@henryfudgeofficial: Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland just signed a joint independence declaration in Cardiff. First time in UK history all three are led by pro-independence parties. I'm Welsh, so here's the sum nobody put in the letter. Yes, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland can be independent and successful. But with a London-scale Rentier Black Hole next door, I would not overestimate how much changes on day one of any planned independence. Independence doesn't stop gravity. It changes which well you're in. #welshindependence #irishunity #economics #ukpolitics #rentierblackhole

Nipsey Ruffle :

imagine Wales in the EU and England not

Emma Wemma :

There’s no country in history who became independent from the UK and tried to come back. 🤷‍♀️

ThE_SIuG :

I love this debate because the people who wanted to leave the EU are the ones that get so angry at the thought of Wales, Scotland and NI leaving us 😂

Clip Central :

we want out this toxic relationship 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿🇮🇪

C.MacAnndrais 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 :

🕊🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🫶🇮🇪🫶🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿🕊 #CelticAlliance #CelticExit

1_2_3_4_5_6_7_045 :

A big factor in this would be the water wales sends to England. Wales gets 2.5 million from the water companies due to the rules around selling water. The processed value of this water is between 600m-1.5b

jimjam :

Water... Thats the solution. England needs water and Wales has it, Wales could charge greater fees for the export of water to England.

Eoin Burns :

“Rentier Black Hole”

James :

Slovakia is the best example. Many said they were crazy to part from Czechia. Czechia had all the wealth. Slovakia is now on a par with Czechia

Your money mate, Sarah ❀ :

Curious to hear what you think about wales having to give so much of its water and energy to England? Surely if they don’t have to give that to England for free that’s another huge income source for the Welsh economy?

Grace :

can we not do the opposite? everyone stays in the UK but we make London and the south east leave.

gedi :

OK but WHY exactly do these countries want to split other than vague nationalism? Do they really think they would end up better off and why?

Liam Martin :

Ye the difference is that Wales produces twice the energy it uses and gives a few billion per year in water for free to England. If they charged for those resources it would go better. And let's be honest Wales leaves the Welsh government are having the crown estates.

David Elliott :

Also, don’t think you can walk away Scot free(😉). Each country would need to take on their portion of the existing National debt.

Paul🇬🇧🇨🇦 :

This isn’t 1922. They want independence but they still want all the advantages of being part of the UK. You can’t pick and choose how independence looks otherwise are you really independent?

Jensen :

I don’t really see any benefit though that can’t be achieved as the whole United Kingdom as most of the reasons for leaving however valid can be achieved without splitting up the United Kingdom

jamesread206 :

Wales has water which looks like it is going to be a lot more valuable in the future

user2383826467592 :

this is absolutely right and it goes further we've been saying this in scotland for a long time. buisnesses that have head quarters in London but do their production or have their customers in scotland report their profit and therefore gdp in London. london is a blackhole for the countries finance.

andyvaughan02 :

Independence is absolutely possible, but “possible” and “economically better” aren’t the same thing. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland would still be next to England and heavily connected to its economy, trade, energy and infrastructure. Independence changes who makes the decisions, but it doesn’t remove those economic realities overnight. That’s the bit worth discussing rather than pretending independence is either a magic solution or guaranteed disaster.

Ewan :

Thank you for giving a genuine and honest assessment of these independence movements. As a Scot that grew up during large parts of the first independence push between 2010-2014, I have always felt very ideologically strong that we should be independent but to get any honest analysis of the situation from an economic perspective has always been incredibly difficult because the vast majority of the loudest voices have always been clearly sympathetic to the union and obviously intentionally misrepresenting things and omitting key factors. You’re one of the first I’ve heard look at the situation from a truly honest perspective. Saor Alba 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

user2936347345355 :

we should stay together but as EQUAL states

jackonthemove_ :

Morgan 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿🏴‍☠️🇪🇺 :

Did I expect Henry to be what could at the very least be described as "sympathetic" towards the idea of Welsh/Scottish indy? no. I shouldn't be surprised though, you frequently come out with sensible balanced takes.

FeaturingShoe4 :

What about a Celtic Union of Scotland, Ireland, and Wales?

kenny2204 :

the ireland transition was very different. it came at the end of 800 years of war and theft. even when they gained independence, the irish government still had to rent the land and buildings from the UK. even now they still pay land rent on government buildings, Dublin castle, and other important landmarks. they got their independence, but not ownership of what was stolen from them. and still had an ongoing war internally over the 6 counties. an organised separation of the uk shouldn't have those same issues.