“The trajectory is a United Ireland”, Lord Alderdice told our Westminster debate on ‘The Union and Irish Unity’ last week. He explained that the English were emotionally detached from Northern Ireland and talked about how the DUP had damaged the Union. John Alderdice, was leader of the Pro-Union Alliance party from1987 to 1998. But now […]

This week the BBC asked First Minister Michelle O’Neill if she was prepared to attend a Northern Ireland match. “Of course, I’m happy to do so,”she replied. The BBC felt no need to ask the Deputy First Minister if she would attend a Republic of Ireland game. In football parlance it was Parity of esteem […]

Last week I was reminded of British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain returning from meeting Hitler and holding that piece of paper declaring “Peace for our Time”. Watching Jeffrey Donaldson clutching the Command Paper “Safeguarding The Union” and declaring the Union safe felt like a similar moment of desperate wishful thinking. Rather than save the Union […]

The UK is the most unequal of all major European economies. Its finances are perilous and the cost of living crisis desperate.The latest cross-party report details levels of poverty among the disadvantaged not seen since Victorian times.The north of Ireland is the poorest region in the UK. The gap in living standards between the north […]

1 Let’s cut to the chase. The figures don’t look good for United Irelanders in this weekend’s Irish Times/ARINS survey. 51% of people polled in the North said they would vote No to Irish Unity. Only 30% said they would vote yes. 5% said they would not vote and 15% didn’t know how they would […]

Many good friends and associates in Britain have asked why the red poppy which commemorates British military war dead generates hostility and opposition from some Irish people and Celtic supporters. With poppy-wearing season upon us we thought it timely to release an edited extract from Chapter 5 of our book The Blood Stained Poppy which we hope […]

This afternoon I am marching in London to offer solidarity to Palestinians being murdered in their thousands by Israeli bombs supplied by their western allies. I hope it’s a small comfort to the besieged people of Gaza knowing that tens of thousands in London, huge numbers in Ireland and millions across the world stand with […]

One of the curious aspects of the Border Poll debate is how often apparently democratic commentators think it uncontroversial to propose a unionist veto in a border referendum dressed up as conflict resolution. British junior minister for NI Steve Baker is the latest character to argue this anti-democratic position. He was speaking at the British […]

Last month the Irish community in London gathered in Islington to unveil a plaque to Michael Collins at the spot he was sworn into the Irish Republican Brotherhood –  the revolutionary organisation dedicated to achieving Irish independence. But how  successful were Irish nationalists in Britain in shaping the struggle for Irish freedom? Conflict, Diaspora, and […]

It’s Groundhog Day again. Last August Unionist politicians and media including sections of the Dublin media went out of their way to be offended by the WolfeTones concert at Féile, in particular their song Celtic Symphony. This year howls of outrage from the usual moral entrepreneurs are in full swing before the group has even […]