Like to hear about Schrodinger’s cat?
Imagine a cat in a sealed box with a device that may or may not release poison, depending on a random quantum event. Until someone opens the box and checks, quantum theory suggests the event is in a mixture of both outcomes—so, in the simplified story, the cat is both alive and dead.
Now replace that box with a table and the cat with a border poll. Andy Burnham has declared that a border poll is “off the table”, prompting several politicians in so many words ot declare that it bloody well is not, that the Good Friday had put it on the table and it was the Irish people who would decide Ireland, north and south’s fate, not Britain.
I think Burnham was doing a bit of the cat thing there. A referendum was off the table, in the sense that nobody with half a brain is asking for a referendum now. But – even though he didn’t say it – a referendum is definitely on the table, and will be picked up and put into effect when it meets with the Good Friday Agreement’s criterion, which requires the British Secretary of State to believe a referendum is likely to be won by united Irelanders.
Of course Britain shouldn’t be allowed to have such an ongoing veto. Of course the Irish people alone should decide when they want their country back.But like Trump, Burnham has superior military force and can prevent Irish people, should he wish, from holding a border poll. But we’ve signed an international Agreement that we will only get the green light when the British SoS – in practice Burnham – figures it’ll be won by republicans.
So yes, Andy – it’s off the table – for now. Might you have whispered that last bit under your breath?
Here, pussy-wussy, that ‘s a good cat. Don’t eat the poison. Wait a while. Our day will come.
Very good jude
Thank you, James
Absolutely 100per cent Jude.
Burnham seems a decent sort of chap but then Starmer seemed a decent sort of chap? They are both unionists with a small U but unionists all the same. Despite our unionist politicians rather than because of them probably. Irish independence will be decided by the section of the northern population that doesn’t consider itself nationalist or unionist. Foreigners, liberals appalled by the DUP’s reactionary social policies, possibly gay people and people angered by Brexit. I don’t see how they can vote anything other than a resounding yes to unity? Also, it is getting near to the time when the question of British reparations must be raised. Britain must pay financially for the damage it has done here. If Mary Lou or Michelle want to win over some unionists then having a guarantee of pensions and health care for the first years after unity would go a long way towards that. Even some watery nationalists would balk at losing their pensions.