Thread by @Tam__Jardine

For my sins I watched this:
Brief summary to follow /1

The primary apparatus for "strengthening the union" is a branding exercise ie shoving a union jack on everything. Their logic is that everything is funded directly or indirectly by the treasury inc Scottish Government infrastructure projects so that should be UK branded too /2

There is some delusion that this isn't already policy and the union jack isn't already plastered everywhere from the produce in supermarkets to everything the UK touches already. And some uneasiness over the success this will bring... /3

As the Welsh Sec noted somberly, the EU were very successful in branding all their projects but that didn't seem to make much difference in Wales or England. But it's (almost all they have) so best press on /4

What people (in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland) don't understand about the UK is that all the massive infrastructure projects they benefit from are possible because of the union. Let's leave HS2, Crossrail, Heathrow expansion aside for a second and ponder this point: /5

The people on the panel seem to think major infrastructure spending is only possible in the union and that this has been a huge albeit invisible benefit to some ignoramuses. As if no other country in the world uses taxes to improve infrastructure. Tell that to Norway. /6

Others have touched on absurd points made, mostly by Bowie concerning how the Scottish Government has somehow been given Edinburgh Castle and what an appalling state of affairs this 1000 year old "British" fortress has fallen into (I paraphrase) enemy hands. Good grief /7

I found the most telling remark was made by Grant Shapps when asked if we do not need to promote the union in England (which had been "forgotten" in the discussion".
GS: "You're completely right of course though the chances of England leaving itself are limited." ie England=UK /8

Along with branding there were 3 other approaches. First to establish expensive new UK offices everywhere as we know. Second- these offices will administer the UK Shared Prosperity Fund which is the power grab to replace SG control of EU funding. This needs much more attention /9

Finally, a tactic the Welsh sec put forward is to base governmental functions in "the nations" (a phrase reminiscent of the Native American reservations). They do that then any attack on, for example English health trusts in Wales can be spun as an attack on the Welsh staff /10

A more sinister aspect mooted was linking Northern Wales to the "Northern Powerhouse", Mid Wales to the Midlands and Southern Wales to the South West England for spurious economic purposes. The real purpose is to undermine the country's unity. Ditto Borderlands Growth Deal. /11

They are struggling. It's a smoke & mirrors exercise because they understand well that brexit is a nightmare for the union and hugely unpopular. "An orderly brexit" is what some cling on to but I think the lord who mentioned that spoke more in hope than expectation. /ends