The Union: A Cross-Community Cause

The more than respectable Northern Ireland Social and Political Archive, a joint venture of Northern Ireland's two universities, reports here that the Union is favoured by 22% of Northern Ireland's Catholics, while 18% don't know, and a further four per cent favour the quixotic cause of Northern Irish independence.

By contrast, only seven per cent of Protestants support a united Ireland, only six per cent don't know, and only two per cent would give effect to the old Scots-Irish ambivalence (no doubt underlying Ian Paisley's cosying up to the SNP) that saw them with the English (and thus with the Anglo-Irish) during the Plantation, against them during the Civil War, with them during the Glorious Revolution (as I do not hesitate to call it, given the Papal Blessing sent to William of Orange when he set out for Ireland), against them during the American Revolution, and half in and half out of the 1798 Rebellion (the Jacobin, and thus anti-Catholic, foundation of Irish Republicanism).

As part of a much wider movement (of which more anon), is there anyone reading this in Northern Ireland who would be willing and able to contest the 2009 European Election as a voice for the broadly or soundly Unionist forty to forty-four per cent of Catholics there, as well as giving a voice to all Unionists who believe in the universal and comprehensive Welfare State (including, for example, farm subsidies), and in the strong statutory and other (including trade union) protection of workers, consumers, communities and the environment, the former delivered by the partnership between a strong Parliament and strong local government, the whole paid for by progressive taxation, and all these good things underwritten by full employment?

If so, then do please get in touch as a matter of urgency: davidaslindsay@hotmail.com - with STV for three seats in Northern Ireland, we really could get you in.