With the week beginning with murmurings of a second referendum on Scottish independence, it’s led to lively discussions on Twitter, where #indyref2 was trending for most of yesterday.
First Minister of Scotland Nicola Sturgeon made a speech yesterday calling for another opportunity for Scots to have their say on whether they want to be part of a now post-Brexit UK, but the discussion wasn’t confined to north of the border.
Any UK passport holder can see that the full name of their country is the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. With Great Britain being the island consisting of mainland England, Wales and Scotland, a Scottish independence vote would lead to the UK’s full name becoming inaccurate.
As with all political and social upheaval in the 2010s, the main way people take action and have their say is to try and be witty and creative about it on social media, hence #SuggestANewNameForTheUK rivalling #indyref2 for yesterday’s hottest hashtag.
Naming ideas for a Scotlandless UK were imaginative and, largely, self-depreciating. One Twitter user parodied ‘70s and ‘80s American TV series ‘Fantasy Island’ with this somewhat disturbing creation:
#SuggestANewNameForTheUK
Fantasy Island pic.twitter.com/xMWHno1K1c— Sardonicus (@RealSardonicus) March 13, 2017
With the anniversary of Prince’s death coming up next month, Guinness World Records adjudicator Mark McKinley thought a nod to the legendary musician’s phase when he was known by a symbol would be fitting:
The Britain formerly known as Great…#SuggestANewNameForTheUK pic.twitter.com/v9QBKYhyLK
— Mark McKinley (@markgmckinley) March 13, 2017
Fittingly on a day of silly name suggestions, it was reported yesterday that Boaty McBoatface, a submarine so-named as a compromise to the most popular suggestion in a public poll, was to undertake its first voyage this week. Some Twitter users couldn’t resist reviving the suggestion:
Presumably Brexit McBrexitface has already been done… #suggestanewnamefortheuk
— AJ 'Three Jags' 💉💉💉 (@uisgebeatha) March 13, 2017
Of course, there’s no situation where a Star Wars reference isn’t appropriate either:
The Empire, Shrunk Back #SuggestANewNameForTheUK
— yeahbutwhy? (@MrPaulHays) March 13, 2017
As well as a UK without Scotland, something else that will need a name is the actual suggestion and process of Scotland independence, with The Irish News reflecting the mood of many Twitter users who strongly believe it should absolutely not be known as ‘Scexit’.
Perhaps ‘Scot Free’ would be my suggestion, but I’m sure there will be plenty of suggestions on Twitter should the suggestion become a reality. After all, puns and portmanteaus have been suggested as names for all kinds of countries leaving the European Union, with ‘Czechout’ being my personal favourite.
https://twitter.com/missingfaktor/status/745397014276497408?lang=en
Presumably, the only country without any ambition to leave a union of any kind is ‘Remainia’. Groan!
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