”. Is there an exit-risk of Great Britain from Europe if citizens say no to the EU when Cameron will invite them to decide with the 2017 referendum? “In my opinion anti-Europeanist party UKIP has reached its utmost success during these elections and is now on a downward path. I also think that the EU will make some concessions to Cameron so that the premier may convince voters to say yes to Brussels during the referendum. The British don’t really intend to leave Europe”.