UK in Peril as Divisions between Four Nations Deepen - Guardian

The pandemic has seeded the idea of a prime minister "who speaks for England alone" as relations between the four nations of the UK deteriorate amid "deep-rooted complacency", a senior former civil servant has warned.

There is widespread ignorance towards the union, meaning ministers can be kept in the dark about major reforms with little consideration for the four nations, Philip Rycroft, the permanent secretary to the Brexit department until 2019, says in a report.

His damning conclusion says the 300-year-old union is in deep peril and even major political ructions such as the close-run 2014 Scottish referendum and the following year's SNP landslide prompted little soul-searching in Westminster.

Rycroft said the pandemic had deepened the crisis with a breakdown of communications with central government and the demonstration to citizens that devolved leaders could chart their own course.

Boris Johnson's "union unit" in the cabinet has been plagued by infighting over strategy amid growing momentum for a second referendum on Scottish independence and the deterioration of relations in Northern Ireland following the Brexit deal. In recent days clashes described as the worst street violence in years have taken place.

Though public messaging was coordinated at the start of the coronavirus crisis, cracks appeared as Johnson announced the reopening of schools in late spring 2020 before agreeing it with devolved nations, and ceased Cobra meetings until the autumn, replacing them with new committees with no devolved representation.

With little consultation and as Johnson's decisions on reopening society began to appear unpopular, devolved leaders charted a different course. "As other UK nations pursue different lockdown rules and...