Re: Prince Charles, I believe he proposed he ‘might be’ in definition, rather than he is. Regardless of my own view, the royal family does represent a common experience and reference point for many British people, although i perhaps think this is largely generational.

I dont think your views on the Peter Hain chapter was fair personally, he does represent the loose set British ‘oddities’ around identity. The guy is a south african born Government minister, who went from being viewed as a terrorist to being a Minister, then a political pariah. His personal views on class aside, there can be no doubt that the supposed ‘classless’ society is still largely defined by the class system. How many working class people do we see in positions of power?

The irish point you make is pertinent, because perhaps Hannan offers devolution as the only measure of how that country has evolved – the cultural divide is as present as ever. Equally though, you could argue that political devolution doesnt necessarily mean that cultural devolution takes place. Politics is a less important notion in many people’s lives, and that it makes you wonder whether devolution is merely the political, rather than the upsurge of national identity.

I think the question i always posed looking forward is
I think it is a bit of both, but i dont necessarily think that devolution is some bastion of ‘anti-british’ feeling within the populations of the celtic nations.

Good review bethan – enjoyed it.