“Northern Ireland is British” – so mind what you say

Posted by Jim on October 7, 2017

by Jude Collins (judecollins.com)

 

Oh dear. Was that another crocodile moment? As you probably know by now,
the potential First Minister Arlene Foster clashed with the potential
Deputy First Minister at the Tory party knees-up. Michelle was asked if
an Irish Language Act would make the north less British, to which she
replied “The north isn’t British”. Arlene, alert to insult even at
breakfast time, quickly told her “I don’t want this to turn into a row,
but Northern Ireland is British.” They can’t both be right. Which is?

It all depends on what you mean by saying our North-East Nest is
British. Arlene is right that this part of Ireland, while it has
devolved government, is ultimately controlled by Britain. So if you’re
saying “Who wields power in the NEN?” then the answer is Britain. No
ifs or buts. They haven’t gone away, you know.

But if you’re talking about the people here (remember how John Hume used
to say that the border was about people, not territory?) then while by a
small percentage the majority here regard themselves as British, a very
large (and growing) minority do not see themselves as British. Never
have, never will. Maybe if we apply the criterion offered by poor
deluded Maggie Thatcher and ask “Is the north as British as Finchley?”
the thing becomes clearer. Of course we’re not.

There are a number of interesting things about the exchange between the
two women. As UUP leader Robin Swann noted, Michelle’s comment “sucked
the atmosphere out of the room” – that short exchange is what the
question-and-answer session was reduced to. And as Swann also pointed
out, Michelle’s comment may have been deliberate. It could well have
been dangled to see if the DUP leader had shuffled away from her famous
and revealing crocodile comment. If that was the case, Arlene certainly
took the bait.

But the little introductory clause used by Arlene – “I don’t want this
to turn into a row” – is perhaps even more significant. She clearly felt
that Michelle shouldn’t have said our NEN wasn’t British, and if she did
there could be a row. Say you don’t consider this part of Ireland
British and you’re likely to provoke anger or at least heated dispute
from unionist politicians.

That’s the part that jars with me. No one is asking Arlene or any
unionist politician to deny that our NEN is British. Certainly Michelle
wasn’t. What is important is that nationalists and republicans should
have the right to express their views on the nature of the north. But
if a row is possibly going to break out any time a
republican/nationalist expresses the view that our NEN is really part of
Ireland, not Britain, we’re back just about where we started. Behind
Arlene’s correction lies an implication: taigs may be tolerated about
the place these days but they better mind what they say to those who run
the colony.