As England hurtles towards a no-deal Brexit or a no-Brexit deal, it is worth remembering some of the other times that our leaders and the people made similar decisions, and what happened. Unfortunately, most history is propaganda, and schoolchildren are brought up to think of our ancestors as great heroes, and our past becomes a myth, the Myth of England. This book sets out the real history of England’s rampant past. Available from Amazon
Tony Milne 
Does he mean England or the UK? They ain’t the same. Or do we lump Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland as appendages of England?
LikeLike
Hi, usually, when I say England, I mean England. The UK is different, I agree, although I doubt that anyone could easily define exactly what it is. My work relates to taxation, so England is the tax collecting entity, which in reality excludes Jersey, Man and Gib, but includes Scotland, Wales and N Ireland. Sometimes, Scots like Blair and Brown are figurehead leaders, at other times, Welshmen like Kinnock and Hague threaten, but not since Lloyd George has one sat on the throne.
LikeLike
“Scots like Blair and Brown”, “Welshmen like Kinnock and Hague”. I’ve no idea where Blair slivered out from under a stone but judging by has accent it wasn’t Scotland. As for Hague being a Welshman, well that’s easy. How long has North Yorkshire been in Wales.
LikeLike
England is not the tax collecting entity. England currently has the same status in the UK as Scotland, i.e. both countries are part of the UK. HMRC is a UK entity.
LikeLike
It’s people like you that give the Nats in Scotland and Wales ammunition to call for independence! Scotland and Wales are not part of England, we are part of the UK, and, btw, Scotland collects its own income tax. I also don’t remember a King Lloyd George. Methinks a wee bit more research needed before writing anything else
LikeLike
Hi, Stephen, thanks for your comments. On the ammunition front, I would say that any demands for independence, for greater sovereignity, such as those made by Brexiteers, will encourage others in any country, such as Scotland or Wales, to make their own demands for independence. The evidence in my books is clear: economically, this would be a disaster. Equally, and this is where you are right, most people (maybe only a majority of 52% against the minority of 48%) would prefer an economic and humanitarian catastrophe in which we claimed victory in the slaughter of Spaniards, French or Germans, to steady and boring economic and demographic growth. But I can hardly be accused of providing ammunition to those Scots who dream of William Wallace, who was but a murderer of English and Scots who got in the way of his sword, or Llewellyn. There are thousands of history books that do that.
Anyway, as far as Lloyd George is concerned, in my books, I refer to the tax-collector as the most important role in a tax territory, and in Britain’s parliamentary democracy that is usually the prime minister as head of government. the queen or king is a figurehead, and while wielding some powers, is unconcerned with the day to day taxation of the tax-payers.
Thanks for pointing out that Scotland collects its own taxes; I was not aware of that. in general, I would say that that is a good thing, as it avoids oppression. it then depends on what the money so raised is spent on; good communications is the priority for economic growth, but in Scotland it seems to be mostly spent on buying votes amongst poor people. Estimable ethics, but poor economics. If Scotland has to rely on handouts from England then I can’t see independence coming any time soon.
LikeLike