Richard Calhoun: The Union is critical, we need a referendum

Richard Calhoun, an avid political watcher and supporter of the Union, believes the Conservatives should propose referendums on whether the people of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland want to remain in the Union.

The Union between the two kingdoms of England and Scotland is now over 200 years old and has been a great driving force in the last 200 years through a critical time in this country's history. It is vital that its future is secured.

The Union has been under strain since the emergence of the SNP, originally in 1934 with one seat, emerging as a real political force in 1967 when Winnie Ewing won a seat, and in the 1974 election when it won 11 seats in Westminster.

Why has the Union been under pressure in both Scotland and Wales? It is because of the London centric power base in this country. This has caused the alienation of not only Scotland and Wales but other regions of England as well.