Separatist movements

[AdamW]

I recently saw my first "Kernow" flag stuck to the back of a car. For those who don't know what this is, "Kernow" is the Cornish word for Cornwall.

I got to thinking "what are all the different separatist movements in the UK today?" I racked my brain and the only ones I could think of (other than the obvious Wales, Scotland and NI separatists) are:

1) Cornwall
2) Isle of Mann

Does anyone know of any others, or even separatist movements within separatist movements? Is there one part of Wales that wants to be on it's own, separate from the rest of Wales? Do the Hebrides want to be their own nation? Is there a Yorkshire separatist movement (bet there is !)?

 

[kendor]

does the non-smoker's movement count?

 

[AdamW]

Nope, they can just move to France with everyone else who thinks manky teeth and stained fingers are just groovy.

Not to stereotype, but whenever I go to Paris I will see someone smoking somewhere it wouldn't be allowed in London, e.g. when standing waiting for luggage at CdeG airport. And I feel really ticked off, but I can't tell them. Smoking is seen as far more socially acceptable there...

Plus there is that bit in de Gaulle airport where for a year I was convinced it smelled of farts, turned out to be just a really good cheese shop

Edit: just realised you said non-smokers. Not really a movement, we are the norm...

 

[ZenStalinist]

There are the English Democrats, which while not entirely separist want England to have independence from the UK! They were formally the English National Party, but changed their name to distance themselves from the BNP.

Plus there is the SNP and Plaid Cymru have strong separatist elements.

As regards the Isle of Man, it is a Crown Dependency, and is thus separate in Common Law terms, but not in UN terms. There are many there who wish to secede entirely from what is the rump of the British Empire.

And ... UHM... don't forget Sinn Fein in Northern Ireland.

Outside the UK:

Lapland has a separatist movement also, maybe Santa isn't so jolly about Finnish rule. In the Republic of China (Taiwan, but the gov't there still claims the whole of China), there are some who say they should give up all hope of regaining control of a land about 50 times their size and have a separate Taiwan, which to me seems sensible.

 

[kendor]

In the Republic of China (Taiwan, but the gov't there still claims the whole of China), there are some who say they should give up all hope of regaining control of a land about 50 times their size and have a separate Taiwan, which to me seems sensible.

I'm surprised they allowed items out of the country marked "Made in Taiwan" instead of "Made in China"

 

[2scoops0406]

Yorkshire, it's never been part of the UK.

 

[AdamW]

There is a brilliant spoof, set in the future, about Yorkshire separating from the rest of the world by blasting the whole county into space. Can't remember what it was called, was on TV about 3 or 4 years ago.

Any other separatist movements in the UK? No Berkshire Republicans? Or Lancashire Autonomists?

 

[2scoops0406]

Yeah, Bucks, never been part of the UK either.

 

[AdamW]

Aha, an Amersham man, I've got you pegged now sonny Jim!

 

[2scoops0406]

20 years ago yes, but hardly very rural now is it, no, sorry deepest darkest bucks. (and quicker into town than the met line to baker street)

 

[AdamW]

In that case it can't be one of the Chalfonts as they are on the Tube line too... Bah, multiple Chalfonts, the bain of my following directions to Wycombe (well, Hazlemere) one sunny afternoon. Still on the positive side, I got to see Chalfont St. Giles... How often do you get to see the place they name haemorrhoids after?!

Right, I shall have to spend more time down in Bucks refining my knowledge of the local eateries, drinkeries and such. The fact that I know some lovely ladies who live in the area will be nothing to do with it! Then I can place a better guess (I'll just look for the Isuzu-shaped trail of destruction down the country lanes )

 

[2scoops0406]

Used to live in a very famous house in hazlemere (well famous in hazlemere anyway, i.e not famous at all) but the guess was not close, that was my old stomping ground, and I still love it, beautiful part of the country.

LandCrusier BTW, Iziiizizizis, whatever.

 

[AdamW]

That wasn't the house where the chap bought a bungalow with the hope to build a two-storey house in it's place?

Dunno if this was in your time there, but basically the guy had planning permission turned down due to obstructing the view for the neighbours. So, he had the ground dug out and built his 2-storey house 10 feet below street level!

 

[Chris_E_Dub]

'Kernow Bys Vykken' – a phrase sprayed all over Cornwall on road signs, bridges etc. means 'Cornwall is great' in Cornish – often accompanied by the Cornish flag (the St Piran flag); silver cross on black background, said to represent lines of tin in the rock...

Apparently Lisa Simpson is to give Channel 4's 'Alternative Queen's Speech' this Christmas, and she will use this phrase at the end. I kid you not.

Thank you and goodnight.

 

[AdamW]

Apparently Lisa Simpson is to give Channel 4's 'Alternative Queen's Speech' this Christmas, and she will use this phrase at the end. I kid you not.

Carrying on the work of the late Woodrow Wilson is she? Playing a game of "Let's split up Britain"

But seriously, they have Lisa Simpson speaking Cornish at Christmas?! That is pretty surreal!