The Union has never been weaker. The Tories have drip-fed change on their terms for generations and finally the electorate are taking note in England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales.
Brexit has galvanised the idea of self-determination and the appetite change in society, not only for the hardened voter, but the youth of today; a revolt (albeit electoral!) is in the wind..
Take the Leave campaign for example. When the Leave camp campaigned on thin ice, they had zero knowledge of or interest in what would happen to the border between North and South of Ireland should the referendum result go their way – a trait that they adopted from the
British Governments under Cameron and May.
It’s evident that Brexit has put the issue of a United Ireland back into the spotlight and adding to this with decades of anti-Tory sentiment and unionist incompetence, this makes the idea of reunification more attractive to society; a stable, agreed united Ireland is better than being part of the sick man (formally) of Europe.
We continually hear that the “Union is safe” and that the Union has never “been stronger” – but the people who use these slogans fail to back them up with facts or what a Union will offer us in the future.
In Ireland, we now have the opportunity to change mind-sets and lay out the facts regarding Irish reunification and how reunification will allow Ireland and its citizens prosper as one nation – but we have to
unite the people in order for it to succeed.
A United Ireland is used in the Unionist arsenal as a negative. Its wrapped up in a cloak of the old mind-set of ‘Rome rule’ in the claws of the bogey man, when in reality, Protestantism has moulded Ireland for decades and will help mould a unified people and country – after all, they Unionism will make up 20% of a Government in the South, rather than a mere percentage in Westminster.
If and when a united Ireland is achieved, it’s important to remember that the North won’t fit into the South like a piece of a jig-saw; what will have to happen is negotiation on how we grow our joint economy, health education systems etc. Currently duplication of services on such a small island, is economic and social suicide and doesn’t help anyone.
We also have to keep in mind tax harmonisation, particularly a 12.5 per cent rate of corporation tax, would also make the North more attractive to foreign direct investment – just ask economic Unionists!
Also, the GDP in the South could possibly rise by 30 million to 152 million Euro in the year of policy implementation. Across the first 8 years of unification, GDP gains in the ROI could rise from 10.3 billion Euro to 18.5 billion Euro. In total, Irish unification could boost all-island GDP in the first eight years by as much as 35.6 billion Euro and this could also mean an increase in the average wage to over €9k in the average household. We also have to take into consideration the German Unification case. This is the most prominent example of the importance accompanying policy plays in economic and political unification.
Across the life cycle of German Unification, currency valuation, wage setting, fiscal transfer, and industrial policy, among a myriad of other significant policies, each strongly influenced the accounting and opportunity costs paid by taxpayers to ensure a vibrant, new economy.
We can grow a joint economy; we just need to agree on a way forward.
London no longer wants to pour billions into the North, an area the size of Yorkshire (there’s no votes in it for them!). Let’s be pragmatic and move away from tribalism for the sake of our joint future.
A united Ireland is no longer hypothetical or absurd, but a credible option that must be considered seriously by both the Irish and British governments, and most of all Unionism.
Identities in an agreed Ireland will be enshrined. Identities make a country vibrant and opinions ensure a country moves with the times. Oppressing identities didn’t work in the past, and failures of the past have no place in a modern, United Ireland.
In conclusion a question for Unionism: Why do you look upon a United Ireland so negatively? And can you make a case for the future of a Union?
perhaps if a campaign to intimidate unionists-particularly unionists living in border areas had not of taken place we may have been in a diiferent place>any Irish state that would have Sinn Fein fingerprints on it has no attraction for me even if their dodgy economic figures were true.Bit to much water under the Bridge-You might as well ask nationalists why they do not embrace the union with Britain
We all know the arguments-its just that Sinn Fein need to throw conferences about unity etc-how many have they had?-to their grassroots to give the impression of movement
Admittedly SF are good at preaching to the converted and will need to try harder to sell their dream to the rest of the community.
A good start would be to come forward and be open with the detail of the type of government they aspire to having in their Eire nua.
Is there for example, currently a political system in place any where in the world to which they aspire?
Are they truly pro or anti Europe and would they want their Eire nua in the European Union?
In Europe they continue to align themselves with the far left alliance (even further left than Jeremy Corbyns Labour Party) including communist, democratic socialists and euro-sceptics.
I am a nationalist and would like nothing more than to see a united Irish Republic in my lifetime.
However, I would also like to know what type of country I can expect if I vote for any of the Unification parties.
I have asked SF canvassers and activists but I’m finding it difficult to get a clear and concise answer to this question.
I therefore struggle to see how they intend to convince an already cynical and dubious Unionist population
Perhaps if the unionist government hadn’t abused their power for over 50years denying nationalists basic human rights, we would be in a completely different situation now.
We can all look back at the past and say if.The thing is we must look to the future.Unification is coming, of that i think there is no doubt.Unionist have a choice either lock themselves out or join the rest of us in making a new Ireland for all.