In their response to the shared island unit, Jim Allister and like minded unionists seem set on a course of ‘ourselves alone’

(The story can be read here: ‘DUP MP warns against Dublin ‘interference’ as taoiseach talks up his Shared Island Unit’)

While it’s easy to understand the hostility towards Dublin harboured by unionists of Mr Allister’s ilk, especially in recent years, it’s especially misplaced in this instance.

The remit of the SIU outlined by the Taoiseach was very innocuous, even nebulous in parts, and closely tracked the existing areas of co-operation set out in the Good Friday Agreement.

Beyond fostering greater discussion and understanding between all sections of society, the SIU focuses on many areas that are un-contentious.

It seeks to support North-South infrastructure projects, health cooperation and environmental policy with not insignificant financial backing to the tune of €500m over five years; hardly the opening stages to a master plan to achieve a United Ireland by stealth.

The natural reflex of unionist politicians when confronted with something they are suspicious of or simply don’t like has always been to boycott, never to engage.

Every time unionists leaders have withdrawn they have simply left a vacuum for their opponents to fill and after decades of such boycotts unionist voices and perspectives are virtually absent in many areas of the national conversation.

You can vacate the field to preserve your own righteousness all you want, but the world moves on without you.

Such a shunning of the SIU would run the risk of the emphasis of its projects being shaped by those hostile to or unaware of unionist concerns to the detriment of our shared interests.

It would harm the very people they seek to help as many of the SIU’s goals complement the British government’s ‘Levelling Up’ agenda, which Northern Ireland is a key part of.

As we rebuild our economy after the pandemic cross border co-operation is going to be an essential element to creating long term prosperity. If Jim Allister and other prominent unionists carry on with a policy of “Ourselves Alone” they will be hindering that effort. No man is an island, but we all live on this one.

Aaron Rankin, Businessman & former Conservative candidate, Belfast BT8

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