This is the last chance for unionists to make a stand for the principle of consent

We are now only weeks away from an EU customs border in the Irish Sea which make Northern Ireland’s population subject to European law in which they had no representation in making.

Next year, will also be the first time since 1800, local commerce will no longer enjoy unfettered trade access with Great Britain.

This is a travesty to both the Act of Union, and indeed the whole concept of nationhood.

No other democracy in the western world would even tolerate the notion of a foreign power placing a customs border within its sovereign territory.

It is hard to envisage this border resulting in a favourable long term outcome for unionism.

What is even harder to understand is political unionism’s seeming ambivalence to the greatest constitutional threat to the Union since partition.

Sam McBride’s article on Monday November 9 identified not only the complex bureaucracy British companies will now face when trading with the Province, but also the extent to which information regarding the border has been withheld.

This new information, along with election of a new American President, offers unionism its last chance to makes its case to world opinion.

Political unionism should be seeking to invoke the provision contained within the ‘Northern Ireland Protocol’, which allows for it to be renegotiated if it is demonstrated that it is causing significant ‘societal concerns’.

This can only be achieved if the leaders of every unionist party are prepared to issue a joint statement declaring that any Irish Sea border violates the principle of consent.

It needs to be emphasised that this is the central pillar of the Good Friday/St Andrews Agreements.

To show the extent of the ‘concern’ which the prospect of this border has caused, every unionist MLA should publicly state their intention to resign from the assembly the moment it comes into operation.

The advocates of the Irish Sea border need to understand that it will collapse the Good Friday Agreement they clam to cherish.

However, it is clear the only thing which will force unionist MLAs to take a tougher line will be if they are convinced they will lose their seats if they do not.

As such concerned unionists must use what little time is left to lobby their elected representatives on a daily basis via e-mail and social media.

Ask them about their legacy!

Ask Arlene Foster and Edmund Poots, if they want to be remembered as the unionist minsters who agreed with such meek protestation, to oversee the mechanism which will destroy the Union?

Ask your local MLA why they think they deserve to be re-elected, given that this border will condemn thousands to long term unemployment?

Kirk McDowell, Belfast BT5

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