This was an image I made a while ago using my country vectors out of curiosity when I asked myself a question.
Scotland is talking about independence, and Plaid Cymru and the idea of Welsh nationhood has popped up now and again, and a rather loud minority that make up 21%* of Northern Ireland support the idea of the constituent country leaving the UK and integrating into the republic down south (and so does the second largest party, Sinn Féin).
This made me think: what if England were to be the one that wanted to become independent of the UK? Now hear me out, I know this is about as likely as David Cameron turning out to be a cage fighter, but it is nevertheless something that could possibly happen in some universe.
The real question is, how? The thing is, English nationalism is almost by de-facto British nationalism as England manages to dominate the UK through sheer population and influence, and it is in its best interests to keep the union together, and any kind of English pride often carries with it a sense of unionism. It is only in England and parts of Northern Ireland that you would generally find people who identify first as "British" and not as their constituent country.
And what would England even be? In the picture I've made it "the commonwealth" in reference to the Cromwellian era, but would it be a republic? Would it be a Kingdom? In fact, would it remain with the Monarch of the UK as head of state? Would the UK, having now excluded England, still even be a monarchy? Would it be the United Republic of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland? Almost all safe conservative constituencies were in England, would this mean the new UK would take a much more left-wing turn? For that matter, would this mean that England would take a further right-wing turn?
And then there'd be the question how the new UK would work. Would the capital be in Cardiff or in Edinburgh? Or would it be somewhere completely new? Glasgow maybe? Would the people of Northern Ireland be willing to stay in the UK or would union with Ireland be more appealing than this new sea-separated nation? Would the culture of the UK see a more Celtic turn now that only the most Celtic nations are left in the union?
But enough of my blathering, TL;DR version: UK without England. How could this happen? What would independent England be like? What would the new UK be like? I'd like to hear your thoughts.
EDIT: And for that matter, would the new UK flag remove England? Sorry, I tend to ask a lot questions.
*according to a recent poll