About this episode
An Open Letter to My Unionist NeighboursA Chairde,I want to respectfully reach out to my unionist neighbours at this time of ongoing change on our island and continuous turbulence and conflict in parts of our world. We should count our blessings. Imperfect though it might be we have peace and the ability to work out our difficulties peacefully.This ability to find solutions is frustrated by the British government refusing at this time to permit us to exercise our right to self-determination. So, London continues to interfere in our affairs. In my view, and history supports this view, London will never govern us in Irelands interest. It never has. And it never will. How could it? It serves different national interests.Sometimes these coincide with the attitudes of political unionism. But when they don’t political unionism and its attitudes are set to one side by London. This has happened again and again. Betrayal has been followed by betrayal after betrayal. London is only loyal to the unionists when it suits its interests. Those are not my words. These are the words of unionist leaders. I do not think these leaders serve the interests of my unionist neighbours. Certainly not on social or economic issues or the daunting challenges of growing our peace process into a prosperity process. Or a new rights based citizen centred society. Of course, my unionist neighbours are entitled to vote for these parties or anyone else if that is their wish, and political unionism clearly has a deep rooted commitment to the Union with Britain. It used to have things its own way. Maybe some of its leaders still believe that is the case but it isn’t. They have lost their electoral majority. The Union is now very conditional and in the upcoming period there will be a referendum to decide the future.The extent of constitutional and institutional change is for the people of the island of Ireland to decide – democratically and without outside interference. The Good Friday Agreement makes clear that constitutional change requires consent, freely given and expressed in referendums North and South. So, political unionism will have its say. But so will the rest of us. On the basis of equality. All the unionist parties have agreed to abide by the outcome of this referendum. This ongoing continuum of change is about shaping a new Ireland, an agreed Ireland, and a new relationship with Britain that enhances our personal and community relationships, strengthens society, makes conflict a memory, ends sectarianism and creates real opportunities to improve the daily lives of citizens. It is about reconciliation and accommodation. It is about the North as a part of the island of Ireland again taking its place as a full member in the European Union.The Good Friday Agreement will provide the best framework of protections for everyone including and especially my unionist neighbours. The Agreement which was democra
