Apprehension motivates most unionist thinking on the Northern Ireland Protocol, the biggest fear ...
How is Northern Ireland to cope with British ambivalence on the Union? We have seen again how internal Tory party political wrangling over Brexit takes little account of us. When your lover’s concern for your happiness begins to wane you suspect something is going on. The deep fear of unionists in Northern Ireland is that Ireland is moving inexorably towards unification, probably some time in the 2030s, and that Britain is perfectly content with that. More, they fear that Britain could deftly inch us incrementally towards unification. This fear is what motivates much of the unionist objection to the Northern Ireland Protocol of the Brexit Withdrawal deal, a treaty on trade that most people would have little interest in so long as they could still get their courgettes and lactose free milk, their fags and their beer. Ostensibly the protocol was devised to facilitate trade between Northern Ireland and Britain, not to make any actual constitutional change in the character of the Union itself. [...] When the Supreme Court last month ruled that the protocol is legal, that the Act of Union has been legally changed, many argued that this killed off the basis of unionist objections to the protocol. In fact, some unionists saw it as confirming their fear. Another step had indeed been taken towards unity. The Act of Union had been modified by legislation. This, they felt, had been done deviously and without due reference to them. A union, after all, is a partnership. Both parties to it should agree modifications if there are to be any.
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They are right to be suspicious. The British government would love to be shot of Northern Ireland; it costs a lot of money. Unfortunately, the actions of successive governments have kind of painted the UK into a corner, starting with the border on the Island of Ireland that was never meant to be permanent right up to brexit where Northern Ireland didn't occur to the morons braying for it.
The irony is that the DUP was braying for it too. They even propped up May as she wrestled with the issue. And that got them nothing but £1B which is not enough to buy the security they want.
“A union, after all, is a partnership. Both parties to it should agree modifications if there are to be any.” If that were true then either Scotland or Northern Ireland could have prevented brexit because both voted against it. Unfortunately, in an abusive relationship your views don't matter.