Special: The Last Days of The UK? GAVIN ESLER and NICK COHEN on Britain’s breakup

<p>With Brexit opening a Pandora’s Box of irrational nationalism in England, and Scotland and Northern Ireland heading to the exit door, the break-up of the United Kingdom is no longer a weird fantasy but a real possibility. Nick Cohen talks to the writer, broadcaster and card-carrying Scot <strong>Gavin Esler</strong> about his new book <a href="https://www.hive.co.uk/Product/Gavin-Esler/How-Britain-Ends--English-Nationalism-and-the-Rebirth-of-Four-Nations/24935721" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>How Britain Ends</em></a>, and the forces that could pull Britain apart. Can the Union be saved? Would an independent Scotland really be welcomed into the EU? And is Britain in danger of becoming a failed state?&nbsp;</p><ul><li>“<em>I’ve had people telling me ‘We English aren’t nationalistic – that’s why we’re BETTER than other people’…” –&nbsp;</em><strong><em>Gavin Esler</em></strong></li><li><em>“The central role of British foreign policy since the Spanish Armada was to stop Europe uniting against us. And Brexit has achieved exactly that.”</em><strong><em> – Nick Cohen</em></strong></li><li><em>“What would post-imperial Britain’s role be? It wouldn’t BE post-Imperial Britain. It would be England alone.”</em><strong><em> – Gavin Esler</em></strong></li><li><em>“Brexit has led to the collapse of an English myth that we’re a tolerant, pragmatic people not given to wild ideas.” </em><strong><em>– Nick Cohen</em></strong></li><li>“<em>Thatcher said Northern Ireland was as British as Finchley. Under Boris Johnson, in customs terms it</em>’<em>s as British as France.”</em><strong><em> –&nbsp;Gavin Esler&nbsp;</em></strong></li></ul><p><em>Presented by Nick Cohen. Produced by Andrew Harrison. Assistant producers Jacob Archbold and Jelena Sofronijevic. Music by Kenny Dickinson. Audio production by Alex Rees. </em><strong><em>THE BUNKER is a Podmasters Production</em></strong></p><p><br></p><p><br></p> &#10;&nbsp;<br /><hr><p style='color: grey; font - size: 0.75em; '>See <a style='color: grey; ' target='_blank