Remember the good old days, when Britain declared that she had “no self, strategic or economic interest” in holding onto the north of Ireland? It seems several life-times away. Back then it seemed a perfectly reasonable thing to say . Why would Britain want to hold onto this corner of Ireland, when it was causing her such grief? By making the statement, Britain made it clear that the north of Ireland was far from as British as Finchley or Dorset or Durham – that the north should indeed be treated differently from the rest of the UK because it was different from the rest of the UK.
Compare that to today, when Theresa May is falling over herself to insist that the north cannot be treated differently from the rest of the UK in any Brexit settlement. And of course the DUP say the same; or rather, Theresa and Co echo the sentiments of the unionists at Westminster because they know their political lives depend on it. Not content with warping the notion of democracy in Ireland by insisting that the way it is governed must accede to the demands of a 20% minority, not content with warping the UK by insisting the UK follow its instructions with regard to the EU, the DUP is now set to warp the relationship between Europe and the UK.
In a nightmareish way it’s funny. Look at what we’re saying here: Sammy Wilson and/or Jeffrey Donaldson and/or Gregory Campbell are the people who’ll decide the shape of the UK and Europe, and the relationship between the two. What did you do in politics, Daddy? Oh, I screwed up the entire continent of Europe. Now there’s a legacy to be passed down and buried deep in a mountain of manure.
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