I assume, as a unionist, the man would be loyal to his government in London who I am sure are doing their upmost to maintain the Union between “Northern Ireland” and Great Britain. That nice man, the British Prime Minister, Mr Rishi Sunak has been running his blood to water for the likes of Mr Brooker yet, it appears, he has not yet done enough to satisfy this loyal Orangeman, well that’s bloody gratitude for you!
Mr Brooker opposes the deal made between the United Kingdom Government and the European Union recently which has become known as the “Windsor Framework”. According to Stuart Brooker and, it would seem, many other men of the Loyal Orange Order, along with elements within the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) this deal, which to any rationale thinking person offers everything to the six-counties not enjoyed by the rest of the UK, he thinks will “erode his Britishness” whatever that is.
There is nothing in that agreement, as far as I and others can gather, which will interfere one jot with this perceived “Britishness” but still Mr Brooker is not happy. The “Winsor Framework” was agreed to replace the “Northern Ireland Protocol” which, again, for some reason caused much offence to many unionists and infuriated loyalists. So, the Protocol has gone, as requested, and the “Windsor Framework” is in. It is a sovereign agreement between the government of “His Majesty, King Charles III” who Mr Brooker and the likes of swear undying loyalty to and the European Union. It is not something the “Northern Ireland Assembly”, even if it were sitting, could override. It does not have such powers.
“We can go right back to 1985 the Anglo-Irish Agreement and from all those years ago we can see things being chipped away, a little bit at a time” he remarked. He considers it of “great concern to himself and unionists in general”! Could Stuart Brooker's fears be well founded? Possibly, and possibly not. If he feels going into a united Ireland will take away his “Britishness” - and by that I can only assume he means culture and citizenship, then I don’t think it will. There are many people residing in the twenty-six counties who have maintained their British citizenship, having come across to live from London, Liverpool, Birmingham, Manchester, Sheffield the list is endless.
So why then should Mr Brooker surrender his British citizenship and identity? The only difference is if a person does not become an Irish citizen, then in Presidential and constitutional elections they do not get the vote. All other elections, providing residence is registered, a vote is given including a general election. Just as these people have come from Britain to live, some have taken out Irish citizenship while others have not. The same will apply to Mr Brooker from Fermanagh. The only difference, and advantage, would be for Mr Brooker is he would be entitled to a British and/or an Irish passport automatically unlike the people from Britain who are not. He is on a winner all the way but, for some obscure reason, he cannot see that, are he and the lads and lasses in the DUP suffering from some kind of arrested mental development which causes some kind of desire to self-harm?
If on the other hand, Mr Brookers meaning of “Britishness” means being allowed to march down a street with a big drum shouting how much he hates “Taigs” (Catholics) then yes, his fears may be justified. There is no room for sectarianism or racism in the twenty-six counties and that includes anti-Semitism and sectarianism of any kind. But that is not, in any part of Britain proper, across the pond, how most people view themselves. They do not see themselves as bigots who must bang a silly drum to prove superiority, or racists or anti-Semites. There are a few exceptions but generally speaking Britain and British people, despite having many other faults, are none of these. If Mr Brooker wishes to celebrate the 12th July, as some people in Donegal do, then that’s fine but without the hate filled sectarianism and flag waving.
It is not the “Windsor Framework” which may or may not erode his “Britishness” but the changing face of the six counties, “Northern Ireland” in general. The once guaranteed Protestant majority, those who are most likely, though not exclusively, to oppose a united Ireland are no longer a majority. Even when they were there was always a tiny minority of Protestants who were not opposed to unification, some even actively supporting it, but in most cases, they just had to keep their mouths shut as they were a tiny number.
It is not the “Windsor Framework” which may or may not erode his “Britishness” but the changing face of the six counties, “Northern Ireland” in general. The once guaranteed Protestant majority, those who are most likely, though not exclusively, to oppose a united Ireland are no longer a majority. Even when they were there was always a tiny minority of Protestants who were not opposed to unification, some even actively supporting it, but in most cases, they just had to keep their mouths shut as they were a tiny number.
Today, those who come from a Roman Catholic background are in a small majority according to a recent poll in the six counties. However, and just as not every Protestant is in favour of the union, equally it cannot be taken for granted every Catholic would favour a united Ireland. But it is the changes in the population which are the cause of those who wish to maintain their “Britishness” dwindling in numbers and neither “Windsor Framework” or none would change that.
This was the case back in 1985, the year Mr Brooker alludes to, but now times have changed and down here in the twenty-six counties changes have happened, for the better I’m pleased to say, as the Catholic Church has lost most of its once tight grip on society. Today not even a loose hold remains of those religion dominated days which is a good thing. These changes in the population would have happened with or without the Good Friday Agreement, which is often and wrongly heralded as the cause of all things good when it comes to change on the island, it is a perfectly natural chain of events which would have occurred irrespective of governmental interference. The younger generations are more enlightened than their forebearers.
