In the final week of the US Presidential campaign in 1980 the Republican nominee Ronald Reagan asked voters “Are you better off today than you were four years ago?” On election day the voters gave their answer and voted to end Jimmy Carter’s presidency and to elect Ronald Reagan as President. From an Irish perspective those of us living in Northern Ireland need to consider are we better off as part of the United Kingdom or within a United Ireland?
There will be another US presidential election this November. While of course there will be an impact for Ireland, from a localised perspective we have another important vote taking place before the end of 2024. I do not mean the next Dáil elections which may take place in November, according to pundits. The democratic consent mechanism which was incorporated into the Windsor Framework will mean that there is a vote in the Northern Ireland Assembly on the continued application of Articles 5-10 by the end of this year. The Unionist parties have indicated that they will vote against the continued application of the articles while the Nationalist parties and the non-aligned Alliance party have indicated that they will vote for the continued use of these articles. The vote is a simple majority vote so a minority unionist vote against cannot block the articles’ continued operation. The British Labour government has said that the vote will go ahead but it has not confirmed whether they will undertake a review of the operation of the articles if Unionists vote against, whereas the previous Conservatives government had committed to such a review.
This vote will show two things. Firstly it confirms in real terms that Unionism holds minority status in the assembly. A region that was carved out of the island of Ireland to have a permanent unionist and Protestant majority, now has neither. Unionism now holds a minority of seats in the Local Councils, Assembly and Westminster. Secondly that for a political ideology i.e. Northern Ireland Unionism which overwhelmingly campaigned for and voted for Brexit, they are unwilling or unable to accept the consequences. Political unionism is refusing to engage in discussions around Irish unity despite all the evidence pointing to a likely border poll in the next decade. We know that civic unionism is already taking part in these discussions, sometimes publicly, often in private. Those of us who favour Irish unity need to help unionists get a way out of the Brexit quagmire and this policy cul-de-sac. How often have we heard Unionists complain about the Brexit options without ever providing realistic alternatives? Now the British Government has negotiated post-Brexit arrangements with the EU on two occasions. There is unlikely to be a third, unless the British Government expresses a desire to reverse Brexit itself and rejoin the EU.
Keir Starmer, the British Prime Minister has already said things will get worse before they get better. In Ireland by comparison those within the 26 counties can look forward to a giveaway budget and discussions about how they should save their budget surplus in a sovereign wealth fund for long term projects including the reunification of Ireland.
In the South there are discussions about what portfolio Michael McGrath as the Irish Government’s European Commission nominee will be given. In Britain there is talk about a minimal treaty with Germany and a rejection of the opportunity to rejoin the Erasmus scheme which allows young people to move and study across the EU. Keir Starmer has also again reiterated that the UK will not rejoin the Single Market or the Customs Union.
In Dublin earlier this month we saw the Aer Lingus Classic College Football game between Georgia Tech and Florida Tech at the Croke Park stadium. It is estimated that 27,000 international fans travelled for this game and Dublin City Council has stated that it created an economic benefit of more than Î115m for the country. In Belfast we are still waiting for confirmation that the necessary funding will be provided by the British Government to enable the redevelopment of Casement Park. Unionist politicians are opposed to this redevelopmentdespite the opportunity to put Belfast on the global stage as a host city for the Euro 2028 football championships. We would also be able to bid for large college football games, concerts and other sports events. Ulster Rugby has previously been in discussions with Ulster GAA about hosting large European home games at Casement Park rather than having to hold them in Dublin. For those of us who want to move this region forward and to showcase the beauty of Belfast on a global stage, it is deeply frustrating to hear some of our politicians adopt such a negative mindset. We can hear the excuses that money would be better spent on healthcare or provision of other services. However Brexit is estimated to have cost the British economy £140Bn per year according to research commissioned by the Mayor of London. But we do not hear any Unionist politicians calling for Brexit to be reversed so that money can instead be invested in public services.
