Why the crisis of English representation must be addressed Breaking the dependency of the English regions on decisions taken in either Westminster or the City of London is crucial. The view from Eston Nab, Middlesbrough. There is a hardening consensus that the United Kingdom, as it currently exists, could be finished. Yet the potential impact of the break-up of the UK on England has received scant attention. Widely reported polling by the Sunday Times found a clear majority of UK voters now believe not only that Scottish independence will happen within the next decade, but that Irish unification will happen, too. Without some significant intervention, this majority will likely be proved right.