Northern Ireland
I have never had much sympathy for the Unionists in Northern Ireland. This does not mean I am sympathetic to terrorisits because I am not. But I do look at the map and in the small island of Ireland I see only one country. When Rev.Dr. Ian Paisley got together with Martin McGuinness there seemed real hope and this still sustains. Unfortunately Unionism is whatever form harbours bigotry and intolerance added to a large dollop of triumphalism. The benefits to the people that peace has brought has inspired the whole world. Peter Robinson must not let this go to pieces. Of course Policing must become a local responsibility.
If the DUP or the UU or the two in combination set out on a programme of confrontation with the Republicans, with whom I have sympathy, I would, if I were Prime Minister, invite them to No 10 for a short , very short, meeting. I would tell them to strike a deal or I would fix with the Irish Government to hold an Ireland wide referendum, north and south together as one, on Irish Unity. The Unionists, a noisy and intolerant minority on that island, would lose big. I would then cut Ulster adrift from the UK and give it back to Ireland.
The price of sustaining the Union is to face reality. Otherwise the’re off.