No Unionist majority in Northern Ireland's Stormont
Posted: Sat Mar 04, 2017 10:08 am
In Northern Ireland Stormont's Assembly there will be no Unionist majority for the first time in the history of Northern Ireland. This is huge news with enormous implications. For decades this falsely created in built majority has been eroded and demographics mean it will continue to be eroded. When Northern Ireland was created this was never really foreseen as it was falsely created to be as large as possible whilst maintaining a built in Unionist majority. This is why it is tiny and is only actually 6 out of 9 Ulster Counties, it couldn't be any smaller as it wouldn't be financially viable.
Losing the in built in Unionist majority is a huge blow for the Unionist people and the whole Protestant Parliament for a Protestant people psyche. Sinn Fein are now only 1 seat behind the DUP and the SDLP are also the 3rd biggest party. The capital of Northern Ireland, Belfast, and the next biggest City in Derry both have Nationalist majorities. Unionists can no longer do as they please and ignore the rights of everyone that doesn't subscribe to their often narrow view, which often means they follow UK law when it suits, such as Brexit or Welfare Reform, or want different Northern Ireland laws when it doesn't, on things like gay rights, Irish language, abortion etc. Arlene Foster as First Minister talks of leading her community, and not the people of Northern Ireland, and this does nothing to create a fully inclusive society. The DUP as the largest Unionist party need to realise that they need to work with Nationalists, Catholics and other minority groups because the days of doing whatever they want are gone and ignoring the wishes of everyone else are gone.
This result doesn't mean a United Ireland but nether do I think Unionists will be happy living in a minority in Northern Ireland, which is inevitable. After all they weren't happy at the prospect in Ireland before partition when they ignored the wishes of the majority on the island of Ireland with their threats of violence and terrorism that led to partition in the first place. This seems to be forgotten. Maybe Unionists will threaten violence again and argue for a new partition and a 2 County Northern Ireland so they can have their majority, after all it worked pre 1921.
Losing the in built in Unionist majority is a huge blow for the Unionist people and the whole Protestant Parliament for a Protestant people psyche. Sinn Fein are now only 1 seat behind the DUP and the SDLP are also the 3rd biggest party. The capital of Northern Ireland, Belfast, and the next biggest City in Derry both have Nationalist majorities. Unionists can no longer do as they please and ignore the rights of everyone that doesn't subscribe to their often narrow view, which often means they follow UK law when it suits, such as Brexit or Welfare Reform, or want different Northern Ireland laws when it doesn't, on things like gay rights, Irish language, abortion etc. Arlene Foster as First Minister talks of leading her community, and not the people of Northern Ireland, and this does nothing to create a fully inclusive society. The DUP as the largest Unionist party need to realise that they need to work with Nationalists, Catholics and other minority groups because the days of doing whatever they want are gone and ignoring the wishes of everyone else are gone.
This result doesn't mean a United Ireland but nether do I think Unionists will be happy living in a minority in Northern Ireland, which is inevitable. After all they weren't happy at the prospect in Ireland before partition when they ignored the wishes of the majority on the island of Ireland with their threats of violence and terrorism that led to partition in the first place. This seems to be forgotten. Maybe Unionists will threaten violence again and argue for a new partition and a 2 County Northern Ireland so they can have their majority, after all it worked pre 1921.