British bloc voting for new Eurovision?

Watching Eurovision this year, and observing the traditional Balkan backslap-fest (with a chart-topping hug for grumpy Uncle Russia, who controls the gas taps; the lighting for whose accomplished entry curiously resembled a British Gas advert) your correspondent started to wonder whether the resulting downslide in votes for the UK furthered the case for breaking up the country into its constituent parts. Then we would have (at least in theory) likely mutual voting partners in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Bearing in mind that Ireland was only one of two countries to award the UK points in 2008, it’s hard to imagine our closer neighbours being churlish; the voting structure works to that favour, barring outright collusion.

Food for thought, in any case. Especially in light of Terry Wogan’s comments about Western Europe saying ‘bye bye’ to the entire contest. Why not form a British bloc?