"and if there was an English independence party"

It'll never happen. The second the flag of St. George is waved you'll start hearing cries of 'racists', 'fascists' or whatever; associations will be made with skinheads, right-wingers etc. This issue is at the heart of a struggle for identity for English people. To many, the overt displays of nationalism seen in Scotland, Ireland and Wales are something to be envied and they don't see why they can't do the same. However, this view is tempered by a sort of collective guilt for the events of the past, although I think these are spun in some quarters to further nationalist agendas; I also think the true struggle has always been a class issue to a degree and the more visionary militants (Winstanley, Connelly, Marx, Paine) of the past have recognised this. To many from Scotland, Ireland and Wales any display of English nationalism is seen as threatening and living proof the old enemy is still on the march towards imperialism. Until the home countries can truly learn to accept the past is done and we can coexist, and we can each express our national identity in non-threatening ways then things will stay as they are. I strongly believe a radical re-assessment of the history of the Isles since the Norman invasion from a class perspective would enable us all to see our modern relationships in a new light.

It's a problem. I strongly believe in independence for all the home nations, but I also believe that we're all more closely related than most countries and this is a strength that should be built upon. I personally am not a flag-waver or a nationalist of any sort, but I'm also not willing to let any my cultural heritage(s) go meekly into the night, either wandering lost or forced out by others.

"I just don't like London telling us what to do."

What you call England, the English call London (er, sort of). What I mean is the Isles have been ruled from the South-East of England since the arrival of William the Bastard and that area of England has had a disproportionate influence on all of the home countries and many English counties ever since. What it might interest out neighbours to know is for many English people the government in London is as ignorant, misunderstanding and uncaring of their cultures as they are of yours. Fact. Always have been, always will be.

So we don't like London telling us what to do either.