Aftershocks

An earthquake causes chaos. It often brings further chaos in its wake in the form of aftershocks and tsunamis.
The European Union referendum is doing likewise. The old certainties of countries and their political tribes are in danger of disappearing under the rubble and the waves.

The Conservatives and Labour now realise that at least half of the people who used to support them cannot be relied upon to follow the party line.

The public have discovered that politicians who normally tell you their opponents are idiots, can park their scorn and work with the opposition for a specific cause.

Westminster has discovered that Scotland is cleverer than it is. Northern bits of England think the government doesn't understand them or listen to them and deserves a good kicking. They are seduced by charlatans who tell them all their problems can be solved by getting out of Europe and stopping immigration.
In Scotland the Scottish National Party does understand its people, from the Gorbals to the Hebrides. They are pro-Europe, pro-immigration and feeling good about themselves. And the referendum has given them another reason for getting out of the UK.

Out of all this I expect to see new parties created, more coalition governments, more devolved power, more internet polls to test an idea before it is put to an official vote.

And we could see the return of an old idea - the city state, If a union of countries is too unwieldy, why not a union of cities. London, New York, Paris have more in common with each other than they have with the rest of their country. Sadiq Khan, the London mayor, and his Paris counterpart Anne Hidalgo wrote a joint letter to the FT this week suggesting more co-operation.