US 12yo wants to know...what is relationship between the parts of the UK?

[Barb D]

I posted this over on the regular community board, but someone suggested posting it here as well. If you could pop over there to answer, it would help to keep all the responses together!

Thanks so much from an American mom!


Here's a link to the original thread:
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?s=&postid=5323577#post5323577

and here's the question:
DS is reading an article about the fight for Irish home rule in the 1910's and 1920's. He wants to know what the current situation is...and I realize that I don't really understand it myself. I know that there is still conflict in Northern Ireland, but can anyone here provide a concise explanation of what is going on and why?

AND, I understand that England, Wales and Scotland are Great Britain (and along with Northern Ireland are the United Kingdom), but how do the Welsh, and Scots feel about it? Is there still animosity between any of the groups?

 

[edie w]

Well in simple terms...

Scotland has its own Parliament, within the framework of the UK parliament. Wales and NI have assemblies, which have less power. These are all recent developments.

Sinn Fein (Irish nationalists) has now been accepted as part of the political framework despite links with the paramilitary IRA who have been responsible for atrocities in NI and England. The IRA has supposedly renounced violence - the Real IRA has not. Loyalist (pro- UK) paramilitary groups have also retained their weapons.

Political killings have lessened considerably but not ceased within NI. However, I would now happily travel to Belfast whereas a few years ago I would not have.

In community terms there is still conflict and animosity, but at the same time there has been progress.

Across the UK there is considerable political conflict between the countries, just as there is conflict between the main political parties (Labour, Conservative and Liberal Democrats). However this does not really translate into personal conflict between ordinary individuals. I've travelled extensively in Scotland and Wales and work with lots of Scottish, Welsh and Irish (North and Republic) people and have never experienced any problems.

Here's a link to the BBC's children's news pages. There might be something useful here.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/cbbcnews/

 

[KayleeUK]

Glad you answered that one Edie

Welcome to the UK Community Board Barb