Nearly 50pct English foresee United Kingdom break-up in 25 years

Seventy percent of the English want to keep the Union between England and Scotland, but nearly 50 percent think that a break-up between the two is inevitable, a new opinion poll has found.

London, Dec 10 : Seventy percent of the English want to keep the Union between England and Scotland, but nearly 50 percent think that a break-up between the two is inevitable, a new opinion poll has found.

The poll was carried out by a Sunday paper, and found that less than 50 percent of English voters believe that the Union will stand the test of time, stating that it will break-up in the next 25 years, and only 18 percent believing that it will survive till kingdom come.

59 percent of the people questioned think that the United Kingdom will disintegrate in just about half a century.

Scottish National Party leader at Westminster, Angus Robertson, said the poll showed that the British were coming to realise that there might soon not be a 'United Kingdom'.

"There's a growing realisation in England that the 18th-century Union is a busted flush which is old fashioned and out of date," The Scotsman quoted him, as saying.

"What this poll shows is that it's time for a new 21st-century relationship based on equality and mutual respect.

"Our 'National Conversation' is leading the process for change in Scotland with, for the first time, all opposition parties in Holyrood agreeing that Scotland's parliament should have more powers, with the status quo no longer an option."

Added acting Liberal Democrat leader Vincent Cable: "The Union is one of our greatest achievements and it is alarming to see the growth of pessimism about its future."

ANI