Yet still, the unionist parties, the DUP more so, seem to oppose anything which might lead to a united Ireland irrespective of what the population of the six counties may want. We don’t know what they, the electorate of the six counties, want because the British Secretary of State will not allow a referendum. Are Mr Brooker and the DUP shit scared of what the result might be? The electorate appear not to matter, count for nothing, compared to the dominance of the DUP, the Brexit result in the six counties proved that! I wonder what Jeff “Donny” Donaldson, DUP leader, would say if, horror of horrors, his boss, Rishi Sunak, said:
Yet still, the unionist parties, the DUP more so, seem to oppose anything which might lead to a united Ireland irrespective of what the population of the six counties may want. We don’t know what they, the electorate of the six counties, want because the British Secretary of State will not allow a referendum. Are Mr Brooker and the DUP shit scared of what the result might be? The electorate appear not to matter, count for nothing, compared to the dominance of the DUP, the Brexit result in the six counties proved that! I wonder what Jeff “Donny” Donaldson, DUP leader, would say if, horror of horrors, his boss, Rishi Sunak, said:
Now listen here, Jefferey, this is the agreement which “His Majesty's Government” and the EU have reached and you are fucking having it, I’ve run my blood to water for you ungrateful bastards trying to get this deal. The alternative is a flight to Rwanda with all those other people we don’t want.
What would the response of the DUP and the likes of Mr Brooker be?
Let’s be honest, to the likes of the DUP and TUV, the UUP have moderated in recent decades, the electorate never really have counted for much. The voters of the six counties voted to remain in the referendum on EU membership but this minor detail was overlooked. Now, what would the reaction of these people be if in the event of the British Government ever allowing it, a referendum on remaining part of the UK or coming into a united Ireland, the majority voted for the latter? Would this “will of the people” be conveniently overlooked, ignored to suit the machoism of the DUP and the likes of Mr Brooker?
Down here in the twenty-six counties we have a multicultural society. It is no longer a monolithic state tolerating only one religion. Today we have Roman Catholicism, Protestantism, Presbyterianism, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism. In fact you name it, we’ve got it, so there is absolutely no reason why Mr Brooker and other presently constituted as unionists could not fit in nicely. We even tolerate Godless souls like me! S
Let’s be honest, to the likes of the DUP and TUV, the UUP have moderated in recent decades, the electorate never really have counted for much. The voters of the six counties voted to remain in the referendum on EU membership but this minor detail was overlooked. Now, what would the reaction of these people be if in the event of the British Government ever allowing it, a referendum on remaining part of the UK or coming into a united Ireland, the majority voted for the latter? Would this “will of the people” be conveniently overlooked, ignored to suit the machoism of the DUP and the likes of Mr Brooker?
Down here in the twenty-six counties we have a multicultural society. It is no longer a monolithic state tolerating only one religion. Today we have Roman Catholicism, Protestantism, Presbyterianism, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism. In fact you name it, we’ve got it, so there is absolutely no reason why Mr Brooker and other presently constituted as unionists could not fit in nicely. We even tolerate Godless souls like me! S
Seriously Stuart Brooker's perceived “Britishness” is being eroded by many outside factors, but the “Winsor Framework” is not one of them. These outside factors will increase as the decades pass and eventually the weight of public opinion will have changed so much since the eighties, the decade referred to by Mr Brooker, that the British Government will have a choice. Either bow to public opinion or adapt a full and openly fascist dictatorial style of government. The latter might suit the likes of the DUP but the people in Britain, by that I mean England, Scotland and Wales, would be unlikely to tolerate it, again with a few exceptions.
Final point, and one perhaps Mr Brooker and other unionists might wish to consider and that is the future of Scotland as being a constituent part of the UK is very uncertain. If Scotland eventually does break away the union will be severely weakened anyway. In England there are growing numbers who are beginning to question this United-kingdom and, for those who study history, the Acts of Union. What the future holds nobody knows but the unionists in the six counties are in a perfect position to prepare theirs and plan the best future for themselves and their voters in a reconstituted united Ireland.
Final point, and one perhaps Mr Brooker and other unionists might wish to consider and that is the future of Scotland as being a constituent part of the UK is very uncertain. If Scotland eventually does break away the union will be severely weakened anyway. In England there are growing numbers who are beginning to question this United-kingdom and, for those who study history, the Acts of Union. What the future holds nobody knows but the unionists in the six counties are in a perfect position to prepare theirs and plan the best future for themselves and their voters in a reconstituted united Ireland.
🖼 Caoimhin O’Muraile is Independent Socialist Republican and Marxist.
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