BREXIT has left the break-up of the United Kingdom “more likely than not”, former LibDem leader Nick Clegg has admitted.
The former deputy prime minister said that English nationalism would lead to the break-up of the Union.
His comments came in an interview with the New Statesman – his first in print since becoming Facebook’s head of global affairs and communications.
Clegg said: “It seems to me that the clock is now ticking for the end of the Union of the United Kingdom.
“I am afraid I’ve sort of come to the view that is now more likely than not. The Brexit demon has unleashed such an aggressive and regressive right-wing English nationalism. And that the Conservative Party is converting itself into an English nationalist party.
“It has so little representation in Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and they have to compete with Farage. So the Conservative Party is condemned to be pulled in an ever more English and divisive direction.”
On Tory leadership frontrunner Boris Johnson, the former LibDem leader said: “The more you see of him, the less impressive he is. With familiarity, he diminishes.”
Clegg predicted that Johnson would call an early election in a bid to prove his popularity.
LibDem MP and former Scottish Secretary Alistair Carmichael said he disagreed with Clegg’s comments.
Carmichael said: “I don’t share his judgement, I don’t think that we are there yet.”
He added: “The Union between Scotland and the rest of the UK is a precious thing that you don’t play fast and loose with.
“The truth of the matter is that the Tories have been doing that for years, you see the polling, I think it was 60% of Tory members said that the breakup of the Union would a be a price worth paying for Brexit; that’s crazy.
“It does show just how far removed Ruth Davidson and her colleagues are from the little Englanders in Downing Street.”
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