Is it time to just hand it back to Ireland?

Anyone that is of British allegiance can be resettled in Glasgow.

This would help with Brexit and let’s be honest, we need to move on from this tedious issue. On that I think we all agree.

So - give it back, or carry on dwelling on the past?

Nope. As someone whose mum is from Belfast I'd say keep it British.

Big huge can of worms this topic, I'm staying out of it.  Considering NI last voted to stay in the union I can't see anything happening until there's more Catholics than Protestants.

We should invade the rest of Ireland and take back what's rightfully ours.

Their own fault for not joining NATO.

 

25 minutes ago, DazBob said:

Nope. As someone whose mum is from Belfast I'd say keep it British.

Other half's nan was a Catholic from Belfast. Moved over here after their house got firebombed one too many times. I dare say her response would be different, and therein lies the problem really. Without wanting to see too namby pamby, it needs a new generation to rise above the old divides politically and try and take it forward, but I've no idea how that's going to happen really.

A big question in all of this is would Ireland want it anyway? And what is the benefit to Westminster for retaining it?

Sure you know this and I get the premise of your question and what you mean but it shows the complexity of it. 

who are we giving it “ back” to ? 
the government/ crown can’t give it “back” to anyone . 
it’s only just 100 years old , so not much history to it to dwell in the past and  advocates of democracy on here will surely agree it should never have been created in the first place? 

 

Don’t ever get a job writing multi-choice exams or voting cards, etc.

You may as well have given the options as

1 - Give it back

2 - I’m a cock

I don’t recall ever seeing a more slanted second option which, given that this is Wanderersways, is saying something.

For the record, no, it stays within the realms of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland until such time the residents vote away themselves.

8 minutes ago, MickyD said:

Don’t ever get a job writing multi-choice exams or voting cards, etc.

You may as well have given the options as

1 - Give it back

2 - I’m a cock

I don’t recall ever seeing a more slanted second option which, given that this is Wanderersways, is saying something.

For the record, no, it stays within the realms of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland until such time the residents vote away themselves.

Even the residents of NI can’t vote themselves away . Even if it was 100% in favour . 
Vote would be all Ireland 

 

1 minute ago, fatolive said:

Even the residents of NI can’t vote themselves away . Even if it was 100% in favour . 
Vote would be all Ireland 

 

They’d probably need a referendum for independence like Scotchland recently had. Once independence is gained they’d then need to look to form a union with RoI (if that’s what they wanted) I’m not sure residents of Eire could/would/should be given a vote in a NI independence referendum.

6 minutes ago, MickyD said:

I’m not sure residents of Eire could/would/should be given a vote in a NI independence referendum

If they're going to have to take on that burden then it's only fair they'd have a say as to whether they want to take that on or not? Kind of a reverse Brexit really

1 minute ago, MickyD said:

They’d probably need a referendum for independence like Scotchland recently had. Once independence is gained they’d then need to look to form a union with RoI (if that’s what they wanted) I’m not sure residents of Eire could/would/should be given a vote in a NI independence referendum.

Nope . That’s not how it works or will happen.
border poll conditions already set in GFA

Parties mandates / campaigns based on that.

even the original treaty that partitioned the island didn’t create two separate countries , just created two separate  jurisdictions of the same one and both get to vote on any issue to do with the border
Things developed further since then but the premise is the same 
 

1 hour ago, MickyD said:

Don’t ever get a job writing multi-choice exams or voting cards, etc.

You may as well have given the options as

1 - Give it back

2 - I’m a cock

I don’t recall ever seeing a more slanted second option which, given that this is Wanderersways, is saying something.

For the record, no, it stays within the realms of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland until such time the residents vote away themselves.

I’ve borrowed Bolty’s fishing rod ahead of Sinn Fein becoming a bigger thorn than usual later on.

You weren’t my expected big catch but whatever.

Ok, I’ll rephrase - let’s give the REST of it back to the Republic of Ireland.

if you need a history lesson, I’m busy.

No way should we be letting the Island of Ireland "unite" - we've spent millions of pounds on this new cross border technology, that I'm sure is about to be released any day now. I for one want to see it working.

