IRELAND

Irish Socialist Republic

32 Counties

U.K. DEVOLUTION

The 6 Counties of Northern Ireland is not an Independent OR Sovereign State OR Country

The 6 Counties Northern Ireland Assembly was set-up on a similar time-scale as the Welsh Assembly and the Scottish Parliament.

Wales and Scotland were originally sovereign independent countries that have been occupied and colonised to form part of 'Great Britain' / 'United Kingdom'.

Ireland as a sovereign independent country was invaded by England and subsequently occupied and colonised, forming an integral part of 'Britain'.

Ireland was partitioned dividing the country into 2 separate political entities the 'Irish Republic' and 'Northern Ireland'.

'Northern Ireland' is currently {28th November 2014} governed as a part of the 'United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland'. This 'Government' of the Province has fluctuated between the Indirect Rule via the local 'Parliament' Stormont and Direct Rule from the UK Parliament in Westminster.

The advent of Devolution not only changed the local political climate but it also provoked change in the political mindset of the majority group of the population.

Throughout the history 'Northern Ireland' this majority population has consisted of the Protestant Settlers of the Province. This has enabled them to enjoy a privileged position, courtesy of those they have traditionally considered as their cultural kith and kin a matter of far greater import, as well as political allies. These Loyalists have remained Loyal to what they feel as their cultural Heritage, and were more than happy to be political top dog in keeping the Province 'British'.

The point of all this is that with the advent of the new Northern Ireland Assembly the Loyalist majority can see their political allies changing the Unions political landscape, and Loyalists fear that the Tory Party are willing to leave them behind to abandon them as not wanted on their voyage. So instead of carrying the same banner of No Surrender into this new political battleground Loyalist parties changed tack. Why not take a leaf out of the Scottish and Welsh books? Why settle for the idea of the Province having autonomy within the U.K. when your Westminster cohorts considered your aspirations as being politically embarrassing? No think big think Nationhood, if Scotland and Wales can claim National status then why not 'Northern Ireland'? These Loyalists are claiming National parity with Scotland and Wales.

This is what I am banging on about, the Loyalist political parties of the 6 Counties of Northern Ireland are claiming that the Province should be considered as a Sovereign State. This is what the political rhetoric of Loyalist politicians means this is their political agenda, and as long as the Northern Ireland Assembly exists so will the danger of this being allowed to happen, of this becoming the default position of not only their political allies but of the UK central government in Westminster.

6 COUNTIES

PARLIAMENTARY

CONSTITUENCIES

2017

Westminster Parliament

Snap General Election

RESULTS

SDLP lose Westminster seats

SDLP loses all three of its Westminster seats to Sinn Fein. And the DUP, which also wins South Antrim from the UUP.

Independent Lady Sylvia Hermon is re-elected in North Down

Ramifications For 6 Co’s

For the Conservative party to survive they can only cling to the DemocraticUnionist Party, the 6 Co’s of Northern Irelands only viable Unionist party. Much is being made of the DUP’s reactionary attitudes to gays amongst other issues. The DUP are not strange political bedfellows for the Tories as in reality there is no real difference between these parties, DUP views are shared very widely with a majority of the Conservative party members, and its leadership. It is interesting for me listening to a BBC radio ‘news’ assessment of the DUP’s leader Arlene Foster, and of how well her temperament will gel with that of Theresa May. Much was made of difficulties encountered by her and Unionism from terrorism within the region, and of her continued struggle to withstand it. The DUP founder was Ian Ian Paisley, who during the 1979 Ulster Workers Council Strike shared a Picket Line with members of the UDA {Ulster DefenceAssociation} the loyalist paramilitary group. UDA were militarily unformed replete with balaclava headgear and wielding automatic weapons.

Ulster Unionism is historically synonymous with violence, officially, via the local police force the RUC {Royal Ulster Constabulary with its Special Branch, SPG Special Patrol Group and B Specials} or an unofficial association with loyalist paramilitary groups the UDA {Ulster Defence Association}and its associates the UFF{Ulster Freedom Fighters} and the UVF {Ulster Volunteer Force}

The British connection with 6 Co’s Security Services has always been ambiguous to say the least, involving British organisations such as the British Special Branch, and the British Army, with its associated Units, for example the Parachute Regiment.

Ulster Unionism escapes the terrorist label when covered by most of the British media, this consideration being solely dumped at the door of Irish republicans.

During the 'Troubles' DUP Ian Paisley considered himself as 'The Voice of Ulster Unionism' he formed the DUP as his party to give vent to that 'Voice' Ian Paisley acted as the Grand Old Duke of York with his infamous Battle Cry "No Surrender" and leading his troops into every convenient political cul-de-sac.

However the DUP unimaginably managed to work together with Sinn Fein, in the 6 Co’s Northern Ireland Assembly. Ian Paisley finally woke up to the Realpolitik of 6 Co's political existence, and he proved himself as an ultimate survivor by finally deciding to break bread with Sinn Fein’s Martin McGuinness. {Being depicted in the regions media as the Chuckle Brothers} Indeed unlikely as it seems Paisley and McGuinness ended up close friends, such that Paisley's widow commented,

"When Ian died Martin phoned me and asked if he could come to the house, which was strictly private. “I told him he could come and I was pleased to see him at the house. He went in and stood over Ian’s coffin and was very moved at that time.”

But prior to the General Election the DUP appeared to want to turn the 6 Counties Political Clock back to their bad old days and negate the moves forward made their own founder Ian Paisley. By reverting to type in wanting to exclude Sinn Fein from the Assembly Executive, citing the hoary old Unionist chestnut of Sinn Fein's former association with terrorism. Conveniently as always forgetting the UDA's own historical umbilical links with Loyalist paramilitary organisations.

But the DUP has now brought down the Northern Ireland Assembly, for its own political aims. Under the Good Friday Agreement, the British Government owes the legal responsibility to maintain the political legitimacy of the Assembly, but has significantly failed to do so by not acting immediately to resolve this matter, its failure to act responsibly can only be seen as an endorsement of the DUP’s intransigent position and attitudes.

IRISH/ LATIN/ AMERICAN / HISTORY SAN PATRICIO