Yahoo News 'This is a test for Britain' - Telegraph readers on the seemingly secret agenda to reunite Ireland
Amidst the trade row over Northern Ireland is a battle which could threaten the future of the UK. In his piece, Gordon Rayner explores how clashes over the Northern Ireland Protocol mask a not-so-hidden agenda to reunite Ireland. Unionists believe this is the true reason for the Republic of Ireland’s recent belligerence.
There has been increasing talk south of the border of an “all-island economy”, viewed by many in the north as code for a united Ireland.
Meanwhile, Brussels’s foot-dragging over a permanent fix to the Northern Ireland Protocol - which governs trade to the north from Britain and the EU - is motivated, some believe, by a desire to see Britain punished for Brexit.
What are your views on the seemingly secret agenda to reunite Ireland? Read on to see what our readers think and share your own view in the comments section at the bottom of this article.
'Northern Ireland is almost lost to the UK'
@Peter Gardner:
"The EU, Ireland and Biden's intention to reunite Ireland has been obvious for some time. Time is on their side as businesses cannot afford to play politics, so must divert trade north-south to survive. By the time the UK believes it has sufficient evidence to invoke Article 16 of the Protocol and to justify it beyond doubt, it will be too late.
"There will come a time when too many businesses have realigned and done so on a long term basis that forcing them to change back to east-west trade will simply cause yet more damage and resentment. That is almost the case now, which means Northern Ireland is almost lost to the UK. That it is obvious the EU merely hardens its position. It will never re-negotiate the NIP because it is winning Northern Ireland."
'This is a test, Britain'
@JD CO:
"The Irish are not the loveable downtrodden that they like to portray. They do very well from playing the EU off against the UK. We give them unfettered access to our labour market, welfare state and without any residency restrictions. We even give them voting rights in our country.
“This is a test, Britain. Either you’re willing to fight to defend the integrity of your country, or you’re going to roll over and capitulate to every grievance against us.”
'Remove the protocol as soon as possible'
@Fred Annandale:
"The time has come to forget a UK/US agreement whilst this bunch is in power and to concentrate on removing the protocol as soon as possible. We are dealing with a bunch of bent politicians, both in the EU and the Democrat party, all we need is a prime minister with sufficient courage to get the job done."
'It is too late for the UK to avoid a fight with the EU, Ireland and Joe Biden'
@Peter Gardner:
"Suspending operation of the NIP does not mean tearing it up, which the alarmist media likes to call such action. The UK can simply keep it in place and by suspending it gain legal treaty cover to send the EU officials in Northern Ireland back to the EU and start operating the border as it wishes, carefully managing the risk of goods moving through Northern Ireland and south through the border - not a difficult task. The UK would comply with data sharing requirements of the Protocol and inform the EU of all goods movements and VAT north-south. There would be no physical infrastructure on the border with Ireland. The UK has always maintained that this can be done within the terms of the Protocol. By removing EU officials from Northern Ireland's ports, the UK can set about demonstrating it in practice.
"Having done that, the vote on continuing the protocol can be held in the Northern Ireland Assembly within the terms of the WA/NIP and the permanent way ahead established: terminate the Protocol or keep it as implemented by the UK.
"The EU would, of course, institute retaliatory measures as it is, incredibly, entitled to do by the terms of WA/NIP. But if the UK is successful in Northern Ireland, the EU would not have a case that would pass any unbiased arbitration.
"It is already too late for the UK to avoid a fight with the EU, Ireland and, now, Joe Biden, to keep Northern Ireland. Doing nothing now will ensure it loses. The sooner it acts and does so decisively and within the terms of the Protocol, the better its chances of not being defeated."
'Hard to see how the reunification of Ireland can be avoided in the long term'
@Martin Lawrence:
"None of those who campaigned for Brexit ever came up with a solution for the Northern Ireland problem, preferring instead to wave it away with an ‘it’ll be alright on the night’ dismissal.
"It won’t be, and the treaty signed by the present shower in office just cements the problem.
"Chickens coming home to roost. Very hard to see how reunification of Ireland can be avoided in the long term. Another legacy to write in the side of the bus."
