Letter: ‘Northern Irish’ voters will be the deciders in a border poll on the future of the Union
A letter from Ian Fawley:
John Taylor (Lord Kilclooney) appears to have moved from a united Ireland being inevitable to now being a possibility (There is basis for my Irish unity forecast, March 7).
He is right that unionism needs to widen its base of support - he mentions appealing to Northern Ireland’s immigrant communities.
As I suggested in a previous letter, any vote in a border poll will probably be decided not by those who see themselves as British or Irish, but as Northern Irish.
Just by describing themselves as Northern Irish shows at least an affinity with the country.
As regards England or Great Britain not wanting Northern Ireland, the vast majority of English people just want peace in Northern Ireland.
Where is this English opposition? Not even the Labour party talks about being a party of a united Ireland any more.
As to Lord Kilclooney’s final point about religion dying out in Ireland - that's happened everywhere.
Up until the 1960s over 60% of children born in England were baptised into the Church of England; the Church of Scotland also still had considerable influence. Most people then in the UK would describe themselves as Protestant, though nominally so.
It's said that Ulster and those of Ulster origin provided eight out of the 11 Second World War field marshals - any community that can do this can surely make a strong positive argument for Northern Ireland’s future within the United Kingdom that can gain widespread support.
Ian Fawley, Southport