Pandemic made devolution more apparent than before
On October 19, the prime minister of the Republic of Ireland, Micheál Martin, announced his country was being placed in a national six-week lockdown. The first country in Europe to go back into national lockdown, the announcement from the Republic of Ireland has echoed across the UK leaving many of us wondering when it will inevitably be imposed in our country too.
Wales is also going back into national lockdown for a two-week ‘firebreak’ in order to give the NHS a breather.
Whereas a few hundred miles away at 10 Downing Street, Boris Johnson is most likely quaking in his boots while staunchly defending his tiered-lockdown system.
This pandemic has made devolution more apparent than ever before.
The four countries which make up the United Kingdom can’t even agree on what terms to use – with ‘circuit break’ and ‘firebreak’ (what are they going to do, hose down the virus?) floating around – let alone what restrictions to impose.
While we’d like to think we – as in Northern Ireland, Wales, Scotland and England – are in it together, this is clearly not the case when rules change so drastically depending on which side of the border you live.
For example, if you lived in Berwick Upon Tweed you are just two-and-a-half miles from the Scottish border.
Therefore, it is hardly surprising that so many of us find the rules so incredibly confusing. If there was ever a time for the United Kingdom to come together and agree on one thing, it would be now.
Will this complete segregation and distrust between the countries of the United Kingdom lead to independence referendums?
I would not be surprised.
The chaos caused by differing rules has played into Nicola Sturgeon’s hands, who must be rubbing them together with glee as she will inevitably pitch a Scottish independence referendum again.
The damage coronavirus has done to our political landscape will become apparent.
But for now, all we have is hope and camaraderie to navigate through this pandemic.