Northern Ireland border solution in 2 words

I don't know why we're holding on to it.  Union was a no-no when the IRA were active as it would look like giving in to them, but it's been fairly quiet for a while now.  They're a problem.  Time to cut loose.

Interesting that the threat of right wing violence is being touted as a potential issue if Brxit in any meaningful form is not delivered, yet it's the threat of the return of IRA violence being used as the Sword of Damoclese if there's so much as one CCTV camera erected on the Irish border.

You'd have hoed Varadkar would have been more intent on quelling some of this more intemperate response to another nation enacting a democratic mandate by it's citizens, than playing into populist anti-Brit sentiment - probably not knowing him though.

There's still a majority in NI in favour of remaining part of the UK.  Also, I'm not even sure that the Republic want them because of the economic impact.

I wonder what the citizens of the ROI will think about Mr Varadkar when The EU ask for a much bigger annual net contribution to finance projects in the new EU member states.

The NI border is a red herring designed to create an argument.
As we've seen it's something they've blowen out of all proportion, and dug their heels in over as they try to avert Brexit.

Other states that border the EU seem to find no problem at all.

pack it in you lot  - do what our 'friends' in Brussels say

Is the first worg "sieg", Mo?

word

https://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/explainers/options-uk-trading-rela...

Nick spot on. Opinion polls show that at this time there is no appetite for a United Ireland in either NI or the ROI.
When the issue of the border first came up there was an ROI team working on possible solutions. Varadkar put a stop to the research.
There already exists an electronic solution for the likes of the differences in VAT for instance.
Agree with DrC. This is nothing but a big stick to try and bash the UK with.
We leave then watch the scramble to find a solution with the EU and Varadkar suddenly receptive to ideas.

Too much hassle to do an Angoose, so I'll just post the link.  Good read and good comments after -

https://www.spiked-online.com/2019/10/03/theres-nothing-complex-about-the-irish-border/
.

The south want unity Like a Bullet in the Bollix , They have no interest in the North have not for years ,They could not give a Flying ... HTH

Veruka giving it the Biggun , A load of shyte .

Can you Imagine the North being involved in Voting in all Eire Election ,Veruka would have got about 2% of the Vote in Norn

Verruka wants to wind his neck in and be very careful his wee world doesn't come crashing down around him.

Swiss-style border

Only a handful of union-jack-pant-wearing, orange hankie waving loon balls against it.


Put it to a public vote and it'll be a landslide, particularly as we seem to be intent on making them poorer and less safe. Just do it and let it be done.

less safe.  the Europhile threat pops up again

the border  has always been the problem,northern ireland belongs to the irish,time to give it back,four green fields one is in bondage,but the four green fields will bloom once again said mother ireland.

The last opinion polls showed only 25% of the Irish electorate want an united Ireland at this time.
It always pays to know the facts.

if strangers moved into your house tomorrow and took over your sitting room,what would you do?

Rename my self Ian

Ian Mohammed, to be sure

Aka, share that poll please.

Remember At this time and the ROI poll was even more resounding.
Will supply link later.

Border poll tomorrow (Source The Journal)

A majority of those surveyed (59%) think that if there were a referendum tomorrow, Northern Ireland would chose to remain part of the UK.
However, when asked what the outcome would be in 10 years’ time, the results were reversed. Most believed (54%) that the vote would be in favour of unification, with just three in 10 people believing voters would choose to remain in the UK.

Ok, will be interested to see who the pollsters are, who is paying them to ask the question, what that question is and when it was asked.



One thing we've surely all learned in the last couple of years is that opinion polls are usually massively loaded dice used to support an agenda. But I'll keep an open mind on this one till aka supplies his answer.

it is the first time in northern ireland that the catholics in northern ireland out number the protestants(1% of the voters)now i am not so sure because it would turn out to be a religious vote no matter what way they titled it.
the republic can not afford to run northern ireland ,they owe too much money,and a no deal will cut off all the EU Grants,so in the event of a no deal the british people will have to pay the grants out of their tax returns.
so people never think or talk about this,and if the peace collapses it will be a very very big bill every month.
thats if it is a no deal.

Cant find the link but have the graph.
Will post as soon as Mods give it the okay.
Amazing that about 3% of NI voters would like independence.
Was at a peak of 10% in 1999 but has gradually fallen away.

