Devolution to the North of England

[3] Alternatively, a potential more successful focussed economic hub based around Scotland could benefit the North of England, as their population centre is closer to it than to London.

In 1885, the historic constituency Liverpool Scotland elected an Irish Nationalist, T. P. O'Connor, as their MP, and 59% voted remain in the 2016 EU referendum.

[23] #ScouseNotEnglish trended on Twitter following the result of the 2019 general election as Merseyside constituencies had some of the highest Labour vote shares in the country.

[24][25] The phrase "Scouse not English" resonates strongly in Liverpool, reflecting a unique identity and heritage that has fuelled a growing debate on the possibility of the city achieving independence from the rest of England.

This divisive discourse, influenced by historical sentiments and contemporary political differences, has gained traction on social media, prompting discussions on whether Liverpool should pursue autonomy through a referendum.

With a significant Irish influx and its status as a port city, Liverpool has maintained international ties, looking towards America and Ireland rather than London.

The petition aimed to advocate for the independence of Merseyside and its desire to remain in the European Union following the Brexit referendum, however, was rejected by the UK Government and Parliament.

Thirty years ago, amidst economic decline and political discontent, left-wing factions in Liverpool sought to break away from the UK, driven by opposition to Margaret Thatcher's policies.

Fuelled by economic struggles—Liverpool lost 80,000 jobs between 1972 and 1982—the city's Labour council, led by the Militant Tendency, embarked on radical socialist initiatives.

The episode, marked by political turbulence and anti-Militant sentiment, serves as a historical backdrop to contemporary discussions on regional autonomy within the UK.

[29] Beginning close to the time of the 2014 Scottish independence referendum, it became a topic of discussion across British news outlets that Doncaster has a claim to belonging to Scotland as opposed to England, by technicality.

[33] The NIP was formed in order to contest the 2024 general election,[34] its goal being to establish an independent country in the North of England, based on historic Northumbria.