Scottish independence: could Britain break up?

The union between the nations of the United Kingdom is looking increasingly fragile, thanks to Brexit. If Scotland were to break away from Britain it would face an uncertain future—as would the rest of the union. Sign up to our newsletter to keep up to date: See all of our Britain coverage: How the pandemic has strengthened calls for Scottish independence: Scottish nationalism and the politics of patience: Brexit and covid-19 are showing up the disunited kingdom: How Brexit boosts Scottish nationalism: Scottish independence could threaten Britain’s defence: Scottish women are coming round to independence: Why Welsh nationalism is stirring: Read about Northern Ireland’s unhappy centenary: The anger and division among loyalists over the Northern Ireland protocol: Why is the Northern Ireland protocol so contentious? Listen to an episode of The Intelligence podcast about the violence in Northern Ireland: Read about the trade difficulties on the border between Great Britain and Northern Ireland: Migration between England, Scotland and Northern Ireland is falling: The return of Alex Salmond and his new political party: How Nicola Sturgeon survived the Alex Salmond scandal: Lessons learned from Catalonia’s independence referendum: Britain will drift from Europe, but not very far: Read about the disruptive rise of English nationalism: