Letter: The Commonwealth is a better club for Ireland to join than the Francophonie

A letter from Johnny Andrews:
By Letters
Published 14th Jun 2023, 08:18 BST
Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar debates the future of Europe with MEPs at the European Parliament in Strasbourg, eastern France, Wednesday, Jan.17, 2018. Varadkar's address is part of a series of debates involving European leaders on the "Future of Europe" with Varadkar the first leader to make such an address. (AP Photo/Jean-Francois Badias)Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar debates the future of Europe with MEPs at the European Parliament in Strasbourg, eastern France, Wednesday, Jan.17, 2018. Varadkar's address is part of a series of debates involving European leaders on the "Future of Europe" with Varadkar the first leader to make such an address. (AP Photo/Jean-Francois Badias)
Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar debates the future of Europe with MEPs at the European Parliament in Strasbourg, eastern France, Wednesday, Jan.17, 2018. Varadkar's address is part of a series of debates involving European leaders on the "Future of Europe" with Varadkar the first leader to make such an address. (AP Photo/Jean-Francois Badias)

I welcome Ruth Dudley Edwards’ (‘Ireland should join the Commonwealth and ditch neutrality for Nato,’ June 6, see link below) call for Ireland to rejoin the Commonwealth as a gesture of goodwill to unionists and the UK, following the restoration of good relations between UK and EU and the Windsor framework.

The UK is Ireland’s biggest trading partner and as its nearest neighbour UK continues to provide security and financial support to Ireland through RAF and Royal Navy surveillance and financial support to its immigration system to enforce the common travel area. The UK provided a £3.2 billion emergency loan to Ireland in the financial crash with UK debt subordinate to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and other creditors. It would be a welcome gesture to both communities in the North. It would help to reset good relations between North and South and East and West and help consolidate the 1998 Belfast Good Friday Agreement.

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In 1952 following Ireland’s declaration to break with UK and declare a republic in 1949, Ireland left the Commonwealth. It remains confusing that in October 2018 The Irish government returned to the Commonwealth fold and secured ‘observer’ status in the French Commonwealth the Francophonie, to increase its ‘global footprint’. After years of talk of Ireland re-joining the Commonwealth to smooth relations with unionism and help Anglo Irish relations generally this was seen as kick in the teeth to both the UK and unionism. This anti British pro French announcement coincided with the decline of the Theresa May government and the most tense time of all in the Brexit negotiations ahead of the threat of a no deal and a slide towards a change of prime minister Boris Johnson.

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With the Windsor Framework concluded and the rebuilding of better EU/ UK relations it is time to reset UK/ Republic of Ireland relations. Cosying up to President Macron, a key player in Brexit negotiations seemed the priority here as Mr Varadkar shored up his dubious tactics in EU with regards preventing a hard border in Ireland and obstructing Brexit for which he has recently expressed regret with an ‘almost apology’ following Brexiteer Conservative MP and Minister of State Steve Baker’s full apology for comments made during Brexit. It may also have helped negotiations on the Republic’s special corporate tax deals as a EU member?

Some of Ireland’s new friends in Francophonie are at the bottom of global corruption league tables indices while English-speaking dictatorships like Zimbabwe are banished from the Commonwealth for their human rights records. The Commonwealth has not been run by the UK since 1926 when all Commonwealth nations were declared free and equal. While the Commonwealth makes a point of not being British, members of the Francophonie must pledge to promote Gallic culture and ‘favour the development of the use of French’.

Surely Ireland would be better served in a club which speaks the same language, has multiple organisational bodies to promote business and trade in a more business friendly language and has opportunities to compete at a high level in the well acclaimed Commonwealth games? Recently the newly invigorated economy of Rwanda joined the Commonwealth and along with Canada are both members the Francophonie and the Commonwealth.

Johnny Andrews, Comber

Ruth Dudley Edwards: Ireland should join the Commonwealth and ditch neutrality for Nato

Related topics:IrelandNATORuth Dudley EdwardsBoris Johnson