3 hours ago, MickyD said:

They’d probably need a referendum for independence like Scotchland recently had. Once independence is gained they’d then need to look to form a union with RoI (if that’s what they wanted) I’m not sure residents of Eire could/would/should be given a vote in a NI independence referendum.

This is correct. Discussions earlier that should sinn fein get in, then they could push for a referendum to remain or leave uk.

Doubtful that a leave vote would win, but if it did, then negotiations with Republic would have to ensue. The UK would have no input into the latter.

31 minutes ago, Sweep said:

No way should we be letting the Island of Ireland "unite" - we've spent millions of pounds on this new cross border technology, that I'm sure is about to be released any day now. I for one want to see it working.

Not sure there's a will on the EU side.

Article 16 may cause a rethink, but I don't see the UK government doing that any time soon- not while Vlad I doing his thing and European togetherness is vital.

was talking to a couple from Belfast yesterday 

Im British just like you lad  he said 

 

 

2 minutes ago, little whitt said:

was talking to a couple from Belfast yesterday 

Im British just like you lad  he said 

 

 

and to prove it they paint kerbstones red, white and blue. [just like we do?]

54 minutes ago, MalcolmW said:

and to prove it they paint kerbstones red, white and blue. [just like we do?]

They also paint them orange white and green Malc.

Just Get all the unionists to swap places with all the republicans in Glasgow.

That way, everyone can be happy.

The IRA couldn’t be beaten. Maybe Sinn Fein will go one better.

Get shut, get Brexit done. What better incentive for all?

1 hour ago, Tonge moor green jacket said:

This is correct. Discussions earlier that should sinn fein get in, then they could push for a referendum to remain or leave uk.

Doubtful that a leave vote would win, but if it did, then negotiations with Republic would have to ensue. The UK would have no input into the latter.

SinnFein are already “ in” 

its just a possibility they will come the biggest party , it means they’ll get the first minister post  it reality it doesn’t mean that much as deputy first minister has as much power and say but as we know symbolism plays a huge part there. 
they won’t push for a referendum on UI until they’re convinced they’ll win . Was a time that would have meant a majority nationalist or republicans, but the dreaded B word is making those who would from a unionist background weigh up the benefits, especially the farmers . 
I don’t think they will but the very prospect was unthinkable less than decade ago , now you would get some  who would vote that way . 
 

Does Ireland even want the north back? 

The way the UK Govt have treated Northern Ireland during Brexit negotiations we can't be surprised if there are greater calls to leave the union. 

 

 

Not a topic for Bolton folk to sort.

 

If it would stop football fans having Celtic or Rangers as 2nd teams then let’s get round the negotiation table.

Edited May 6, 20224 yr by tomski

If they “give it back” it would return to what it was in the 70s in no time. 

Just now, tomski said:

Not a topic for Bolton folk to sort.

 

If it would football fans having Celtic or Rangers as 2nd teams then let’s get round the negotiation table.

All those 1 x English team and either Celtic or Rangers are better referred as as Cat Molestors. Weirdos. 

3 hours ago, fatolive said:

SinnFein are already “ in” 

its just a possibility they will come the biggest party , it means they’ll get the first minister post  it reality it doesn’t mean that much as deputy first minister has as much power and say but as we know symbolism plays a huge part there. 
they won’t push for a referendum on UI until they’re convinced they’ll win . Was a time that would have meant a majority nationalist or republicans, but the dreaded B word is making those who would from a unionist background weigh up the benefits, especially the farmers . 
I don’t think they will but the very prospect was unthinkable less than decade ago , now you would get some  who would vote that way . 
 

Quite, they are in, that's a given- but as you say (the big fear for some) is sinn fein getting the top job. 

Dup mon on the news admitting that much of this is self inflicted as the unionist vote has been sliced up amongst different parties.

That's democracy though- and the suggestion that they won't sit in stormont if SF do get the top job flies in the face of that process.

Maybe there is something in the new (non aligned) party that's attracting the young vote, and maybe its increasing success is indicative of the success of the good Friday agreement- the old divisions are no longer paramount for those who haven't experienced the troubles.