Border poll – Page 4 – Slugger O'Toole

If no one wants a hard border, who on earth is going to give us one?

Mick Fealty on April 6, 2017, 5:58 pm

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Hard to know which of Newton Emerson’s Thursday columns to blog each week, but I think the one in the Irish News carries a couple of important points that some have been (deliberately?) blinding themselves to. First, he points out that there is no party integral to these talks who wants a hard border of the sort being hyped at the moment: At the end of last week, the prospect of a hard border in Ireland suddenly receded, with the European Parliament and Council …

The political capital of asking for what you will not get…

Andy Boal on March 22, 2017, 8:59 am

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Brexit has led to increasing demands for IndyRef2 and an NI border poll, and on principle, the British Government has not exactly been slow to rule them out. Nicola Sturgeon is making the case that Brexit is changing the opinion of a large number of people in Scotland [A major change of circumstances? – Ed] and Sinn Fein have made a similar case. However, all of this is apparently for nothing, because James Brokenshire has to be persuaded that the …

A United Ireland is not inevitable – here is why

Kilsally on March 12, 2017, 4:38 pm

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There has been much recent discussion about a border poll & the “inevitable” move towards a United Ireland yet there has been scant detail. Nationalist politicians have cited the economic benefits of an all island economy but looking at the lastest statistics from the Department for the Economy I find that 86% of all Northern Ireland sales are with Northern Ireland & Great Britain. If we exclude internal Northern Ireland trade we find that sales to the rest of the …

Observe the sons of Ulster, marching towards the bin

Gerry Lynch on March 3, 2017, 11:52 pm

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It was the best of campaigns, it was the worst of campaigns. Arlene’s decision to meet the three letter problem of RHI with the three letter solution of IRA worked masterfully in terms of holding the DUP’s vote together; despite three months of unremitting negative publicity and a collapsed government, DUP losses were kept to just 1.1%, with the drop in seats not much worse than the five likely to go with the shrinking of the Assembly. The DUP actually …

A border poll can be held at any time

Brendan Heading on February 26, 2017, 9:28 pm

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There’s widespread misunderstanding of the legal provision around holding a border poll which seems to rear its head not only on social media, but sometimes within the print media and even among the ranks of senior politicians. It’s an innocent enough situation, but it could become important in the period ahead as we start coming to terms with brexit and Northern Ireland’s relationship with Europe. The misunderstanding holds that, following the implementation of the Good Friday Agreement, a border poll cannot be held unless there …

The View poll suggests link between Brexit and demand for Border Poll is febrile (at best)…

Mick Fealty on September 8, 2016, 11:50 pm

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One thing to understand about Northern Ireland is that we don’t do really polls, we still mostly do elections. As far as the constant feedback loop, it’s the land that time forgot. There are so few outlets who can afford real out in the field polling that it rarely happens. Tonight, yet again, the BBC stepped into the breach and tested the climate in the post-Brexit era regarding the business of having a Border Poll. So let’s get to the main theme …

With Brexit fever, lies,lies and damned polls

Brian Walker on July 30, 2016, 4:30 pm

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Lucid Talk have been conducting a curious self selecting exercise in the Belfast Telegraph and finding that, as Lucid Talk’s Bill White explains, “The poll is currently running at 75% Yes to a border poll, and 70% Yes to a United Ireland, and I don’t need to tell you that common sense, and history, tells us that this is obviously not representative of Northern Ireland. Polling companies like ours are ‘easy’ with these ‘self-selecting’ polls as they’re known – i.e. …

O’Leary’s Dalriada proposal keeps Northern Ireland and Scotland in the UK and the EU

Brian Walker on July 26, 2016, 9:05 am

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The political scientist Professor Brendan O’Leary is one of the strongest supporters of power sharing in Northern Ireland and an deviser of political solutions to ethnic conflict throughout the world. On leave from Pennsylvania University and an old boy of St Macnissi’s Garron Tower, he has produced the Dalriada Document – inspired by the ancient North Antrim- west of Scotland kingdom. The Dalriada document is an ingenious attempt to square the circle of keeping Scotland and Northern Ireland in both …

Brexit will strengthen the Union

Kilsally on July 20, 2016, 8:00 am

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Brexit will strengthen the Union, not weaken it. The vast majority of Scottish & Ulster trade is far and away with the rest of the UK. Scottish trade with the EU is down 20% in the last year with the USA being Scotland’s single biggest export country. The Republic of Ireland accounts for only just over 4% of Northern Ireland sales (which is more than Northern Ireland sales to the rest of the EU put together) A report from Barclays …

Kenny tells EU to prepare for prospect of a Border Poll

David McCann on July 18, 2016, 8:02 pm

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Just in from the Irish Independent; #BREAKING Taoiseach Enda Kenny has said the Government and the EU must prepare seriously for the prospect of a border poll. More to follow — Independent.ie (@Independent_ie) July 18, 2016 Quotes from Enda; The discussion and negotiations that take place over the next period should take into account the possibility, however far out it might be, that the clause in the Good Friday Agreement might be triggered and that if there is a clear …

The Nolan/Prime Time survey should be a wake up call for Nationalists

David McCann on November 5, 2015, 12:47 pm

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If you missed it last night both Patricia MacBride and Chris Donnelly featured on the joint RTE/BBC broadcast looking at issues such as a United Ireland, abortion rights and same-sex marriage. United Ireland To start with Irish unity and just who wants it, the survey found support for devolution strong on both sides of the border. For republicanism, it highlights the need to make devolution work and ensure that this place functions, before you contemplate any new ventures with a United Ireland. …

The Queens University Border Poll – semantics, sectarianism or substance?