'The Republic cannot afford to take on the six counties in the North'
@Lindsay Haslett:
"The EU is no friend of Great Britain or Northern Ireland, and the Republic simply cannot afford to take on the six counties in the North.
"The dilemma for Unionists - I am one, albeit living in England - is that although the Ulster Unionist Party is growing again, they will feel compelled next year to vote DUP in order to counter the threat of Sinn Féin. This binary endgame was created by Tony Blair when he marginalised moderacy (UUP/SDLP) in NI in favour of promoting extremism (SF/DUP).
"Boris Johnson sold Unionism down the river with the NI Protocol, and the consequences of this for the integrity of the Union have yet to be fully felt. Trouble lies ahead, and the EU - and Biden’s administration - clearly have no idea how dangerous loyalist paramilitaries will be to peace and security in the future."
'Reunification would offer the benefit of ending the big imponderable in Brexit'
@John Rux-Burton:
"It is clear that we remain a pain in the neck to the EU. We never implement agreements, and we spread anti EU propaganda.
"Reunification would offer the benefit of ending the big imponderable in Brexit, if (and it’s a big if) they can achieve it without an ongoing terrorist problem. It’s worth putting a pile of EU funding into NI, like they have in other parts of Europe. Indeed, creating the sense they are sorting out what the English simply exacerbated for centuries would be good optics. Tremendous for strengthening transatlantic ties.
"But as well as carrot, there is stick. They know that whilst it is our responsibility as signatories to the GFA to maintain a free border and all the rights of citizens in NI because we made the change in NI's status, they realise if there is bloodshed some will try and blame them. NI is therefore a risk to them which reunification could remove.
"It is utterly logical that the EU is working to this end. The malign part is that it’s out of spite. Of course that is possible, but so compelling is the logic, spite is not required. Rather, a naive bonhomie would be required not to work for reunification.
"The journalist’s immediate assumption that dark forces are at work is precisely why the EU would like to have to deal with us as little as possible, and a driver of the interest in the said reunification."
'I can't help but think that Irish politicians are incredibly naive'
@Marco Troisi:
"I live in NI, and frankly I can’t help but think that Irish politicians are incredibly naive if they think that an all-Ireland economy would facilitate reunification.
"Right now, as a result of the NI protocol, we are starting to get a sense of what it would look like to be part of a small Country like Ireland Vs a bigger one like the UK. The picture does not look good. Prices have gone up, products are missing from the shelves and online shopping has got a lot worse.
"And this is only affecting goods. In terms of services, we are still benefiting from being in the UK. Reunification would mean giving that up as well. At the moment, if I need to get a mortgage or a loan, there are literally tens of banks and credit unions in the UK. In the Republic? Three banks in total, one of which will probably close shop soon.
"I can’t imagine anyone having much appetite for that. Unless, of course, you’re an Irish republican, in which case reunification is a matter of religion."
'Let them go - they deserve each other'
@Sebastian de Winter:
"The nationalist mood and self-confidence are greater than any time I can recall (I am now 60).
"'Back home there is a palpable momentum, and if it continues to enjoy renewed American backing, one can only guess at the outcome and the time frame. The resulting resurgence of violence will prove equally brutal and shocking, and the South will have plenty of time to regret at leisure.
"Personally, as a Belfast boy happily living in glorious, straightforward and 'balanced' Wiltshire, I say let them go - they deserve each other, and I won't miss them one bit."
'The realities are too difficult, too complicated and too expensive'
@Jeffrey Hobbs:
"Irish unification is one of those ideas that everyone talks about, some people aspire to, and a few people try to bring about, but which will not happen because the realities are too difficult, too complicated and too expensive. The same applies to Scottish and Welsh independence.
"Celtic nationalism is embedded in the politics of the UK, but it has been around for a long time, and it is not going to achieve its aims."
'The Irish problems would no longer be the UK’s problem'
@David Arundel:
"Punishment for the UK? Perhaps it could turn out to be the opposite, the Irish problems would no longer be the UK’s problem, and the money saved could be spent instead in the rest of the UK.
"It could turn out instead as punishment for the Republic of Ireland and also the EU, who would then have to support NI and contain any trouble that would be likely to happen there.
"Also, the UK would have no land border with the EU, so the EU would have something less to punish the UK with."
