‘Brexit: A Nation Once Again?’ by Dónal Lavery

There has been surprisingly little debate within the nationalist community about the possibility and implications of a Brexit next month. I declare my hand – I intend to vote Leave. My reasons? Economic, constitutional, democratic and philosophical. Make no mistake about it, I believe that Ireland should be a reunified, sovereign, federal Republic – with regional administrations in each province, similar to the German model. But that does not mean that I want to be governed by German financiers, who I do not elect and cannot remove. I would also advocate, with every breath God affords me, that Ireland needs its own currency, to fluctuate or devalue accordingly, to pay for the Scandinavian-style living standards which I want to see every child, pensioner, youth and adult, enjoy as birthright on this island. The freedom and independence to govern ourselves, to decide our own destiny and to plan our own priorities, is as remote to the European Union as life is to Jupiter – under the 3% limit placed on deficits by the Maastricht Treaty, we cannot be anything but a Thatcherite state, tarting ourselves up to attract big business by slashing taxes and spending.

But how does this relate to a British exit from the European Union? Well, my estimation is that the UK leaving the EU will trigger a domino effect, leading the financially oppressed peoples of Italy, Portugal, Spain and Greece, to bring down the House of Cards that is the Brussels gravy-train by doing likewise – with youth unemployment in those countries now tragically touching 50%. In the debris of the former EU, a free trade agreement would manifest across the continent, as well as a mutual assent for continental peace. How can we be so sure? The German export market would demand such arrangements from Mrs. Merkel and Mr. Schauble, to maintain their auto-industry sales, with the rest of Europe wanting tariff-free access to London financial and Irish agricultural markets. Now, we all know there are national divisions regarding the European Union across what is called the ”United Kingdom”, with the potential to forge serious wedges and breakup within the Union itself (especially if Ms. Sturgeon has her way).

Given the complicated history between Britain and Ireland, it is understandable that some Irish people fear a Brexit and the perceived impact that could have on relations. But realistically, both nations have successfully forged far more historic, monumental and seismic agreements this past 30 odd years than the European Union ever has, so do not believe the myth of our own inadequacy that we somehow could not have a mutually beneficial consensus with Britain on things like trade and enhancing the peace in the North. Such arrangements existed in areas of citizenship, migration and rights before the EU had even been conceived, and will stand long after it crumbles, like the Roman Imperium before it. Given that it is the decade of centenaries on this island, let us ask plainly – would the leaders and heroes of both great traditions on this island have favoured shedding the dignity of sovereignty for the tyranny of Brussels? Would Lord Carson or Mr. Connolly have trusted the Phil Hogan’s and Peter Mandelson’s of the unelected European Commission to preside over our affairs and most aspects of our lives? Considering the current constitutional position of the North, we cannot continue to ignore that we are helping to subsidise the EU to the sum of a brand new hospital every week (£350 million), for access to a market and zone that is declining daily – continuing to pay more, while consistently receiving less.

It is true that all of the European peoples have been influenced by important commonalities which have shaped our lives enormously, for better and for worse. But we do not share the same mentality as every other European population or citizen regarding the ideological make-up of the governments we elect – After all, Spain opted for communism in an era when Germany turned fascist. It is not the case that I do not believe that other European states are incapable of electing sensible left-wing, progressive governments to run their affairs – It is however the realisation that I do not want to spend the rest of my life waiting for them to do so, when we, ‘ourselves alone’, are capable of doing that on this island. We, who brought an Empire to demise. We, who had the highest quality of life in the world in 2005 (according to ‘The Economist’). We, a land of Saints & Scholars, who’s thinkers and laureates thrive on their own sagacious talents. So, to the critical thinker and undecided I urge caution – Ask yourself, could we elect a left-wing, truly progressive government on this island, wishing to pursue the politics of equality, while stuck in a monetary and constitutional union with Thatcherite neighbours across Europe? This straight-jacket would leave us Bolsheviks in a Tsarist cabinet, sharing a currency with states big enough to out-vote us.

Those who think Ireland will be reunified via European integration should consider the hypothesis of what sort of government, if we would have any national government by then, would rule over us? Is the surrender of sovereignty for perceived expediency as such, a principle worth forfeiting? For once it’s gone, it’s gone forever, in a corporate world. Just like the people of Greece, we would be crushed under the heel of the Lisbon Treaty (which Ireland made toilet-paper of), if we dared to raise our heads in opposition to ”Frankfurt’s way”. My final point of discourse is more straight-forward, the philosophical one – Who are we in this world? And, what are we exactly? True, human beings are not defined by the stamp on their passports. But surely the answers to those questions are a matter for us, as a sovereign people, to decide, as nature intended. Whatever we are, our destiny is our own, not a commodity to be traded. Or as Shakespeare opined – ”To be, or, not to be. That is the question!” – So, to be ourselves in this life, or, not to be ourselves. Personally, I think we are good enough to be ourselves.