Bangordub on October 14, 2014, 10:29 pm

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As many of you may be aware, the Sinn Féin students at Queens University in Belfast have succeeded in gaining sufficient votes to trigger a “united Ireland Poll” among the student body. This matter seems to have energised parts of the mainstream media to an inordinate degree, particularly the Belfast Telegraph. Personally I am all for for radical student politics, there is a long, proud tradition of rebellious students being at the forefront of political change and anger at the …

Who needs a Border Poll? – Five Potential Futures for NI

Cathal McGuigan on October 3, 2014, 9:53 am

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We’ve all seen the articles over the last while which offer an exhaustive picture of the political ramifications that an independent Scotland would have on Northern Ireland’s fate. Though interesting, when I read them I have this nagging feeling that the authors are being all too short sighted. Through the science of climatology we know that the earth’s crust is probably just a few harsh words away from crumbling to bits like so much wet cake. How can you even …

Talks on the past, no talks on the welfare deadlock, a border poll? No prizes for guessing what they amount to.

Brian Walker on September 29, 2014, 12:28 pm

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Government by tweet is a curse as it fends off searching inquiry. Twitter is a blessing for the non-information strategies of government by politburo. I’ve never known a time when it’s been more difficult for political correspondents to do their jobs. Is Liam Clarke of the Belfast Telegraph right when he fears a slow slide to a snap election? What would that change? What about a border poll? Yet another ridiculous distraction. At best it’s a sign that the public would …

So, if there is a border poll, what might a Yes Ireland campaign look like?

David McCann on September 28, 2014, 5:06 pm

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On this morning’s Sunday Politics, the Bel Tel Political Editor, Liam Clarke said that a poll will appear in tomorrow’s newspaper stating that a majority of those surveyed would like to see a border poll. Clarke did not go into who would win such a poll if it is held, but I thought I would pen some thoughts I have been developing over the past few months. Last week I was in Scotland to live blog the referendum as the …

Murphy: Does continued Partition or Irish unity offer better future

Soapbox on September 25, 2014, 5:30 pm

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In the aftermath of the Scottish referendum, Sinn Fein have renewed their push for a border poll here. The party’s MP for Newry and Armagh, Conor Muprhy writes for Slugger making the case for holding a poll and Irish unity. On the 18th of September the people of Scotland exercised their democratic voice on the future of the Scottish Nation. Throughout the referendum the people of Scotland engaged in an informed and respectful debate and they have now made their …

Why Sinn Fein would actually want to call a ‘friendly’ Border Poll now…

Mick Fealty on September 24, 2014, 10:19 pm

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listen to ‘@AlexKane221b and @chrisadonnelly discuss the possibility of a border poll following the Scottish referendum.’ on audioBoom This is from Good Morning Ulster with a great take from our own Chris Donnelly on Sinn Fein’s motives for calling a border poll the day after the Independence referendum result in Scotland was announced.. to keep the issue of a united Ireland at the centre of political discourse in Northern Ireland, Sinn Fein fear a normalisation of politics at Stormont. with …

After IndyRef #3: Why Northern Ireland may be the very last bit to exit the United Kingdom…

Mick Fealty on September 23, 2014, 5:02 pm

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Alex Kane thinks it’s all over in Scotland for another generation. Well, maybe. The problem with that argument is that the political system may already be re-wiring itself in Scotland around the battle lines of the campaign and the result. Next time out the British Prime Minister may not be able to count Scottish Labour as a bulwark to keep the Scots and Picts from rebelling more completely next time. Britishness is in serious decline amongst those who came of …

Right then, let’s think hard about a border poll

Brian Walker on September 20, 2014, 10:36 pm

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The political conditions for the Scottish referendum were simple compared to anything likely to apply in Ireland. With the dominance of the proportionality principle in the institutions, the weight of the GFA is against it and a new political chapter would have to be turned before it is conceivable. It would become a potential result of a good long time of stability not a way out of the present near- deadlock. So sorry to disappoint, but there won’t be a referendum anytime …

So do you think we are mature enough for a Border Poll Gerry? Do you really?

Mick Fealty on September 19, 2014, 9:07 pm

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So… Gerry Kelly reckons there's the maturity here for border poll – is he right? – http://t.co/7QNUuyDX3V — Jonny Bell (@JB_utv) September 19, 2014 Well, yes. But hey, there’s the sense of humour problem. And then there’s Gerry’s own wee problem in his own back yard which he either cannot or will not fix. And how likely is it that any UK government will be lulled quite so easily as Mr Cameron was into giving all the goods away at …