Oct 4, 2019 -- 11:44PM, PorcupineorPineapple wrote:

Ok, will be interested to see who the pollsters are, who is paying them to ask the question, what that question is and when it was asked.One thing we've surely all learned in the last couple of years is that opinion polls are usually massively loaded dice used to support an agenda. But I'll keep an open mind on this one till aka supplies his answer.

From the same source aka quoted from:

A NEW POLL has shown just over half of people in Northern Ireland would vote for Irish unification if there were a border poll tomorrow.

The poll, published by Lord Ashcroft, shows that 45% of those surveyed said they would vote to stay in the UK, while 46% said they would choose to leave and join the Republic of Ireland.

This breaks down to 51% to 49% for unification when don’t knows and those who say they would not vote are excluded.

https://www.thejournal.ie/lord-ashcroft-irish-unification-poll-4804372-Sep2019/

.

There you will also find the twitter account of the pollster, Lord Ashcroft, with the questions.

The ROI know that the North is a liability and would be even more so if Unification became reality.

...googles lord ashcroft...


aah, right

the other side of the coin is that if northern ireland remained in the EU COSTOMS UNION then both the UK AND THE EU.Could pump billions of money into it and it could end up being the richest state? in the world.if it was developed correctly .
but the problem is getting people to agree.money could be the answer to brexit?

As for the RoI (from May this year):

65% of voters polled have indicated they would vote in favour of a united Ireland if a referendum was held tomorrow. 19% would vote against the proposal, while 15% of respondents to the poll said they did not know or refused to answer the question.

Excluding undecided and non-voters, the findings suggest that 77% are in favour of a united Ireland with 23% against.

https://www.rte.ie/news/elections-2019/2019/0525/1051603-rte-tg4-exit-poll/

customs union=correction

Oct 5, 2019 -- 12:00AM, brassneck wrote:

the other side of the coin is that if northern ireland remained in the EU COSTOMS UNION then both the UK AND THE EU.Could pump billions of money into it and it could end up being the richest state? in the world.if it was developed correctly .but the problem is getting people to agree.money could be the answer to brexit?

Yes, NI gets in theory the best of both worlds. As for a United Ireland, we are about 20 years off from that. NI is only half way there, still has a journey to take from the GFA. It's still divided, just a little less so. That's hard for GB residents to appreciate - you really need to go and see it for yourselves. Probably needs those who were barely alive in 1998 to be getting into roles of power and influence. It cannot now just be a convenient excuse for Brexit. It's not ready for unification and neither is the ROI to take it on. And when it does happen, it would have to be a slow and steady transition towards unity. I would disregard polls on the issue. There's been no real debate witihn ROI and NI on this yet.

Another thought. If you take the view that the EU is generally seen as a problem, something not worth hanging around in - fairly standard UK media fare over the last 20 years, in Ireland that very same media would have been pumping a mostly positive EU line. The truth is honestly somewhere in the middle.

Most likely a bit more euroskepticism to come ROI's way. How much, we don't know. I think without the UK, ROI loses a good partner at the EU table, and any influence it has, will be further reduced. Tax harmonisation, migrants, having to pay more into the EU's coffers. All of these will impact on the average voter's thinking. Roll on 10 years and I'm not saying that ROI will want to IREXIT, but it will be more eurocritical. Who knows beyond that?

No thanks.

The "65% of voters in favour of a united Ireland" poll mentioned above is

a poll of 3,000 people
who were polled after they voted in the local elections (that have a poor turnout)
the poll was by RTE television and TG4 (Irish language television)
Now, a large part of the poll was about support for the Irish language.
And the pollster was an Irish language television station.

Could it be that the 3,000 poll sample was in an area that supports the Irish language and I'm guessing support a united Ireland.

Polls, despite the understandable public scepticism, do employ significant amounts of scientific rigour.
The sample will attempt to be representative of the wider population.

Kincsem - just because someone is an Irish language enthusiast, does not automatically mean they would be that keen to take on a United Ireland. Their passion is for the actual language and Irish culture generally. Most people I have engaged with across Ireland, both north and south, it's a non issue. Peope are more interested in the day to day issues, such as housing, health, education.

I reckon you get asked a question, one of many in a poll, and you give a quick straight answer before going on to the next question. That's what has happened in all the polls I have ever taken part in.

Another Lord Ascrofts polls also suggests the majority in Scotland is in favour of independence.