Most houses in n.ireland except some in Belfast have oil central heating which is more expensive than gas so that levels out the running costs of the main household bills.

Electricity costs are also more expensive in n.ireland - unless you use a magnet which quite a few people do!

This note gives figures on the level of public expenditure in England, Scotland, Wales and
Northern Ireland. It also gives figures for the English regions. The data shown are for public
expenditure per head and are taken from HM Treasury, Public Expenditure Statistical
Analyses 2014. This contains more detailed information including spending by function
(health, education etc).
In 2012/13, public spending per head in the UK as a whole was £8,788. In England, it was
£8,529 (3% below the UK average). This compares with
 Northern Ireland £10,876 (24% above the UK average).
Among the English regions, public spending per head was lowest in the South East at £7,638
(13% below the UK average) and highest in London at £9,435 (7% higher than the UK
average).



members of the jury i rest my case.........................

B.ollox I want rid of all of them...NI, scotland and wales.  We cant even use their footballers because we have separate teams.  Totally pointless having separate parliaments in these places, and then the still have MPs in westminster, just another layer of beurocracy and more MPs and more money squandered.

highest in London at £9,435 more scroungers there aswell

We also have free university places for all Scots but, because if the ageing population, we were told that we need an extra 20,000 immigrants a year to sustain our spending and pay for pensions.

It's a catch 22 situation paddletoe. Any moves in that direction will set off riots.

this is your hardest quiz yet.

this is your hardest quiz yet...............i wish i knew the answer..

Maybe the way forward is an independent NI.
I would have a tit-for-tat policy in both the North and the Republic.
Start with the flags, or the flegs , and adopt an all-Irish one.
Get rid of The Soldiers Song and GSTQ and adopt Irelands call
Two small things maybe in our minds but the catalyst for murder and mayhem in others minds.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=rE49ca6j754     Irelands Call.

Britain has said it has no strategic or economics self interest in n.ireland. Reading between the lines they would not be disappointed to lose n.ireland but I think its right they give the unionists in n.ireland the security of a referendum to decide their future which at present they would probably comfortably win.

Britain has said it has no strategic or economics self interest in n.ireland. Reading between the lines they would not be disappointed to lose n.ireland but I think its right they give the unionists in n.ireland the security of a referendum to decide their future which at present they would probably comfortably win.




correct unionists would win.........now......................but,,,,,,,,,,there are more old british than old irish.......but more young irish than british according to stats.............so alledgely by 2026 more irish than british in NI.......SO?????????????????...............

Probably went unnoticed by most people but at the recent commonwealth games the majority of n.ireland medal winners in boxing respectfully refused to look up at the n.ireland flag at the medal ceremonies.

I think kweeven is being a bit simplistic in his analysis of a cathlolic majority meaning the end of the union in any referendum. It underestimates the protestant ideological connection with the union which and over estimates the catholic connection with a united Ireland at all costs. Few protestants will ever vote for a united Ireland while a small but sizeable minority of cathlolics will vote on economic and some other factors over ideological reasons. A 51% catholic majority in n.ireland will never result in the end of the union.

Rep.of Ireland has never voted for independence from the UK and has
never been independent. Since the free state was set up in the 1920s
more young people have had to leave to find work in England than ever
before because the English allowed an open border policy and the right
to settle in England remained.
Without England they could not maintain the pretence of being an independent state.

Your ignorance is staggering.

yeah but UK, cunning bunch that they are, would change european treaties so that freedom of movement would not apply to irish in UK

I think kweeven is being a bit simplistic in his analysis of a cathlolic majority meaning the end of the union in any referendum. It underestimates the protestant ideological connection with the union which and over estimates the catholic connection with a united Ireland at all costs. Few protestants will ever vote for a united Ireland while a small but sizeable minority of cathlolics will vote on economic and some other factors over ideological reasons. A 51% catholic majority in n.ireland will never result in the end of the union......


Absolute red herring paddletoe....catholic/protestant................its irish v british....religion does not come into it.....it just so happens most british are protestant,while most irish are catholic.....but you get irish protestants and british catholics....it will not be like scotland vote, the irish will vote for one Island no matter what hardship what may or may not come.....imvho

lfc1971     01 Dec 14 10:12 
If there was a vote north and south of the border on a united Ireland,
or Ireland north and south becoming part of the UK with the proviso that
independence would mean losing the right to live and work in Englasnd
then most people would opt to be part of the union.

Lithuanians, Poles and Romanians can come and go at will. How do you propose the British govt stops the Irish doing the same? Vote UKIP?

I don't mean to say catholic nationalists from the north of Ireland would not vote in a big majority for a united Ireland. They will. Its just they don't put their flag before everything else and will not be happy if the only thing they are changing is the colour of their flag. They want an inclusive and fair society more than they need a flag to tell them who they are.