NI and other UK borders

[The_Equalizer]

I suspect you are right. Having a hard border would get more support for SF from nationalists, and would get more "enthusiastic" support from certain quarters.
Could it lead to a border poll? Possibly.
What would the result of the poll be? Well, I think that could be interesting. There might be quite a few "Unionists" who look at what the UK Gov have done and decide that they would rather be in Ireland/Europe. But could RoI afford to take on NI? Is it a sensible proposition?

An Irish border poll would be Brexit, Scottish Indy ref and a good doses of sectarianism rolled into one. I'd very much they would be much of a show for a UI from Unionists. The demography of NI isn't quite as some might think:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demogr...rthern_Ireland

There's a large show for the 'Northern Irish' as an identity. Where that would fall in a poll I don't know.

[sasguru]

You're probably close to the mark, although I don't see a great deal of difference between this and the EU's unbending approach to the four pillars despite the huge damage to southern European countries over the last decade. The whole Irish border thing is a total red herring. Since when has anyone in GB or the rest of the EU given a stuff about it? Ironically the DUP's involvement might, just might, mean that a sensible deal will have to be reached. Highly unlikely though.

Anyone would think from reading your tripe that the global financial crisis of 2007 which laid the western world low over the last decade was caused by the EU rather than American banks packaging bad loans into toxic derivatives.
And that Greece was a pillar of propriety, rectitude and fiscal probity in the years 2001 -2007 rather than splurging money it didn't have like a spendthrift on cocaine.

The EU's unbending approach as you call it has been of great benefit to the Southern countries over the last 10 years - it's taught them discipline and competitiveness whereas before they'd simply devalue. Now the UK is the only country debasing their currency with devaluation (and Brexit of course).

Spain is doing very well as is Portugal (some fiscal problems notwithstanding). Even basket-case Greece will grow faster than the UK over the next few years.

[sal]

You're probably close to the mark, although I don't see a great deal of difference between this and the EU's unbending approach to the four pillars despite the huge damage to southern European countries over the last decade. The whole Irish border thing is a total red herring. Since when has anyone in GB or the rest of the EU given a stuff about it? Ironically the DUP's involvement might, just might, mean that a sensible deal will have to be reached. Highly unlikely though.

The so called "damage" to the southern EU countries is caused by Eurozone membership, not the 4 pillars. And what it did was to impose some Nordic/German discipline on the naughty southern "kids", sure there was a short term pain from the "hiding" but it's all about long term gain, ironically just what Brexit is supposed to achieve.

And i say "so called" damage, because I have a cousin who lives in Spain since the 90's and according to him joining the Euro did wonders for the Spanish economy in the long run. And there is no regret whatsoever in the average Spaniard about the benefit of being an Eurozone members.

I have another cousin who lives in Greece since the early 2000's. The damage there was real, but it was mostly Greece fault for fudging the numbers and trying to play in the "big boys" league. During the crisis they had the option to call it quits or take another round of hiding for being extra "naughty", they went for the latter. Now according to her, the situation is slowly but steadily improving and the "patient" is set for recovery.

[WTFH]

An Irish border poll would be Brexit, Scottish Indy ref and a good doses of sectarianism rolled into one. I'd very much they would be much of a show for a UI from Unionists. The demography of NI isn't quite as some might think:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demogr...rthern_Ireland

There's a large show for the 'Northern Irish' as an identity. Where that would fall in a poll I don't know.

I'd be tempted to say that those who said "Northern Irish" mean "I'm not British and I'm not Irish", so they might abstain.
It's worth noting that the last census was in 2011, which is quite a while ago. The chuckle brothers were still alive back then.

SF could call for a poll without losing any face, but the Unionists would be the ones having to fight for it, and given that Stormont is still on it's 18 month holiday, it would be interesting to see what happens.
Of course, if it happened within the current UK parliament, the numbers are worth noting:
UK = 650MPs
Of which 18 are from NI
Remove those and you get 632
Half of that is 316
Which just so happens to be the number of Tory MPs.

[AtW]

Limited understanding of a very complex problem. For Unionist their entire identity is tied up with being part of a United Kingdom. Any threat to that, such as aligning Northern Ireland with the EU in such a fashion, is understandably a non-starter.

Then maybe those morons should not be supporting Brexit in the first place because Brexit is a sure way to result in reunification of Ireland

[AtW]

I suspect you are right. Having a hard border would get more support for SF from nationalists, and would get more "enthusiastic" support from certain quarters.
Could it lead to a border poll? Possibly.
What would the result of the poll be? Well, I think that could be interesting. There might be quite a few "Unionists" who look at what the UK Gov have done and decide that they would rather be in Ireland/Europe. But could RoI afford to take on NI? Is it a sensible proposition?

West Germany managed to deal with East Germany, which had totally different system for a very long time, EU will sure help here as well - Brexit is a sure way to destroy the UK, this is where it’s all going now

[The_Equalizer]

Spain is doing very well as is Portugal (some fiscal problems notwithstanding). Even basket-case Greece will grow faster than the UK over the next few years.

Guff of the highest order. Just let me know when youth unemployment of those countries match the UK's.

[The_Equalizer]

I'd be tempted to say that those who said "Northern Irish" mean "I'm not British and I'm not Irish", so they might abstain.
It's worth noting that the last census was in 2011, which is quite a while ago. The chuckle brothers were still alive back then.

SF could call for a poll without losing any face, but the Unionists would be the ones having to fight for it, and given that Stormont is still on it's 18 month holiday, it would be interesting to see what happens.
Of course, if it happened within the current UK parliament, the numbers are worth noting:
UK = 650MPs
Of which 18 are from NI
Remove those and you get 632
Half of that is 316
Which just so happens to be the number of Tory MPs.

With respect, there's no way that those Northern Irish would abstain. There's also no way that Labour MPs en-mass would vote for a border poll. Sinn Fein regularly call for a border poll. They did so only last week.

[AtW]

Guff of the highest order. Just let me know when youth unemployment of those countries match the UK's.

[meridian]

Limited understanding of a very complex problem. For Unionist their entire identity is tied up with being part of a United Kingdom. Any threat to that, such as aligning Northern Ireland with the EU in such a fashion, is understandably a non-starter.

Agreed - it goes both ways though, where Republicans see their identity as Irish. That is / was the beauty of the GFA, the Dublin side recognises that there is a border there while the Westminster side recognises that it is as near invisible as to not be there.