Northern Ireland was Britain’s sacrificial lamb for securing its freedom from the European Union

The Brexit deal which has gone to the wire, is now on.

After all the cliff hangers, the gloom and the doom, who would have thought it? it has elements of Brexit, and Remain, and everyone’s a winner.

It will be introduced by instalments, and Northern Ireland is the down payment for securing Britain’s freedom: their sacrificial lamb. Only with the passage of time will its true import become obvious.

Unionist opposition, such as it is, has been marginalised and reduced to a whimper. Those in the community who can be bought, have been bought, and used as a stick to beat the sceptics. Some, more slow on the uptake, are struggling to catch on they’re in an economic all Ireland, and still subjects of the EU.

At the moment we are subject to the sophistry of lawyers and senior civil servants who can mollify us with legal, and semi legal jargon that leaves truth open to interpretation.

Say what you like, Boris is delivering! He has solved the Irish Problem, the Brexit Problem, and is helping to solve the Covid problem: some man, some achievements.

He reminds me of the man juggling plates, who keeps adding one. You just hold your breath and hope he keeps them up, One slip and they’ll all come tumbling down to earth with a crash!

In delivering peace Boris is more popular than Neville Chamberlain. You just hope he is more successful. As he holds aloft similar sheets of paper you’re not encouraged: it all looks familiar.

Many will feel more than a shade of unease because the signs are ominous. He claims to have delivered peace in our time, but the devil is always in the detail.

Don’t throw your cap in the air till you examine the fine print: especially if you live in Northern Ireland.

We are always the butt of the jokes of English politicians. I hope we don’t encourage them by turning out to celebrate.

All this should qualify Boris for Time Magazine’s award as ‘Man of the year’. What could possibly go wrong?

Happy New year. Don’t forget to say your prayers for Ulster.

Clive Maxwell, Bleary

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