English people have no empathy with people on the Northern Ireland side of Irish Sea

A letter from Gerard O’Boyle:
Letter to the editorLetter to the editor
Letter to the editor

That the United Kingdom is perfectly happy to retain the Northern Ireland Protocol should not come as a major shock to anyone.

After 37 years living in England it has long ago become abundantly clear that people here have absolutely no affinity or empathy with those of you across the Irish Sea.

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The resurgence of English nationalism has been accompanied with a resentment at what they perceive as subsidising the other three nations with generous subventions.

My self respect would not allow me to force my company where it wasn’t wanted.

Unionists have three options.

Firstly they could strive to integrate a sufficient number of nationalists so that they identify with Northern Ireland and therefore do not feel they have to look outside the present arrangements to lead happy fulfilled lives.

The second option is to choose independence and replace the UK subvention with one from the European Union by rejoining as one of the poorer nations.

Lastly a new arrangement with the Republic.

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Ironically the last option may be preferable to one where Sinn Fein is the largest party and call the shots in the Province.

Their power could be nullified by coalescing with Fianna Fail and / or Fine Gael as Sinn Fein only command 25% of the vote in the south.

As regards the protocol itself there is little point throwing a tantrum and sulking, possibly alienating those Irish MEPs who tried to support a mitigation in the European Parliament by boycotting north-south meetings which will achieve zero return.

When a football team leaves the field they forfeit the game and leave a vacuum.

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Being in both the EU and the UK needs to be exploited and a carefully crafted alternative offered to ameliorate some of the more restraining clauses.

Gerard O’Boyle, Devon

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