All of the main party leaders in Northern Ireland rightly condemned the anti-immigration violence we saw in Belfast during the summer. But the three Unionist party leaders were even more proactive when they jointly sought a meeting with the PSNI Chief Constable to express their concerns about the celebrations undertaken by serving PSNI officers in South Armagh to celebrate the Orchard County’s victory in the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship. I am old enough to remember when South Armagh was referred to as ‘bandit country’. It was not a place where police or the army were often seen or welcomed. I agree with those who have said that these celebrations would have done a significant amount for community relations. It is very disappointing in this context that police officers who took part in the All-Ireland celebrations are now under criminal investigations for driving offences. As the BBC has reported, the Northern Ireland Sports Minister has visited more than 20 soccer grounds and attended lots of sports events since taking up his post earlier this year, but has not yet visited any of the 250 GAA clubs or been to a GAA match.
Unionists often talk about needing to reach out to other communities but actions are more important than words. I come from a unionist background but now favour Irish unity. While I have no connection to GAA, I appreciate that it is an important part of Irish culture and I think it’s great to see the popularity of East Belfast GAA. Whether we vote for a New Ireland or to stay part of the UK, we all have to share this region and this island. We should all want this place to be successful and that means to be able to enjoy both peace and prosperity in the widest sense. Seeing someone else celebrate their culture does not threaten my own. We can appreciate and embrace diversity while still being proud of our own unique roots. But we should never define ourselves by differences from our neighbours.
The United Irish movement espoused a desire back in the 1790s for Protestant, Catholic and Dissenter to come together in Ireland. That vision still resonates today and I want to see Nationalists, Unionists and those who do not take a position on constitutional issues living side by side as neighbours in a New Ireland with respect and opportunity for all.
So to come back to the original premise, voters in Northern Ireland will have to decide when there is a border poll, do they want to stay in the UK with the circumstances set out above or to be part of a New Ireland. I understand the siege mentality, as I grew up with that mindset initially. The fear of betrayal by the British Government, the frustration of Britishness not being recognised by those living in Britain, are emotions which I recognise. It took the Good Friday Agreement, peace and time for my thinking to evolve. Irish unity will not happen overnight just because of referendums in both states on this island. There must be a place for those of all political persuasions to be involved in the reunification process and offered the opportunity to help build a new society where we can all flourish. I’m not a betting person but I have a strong sense that when presented with these two options and a detailed plan for what reunification will mean, people will vote for better outcomes across all aspects of their lives and that means voting for Irish unity.
In the final week of the US Presidential campaign in 1980 the Republican nominee Ronald Reagan asked voters “Are you better off today than you were four years ago?” On election day the voters gave their answer and voted to end Jimmy Carter’s presidency and to elect Ronald Reagan as President. From an Irish perspective those of us living in Northern Ireland need to consider are we better off as part of the United Kingdom or within a United Ireland?
There will be another US presidential election this November. While of course there will be an impact for Ireland, from a localised perspective we have another important vote taking place before the end of 2024. I do not mean the next Dáil elections which may take place in November, according to pundits. The democratic consent mechanism which was incorporated into the Windsor Framework will mean that there is a vote in the Northern Ireland Assembly on the continued application of Articles 5-10 by the end of this year. The Unionist parties have indicated that they will vote against the continued application of the articles while the Nationalist parties and the non-aligned Alliance party have indicated that they will vote for the continued use of these articles. The vote is a simple majority vote so a minority unionist vote against cannot block the articles’ continued operation. The British Labour government has said that the vote will go ahead but it has not confirmed whether they will undertake a review of the operation of the articles if Unionists vote against, whereas the previous Conservatives government had committed to such a review.
This vote will show two things. Firstly it confirms in real terms that Unionism holds minority status in the assembly. A region that was carved out of the island of Ireland to have a permanent unionist and Protestant majority, now has neither. Unionism now holds a minority of seats in the Local Councils, Assembly and Westminster. Secondly that for a political ideology i.e. Northern Ireland Unionism which overwhelmingly campaigned for and voted for Brexit, they are unwilling or unable to accept the consequences. Political unionism is refusing to engage in discussions around Irish unity despite all the evidence pointing to a likely border poll in the next decade. We know that civic unionism is already taking part in these discussions, sometimes publicly, often in private. Those of us who favour Irish unity need to help unionists get a way out of the Brexit quagmire and this policy cul-de-sac. How often have we heard Unionists complain about the Brexit options without ever providing realistic alternatives? Now the British Government has negotiated post-Brexit arrangements with the EU on two occasions. There is unlikely to be a third, unless the British Government expresses a desire to reverse Brexit itself and rejoin the EU.
