The disintegration of the United Kingdom has been a possibility for a long time Frenchie. The Scottish referendum was before all this mess started, and, I'm sorry to say it, but stable countries do not have separatist movements of this magnitude. I have only experienced 2 Tory majority governments as an adult and both of these have left behind massive rifts within our society. I have said it before, and I will do it again, as long as you have this first past the post political system in the UK you will have the majority of the population kicking the cat after elections and saying 'I didn't vote for this lot', and this is poison which accumulates over a longer period. Like a boil which explodes and brings all it's poison to the surface such a thing as a referendum can bring all of this out. TM is not responsible for 40 years of anti EU. propaganda by the gutter press of the UK. or for the pockets of stubborn poverty which have developed in the UK. - all looking for a scapegoat, and any chance to topple a government through such a thing as a protest vote. This whole thing has simply thrown into stark relief the inherent instabilities of our political system - you have a political party which is disintegrating before our eyes, but still has power and no effective balance to it.