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# Break-up or reconfigure?
- URL: https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/break-up-or-reconfigure/
- Published: 2007-05-11T08:05:23.000Z
- Updated: 2019-02-14T22:36:05.000Z
- Author: openDemocracy Supporters
- Tags: #en, #Migrated, #Import 2026-04-09 18:23

**Michael Collins (Oxford):** Gordon Brown has a unique opportunity to bring the issues surrounding identity politics, ‘Britishness’ and devolution together through a structured process of constitutional reform. This has the potential to engage the public in meaningful debate about what kind of Britain we want for the 21st century. Certainly ‘reconfiguration’ is a far more interesting and potentially progressive idea than ‘break-up’. Who knows, Brown could be remembered as Britain’s Scottish Prime Minister who gave the English their parliament.