Keir Starmer, the British Prime Minister has already said things will get worse before they get better. In Ireland by comparison those within the 26 counties can look forward to a giveaway budget and discussions about how they should save their budget surplus in a sovereign wealth fund for long term projects including the reunification of Ireland.
In the South there are discussions about what portfolio Michael McGrath as the Irish Government’s European Commission nominee will be given. In Britain there is talk about a minimal treaty with Germany and a rejection of the opportunity to rejoin the Erasmus scheme which allows young people to move and study across the EU. Keir Starmer has also again reiterated that the UK will not rejoin the Single Market or the Customs Union.
In Dublin earlier this month we saw the Aer Lingus Classic College Football game between Georgia Tech and Florida Tech at the Croke Park stadium. It is estimated that 27,000 international fans travelled for this game and Dublin City Council has stated that it created an economic benefit of more than Î115m for the country. In Belfast we are still waiting for confirmation that the necessary funding will be provided by the British Government to enable the redevelopment of Casement Park. Unionist politicians are opposed to this redevelopmentdespite the opportunity to put Belfast on the global stage as a host city for the Euro 2028 football championships. We would also be able to bid for large college football games, concerts and other sports events. Ulster Rugby has previously been in discussions with Ulster GAA about hosting large European home games at Casement Park rather than having to hold them in Dublin. For those of us who want to move this region forward and to showcase the beauty of Belfast on a global stage, it is deeply frustrating to hear some of our politicians adopt such a negative mindset. We can hear the excuses that money would be better spent on healthcare or provision of other services. However Brexit is estimated to have cost the British economy £140Bn per year according to research commissioned by the Mayor of London. But we do not hear any Unionist politicians calling for Brexit to be reversed so that money can instead be invested in public services.
All of the main party leaders in Northern Ireland rightly condemned the anti-immigration violence we saw in Belfast during the summer. But the three Unionist party leaders were even more proactive when they jointly sought a meeting with the PSNI Chief Constable to express their concerns about the celebrations undertaken by serving PSNI officers in South Armagh to celebrate the Orchard County’s victory in the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship. I am old enough to remember when South Armagh was referred to as ‘bandit country’. It was not a place where police or the army were often seen or welcomed. I agree with those who have said that these celebrations would have done a significant amount for community relations. It is very disappointing in this context that police officers who took part in the All-Ireland celebrations are now under criminal investigations for driving offences. As the BBC has reported, the Northern Ireland Sports Minister has visited more than 20 soccer grounds and attended lots of sports events since taking up his post earlier this year, but has not yet visited any of the 250 GAA clubs or been to a GAA match.
Unionists often talk about needing to reach out to other communities but actions are more important than words. I come from a unionist background but now favour Irish unity. While I have no connection to GAA, I appreciate that it is an important part of Irish culture and I think it’s great to see the popularity of East Belfast GAA. Whether we vote for a New Ireland or to stay part of the UK, we all have to share this region and this island. We should all want this place to be successful and that means to be able to enjoy both peace and prosperity in the widest sense. Seeing someone else celebrate their culture does not threaten my own. We can appreciate and embrace diversity while still being proud of our own unique roots. But we should never define ourselves by differences from our neighbours.
The United Irish movement espoused a desire back in the 1790s for Protestant, Catholic and Dissenter to come together in Ireland. That vision still resonates today and I want to see Nationalists, Unionists and those who do not take a position on constitutional issues living side by side as neighbours in a New Ireland with respect and opportunity for all.
So to come back to the original premise, voters in Northern Ireland will have to decide when there is a border poll, do they want to stay in the UK with the circumstances set out above or to be part of a New Ireland. I understand the siege mentality, as I grew up with that mindset initially. The fear of betrayal by the British Government, the frustration of Britishness not being recognised by those living in Britain, are emotions which I recognise. It took the Good Friday Agreement, peace and time for my thinking to evolve. Irish unity will not happen overnight just because of referendums in both states on this island. There must be a place for those of all political persuasions to be involved in the reunification process and offered the opportunity to help build a new society where we can all flourish. I’m not a betting person but I have a strong sense that when presented with these two options and a detailed plan for what reunification will mean, people will vote for better outcomes across all aspects of their lives and that means voting for Irish unity.