The SNP, Plaid Cymru, Sinn Fein and Reform are all nationalist parties and all in the lead. Our Writer at Large Neil Mackay says this reveals major dysfunction in the UK’s political settlement.

The United Kingdom, like the European Union, is less a country and more a political project. The giveaway is in the word ‘union’. To some extent you could say the same about the United States.

The UK and EU are both clubs in which countries came together in an attempt to put historic differences aside to work for their shared good and prosperity. The US is a club of very disparate states attempting to work together for the same reasons.

When times are good, these unions work well. The Empire – although hellish for those on the receiving end – showered the home nations in gold.

When times are bad, though, members of the club get tetchy. Many start to think, rightly or wrongly: ‘Why are we in this wretched gang? We could do much better on our own.’

Nationalist parties are in the lead in all four countries. Northern Ireland’s latest polls put Sinn Fein well in front. Sinn Fein is already the biggest party with 27 seats and holds the post of First Minister.

YouGov polls have Plaid Cymru as the largest party on 30% of the Senedd – the Welsh Parliament – vote.

In Scotland, the SNP continues years of unbroken........

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