The UK was not a producer of cotton. They were a consumer. Of course the UK tacitly supported the South during the war, and it is no secret that had the right opportunity arisen, they would have openly supported them.

The UK was but the "Empire" wasn't

The South had been the UK's biggest cotton supplier prior to the war. If you think that UK textiles manufacturers were ecstatic that hey, now they might get more cotton from Egypt or wherever, you're not right. And those manufacturers employed many, many people in the UK.

The history books I read as a child always said that the British government supported the south, but the British public as a whole supported the North, about 2 or 3 years into the war this was translated into official British government switching to support the North (when it was clear what the outcome would be)

So that the UK could eventually conquer the United States and seize all cotton production as per the original British conquest and institution of the colonies.

The rest of what the above poster speaks is true. If you are unsure, you need to examine history more carefully before you think yourself a fit judge of "nut jobs".

Why would you want to conquer another country when you had vast resources already available in India.

Though if the anti catholic obsession of the monarchy had been replaced by one to recover the colonies 1812 would have been the time.

Very cool name selection by the way. I hope you stick around hn.