With the UK referendum on 23 June to stay in or leave the EU, speculation mounts that if the British choose to leave the EU, the unity of the kingdom could be threatened, leaving England and Wales to go it alone. There is renewed interest in pro-EU Scotland wanting another independence referendum quickly and this is being talked up by Scottish politicians in both the British and Scottish parliaments. Unity of northern and southern Ireland is also on the cards (Eire currently a member of the EU). Some commentators think it could foreshadow a break-up of the Commonwealth, hastening republic votes in both Australia and Canada especially when Charles takes the throne. WfaAR comments: what this shows is that unexpected external events could have a significant impact on our progress towards becoming a republic for reasons entirely out of our hands. We wonder if it will be another 45/55 one way or the other? The attached link from The Independent summarises the possibilities. [“A Brexit would break up Britain – and dismantle the Commonwealth too” by Andrew Dewson, Independent online, 31 May 2016]
Woman for an Australian Republic, Adelaide Ironside, republican poet and artist 1831-1867
Self portrait 1855, Newcastle Art Gallery NSW
