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The Irish Border - during the Troubles. |
By Willie Drennan.
Let's have a 2nd Referendum. Yes let's do it - at least 7 or 8 years after the UK has
categorically left the EU. And Let's have an Irish Border Poll. Yes,
let's do it: at least 7 or 8 years after the whole of the UK has
categorically left the EU.
A 2nd EU Referendum before
the result of the 2016 referendum has been fully implemented and
given time to establish would be a travesty: a mockery of democracy.
An Irish Border Poll would be the exact
same thing as a 2nd EU Referendum for the people of
Northern Ireland. A Dublin-controlled independent United Ireland is
no longer on the cards as the Republic of Ireland, like the UK, is
currently under the jurisdiction of Brussels.
I do have empathy with my many friends
who voted Remain: who genuinely fear for their careers and pensions
when their employment is somehow connected to the EU System. This is
particularly true in Northern Ireland where dependency on Public
Sector employment is among the highest of any UK region: where fears
of a 'hard border' were promoted in the EU's referendum campaign.
When I voted Leave it was in the
confidence that a totally independent United Kingdom would be free to
control and improve its own economy via trade agreements and other
partnerships with the wider world. I still believe this but
unfortunately not everybody does and they are understandably
concerned.
To acknowledge their fears I have
thought that it would have been wise of the UK government to have
already agreed with the EU that at some point the UK would have
opportunity to rejoin. I reckoned during Theresa May's term in
office they were just too focused on ensuring a real Brexit
would not happen to consider this possibility as a necessary part of
the Withdrawal Agreement.
Under Boris Johnston it seems there is
still seems to be no mention of this possibility. Perhaps Boris is
too focused on his 'deal'? A deal with Varadkar, the EU's agent in
Ireland, that will keep Northern Ireland tied up in the EU in some
sort of 'special status'?
It is difficult to imagine that the
people of England would ever vote to rejoin the EU. In a few years
when the EU has secured its absolute central authority it is hard to
imagine there would even be any real appetite for a 2nd
referendum. Still, for those who believe there will be economic ruin
post-Brexit it would surely be good to have such an option on the
table prior to Brexit being implemented.
In the rest of the UK it is more
complicated as there are nationalist elements who are enthusiastically trying to bring about the break-up of the United Kingdom. When the UK
voted Leave and 56% of voters in Northern Ireland voted Remain, it
became obvious that the Irish border would be further weaponised by the EU and Irish nationalists.
A majority in Northern Ireland have
voted Remain and the Establishment, with their EU-devoted media, are
currently in control over all things Northern Irish. I am still
confident however that a majority of people would chose a buoyant
Britain over a beleaguered Brussels in a future Border Poll.
I
believe the same would apply to Scotland: once the UK has had
opportunity to establish itself as a vibrant independent nation that
can successfully trade and collaborate across the globe.
Of course this all depends on a clean
Brexit being delivered to implement the democratic will of the people
and restore confidence in our economy. If that doesn't happen please
ignore all I've just written.
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