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# What change could preserve the union?
- URL: https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/what-change-could-preserve-the-union/
- Published: 2007-11-01T14:11:58.000Z
- Updated: 2019-02-14T22:38:06.000Z
- Author: openDemocracy Supporters
- Tags: #en, #Migrated, #Import 2026-04-09 18:31

**Jon Bright (London,** [**OK**](http://ourkingdom.opendemocracy.net/?ref=opendemocracy.net)**):** Thanks to [Matt Wardman](http://www.mattwardman.com/blog/2007/10/31/constitutional-options-preserving-the-kingdom/?ref=opendemocracy.net) for directing me to [Ordovicius' translation](http://this-is-sparta.blogspot.com/2007/10/preserving-kingdom-links.html?ref=opendemocracy.net) of Richard Wyn Jones' recent talks on the subject of devolution and the future of the UK. Jones, of Aberystwyth University, outlines five possible answers to the English question - five possible ways of preserving the UK - each of which is riddled with problems. He concludes that none of them is a satisfactory answer, and that only the 'nationalists' (English nationalists that is) have developed a coherent constitutional solution to the current problem - albeit one that won't do much for the Union. On one thing Jones is settled, however - in the words of Burke, "change is needed, so that things can say the same". The question is, if you are a unionist, what change?

UPDATE: David Hayes from the main openDemocracy site has pointed out to me that this is actually a quote from Lampedusa's '[The Leopard](http://www.opendemocracy.net/democracy-newright/sicily%5F3602.jsp)' - "If we want everything to stay the same, then everything must change".