Unionists are reactive to nationalist aggression, an approach that was never correct and is totally inadequate for our position today

Owen Polley (‘Unionists need to match the relentless energy of nationalism,’ October 25, see link below) shows a clear understanding of the challenges facing unionism in the United Kingdom today when he writes “That’s why unionists across the UK must keep trying ... to sharpen their ideas ... even when they just want to be ‘left alone’”.

In Northern Ireland unionists always tend to adopt a reactive approach to nationalist aggression whether political or paramilitary. The plan always seems to counter the latest assault on the integrity of Northern Ireland and then to lapse back into splendid isolation.

This approach was never correct and totally inadequate for the position we find ourselves in today.

The Union is under threat from three sources at the moment:

• The Northern Ireland Protocol

• Legislative Devolution

• The continued threat of take over by our neighbouring hostile state and its EU controllers

Instead of calling for the protocol to be modified or abandoned unionists must insist that it is replaced either by a Republic of Ireland Protocol or full customs and UK regulatory checks at the UK/Irish land frontier.

If the former is chosen such checks and tariff charging must be carried out on behalf of the UK on goods from outside the Common Travel Area arriving at Irish ports.

Legislative Devolution puts a barrier between the Northern Ireland electorate and the United Kingdom government. It deprives us of the economies of scale that make public services so much cheaper and affordable in England.

It deprives local government of the means to properly serve their districts. Stormont must go.

It must be made clear to the Irish government and people that the partition of the Island of Ireland and its consequences are wholly the responsibility of the Republic of Ireland and its predecessor the Irish Free State.

Unionists must make clear that the British Isles, excluding the Faeroes, are a natural cultural, economic and geographic unit. The situation where part of one island continues to destabilise the whole of the United Kingdom must be urgently reviewed.

It is unlikely that any of the traditional unionist parties in Northern Ireland will understand the need to adopt such policies.

It is to be hoped that the people of Northern Ireland soon have a proactive and assertive pan-UK alternative to consider voting for in elections.

Alan Love. Lisburn

• Owen Polley Oct 25: Unionists need to match the relentless energy of nationalism

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