British in Ireland

[Tweed]

Where do the British public stand on the occupation of part of Ireland.

[Wraith]

It should be re-united with southern Ireland. The British should hand control and government back to the Irish people.

[GuavaHalf]

100% with Wraith. Of course anyone living there should be given help to relocate to England/Wales/Scotland if they want to.

[sft42]

Spoken like people who have never lived there or understood the question.

I lived in Norn Iron for 7 years and found the people to be warm, generous (to a fault) and pleasant...except to someone of their own community who goes to the wrong kirk.

The question is stated in a biased way....how long do people have to be living in an area before they become indigenous? Should all the whites in South Africa be forceably repatriated? They have been their many fewer years than the original protestant settlers in what was to become Northern Ireland.

The people in the south of Ireland care les and less about the north...I think that the majority of the british public feel the same way....sooner or later by sheer weight of numbers the nationalist vote will out and we may well see a united ireland....I just wouldn't hold your breath.

[Philtaz]

It's not an occuaption. The majority of people in Northern Ireland wish to be British citizens and are exercising their rights thus.

[el duerino]

A loaded question which displays basic ignorance of the situation. A referendum was held, British rule is desired there. Any attempt to reverse this situation is therefore undemocratic. Is that what you want? Also, how old are you, and where are you from?

[Drewhound]

Britain had 3 options, to keep the whole of it, to let the whole of it go, or some of both. Which would you have chosen given that either of the first two would have led to a far greater bloodbath than actually happened? Political decisions are rarely easy or perfect

[JohnPPotts]

I imagine that most of the British public couldn't give a t*ss, as since the Peace process started the IRA have stopped attacks outside the Province.

[cheyenne]

wraith, if you did that you would have a war on your hands??the problem is most of the people in the north come from scotland and newcastle??the southern irish are a different race, and yes if i was irish i would feel ****** off??but we have to come to some compromise,god that is some hard question.what is your solution twed????

[bernardo]

What "occupation"? There is no occupation. You are asking me to comment on something which doesn't exist. It's a bit like "Do you still beat your wife?"

[derbyram]

I agree with bernado and sft42.The British only OCCUPY Northern Ireland in the same way that the majority of people in the USA OCCUPY that land mass. At what point in history do you state that whatever lands and territories you hold at that point are yours in perpetuity? Is Gibraltar Spanish? India British? Falklands Argentinian? One man's occupation is another man's liberation. I too believe that eventually the Nationalist population will overtake the Loyalists as the majority population but this may lead to some sections of the increasingly marginalised Loyalist community resorting to terror.

[andytreble99]

"t" ...is that you Mr Blair??, has your cabinet run out of solutions & someone suggested that you'd better ask the AB, as they know everything??

[EliPledge]

I agree with JohnPPotts, most British mainlanders couldn't care less and would probably be happy to see the back of NI. Exceptions would be particularly motivated people on both sides of the srgument ... especially in the West of Scotland!

[Wraith]

When I said control and government should be given over to the Irish people, I meant all of them from both Northern and Southern Ireland.

As for giving them help to relocate, that's suggesting that some of these people have no right to live there. There are a lot of 2nd, 3rd and 4th generation families there who have been born and raised there. They have has much right to live there as anyone else. They cannot be held responsible for any wrongs their forefathers have caused.

I merely suggest that control of Ireland be given to Ireland, just as Scotland has control over itself.

[ludwig]

"Where do the British public stand on the occupation of part of Ireland." I think it would be a great idea! - which part are you proposing we occupy? Kerry?, Donegal? - I hear Dublin's nice.

[straz]

I remember reading an article a few years ago stating it cost the UK �10 per head of population to subsidise the running of Northern Ireland ( free education, health care, business grants etc......) if the Republic took this over it equates to something like �500 per head. Sending the Unionist back to Scotland where they originated from.... But the Scottish originally invaded the "land of the Pick's from Northern Ireland (isn't Scotland derived from "Scotia" the Roman name for Ireland?) so would we then send them back again? I must agree that most in mainland UK & Irish Rep don't really give a monkey's about Northern Ireland as long as those who are bothered about it sick to talking pops at each other and leave everyone else alone.

[bobtheduck]

the majority of people there want to stay british therefore to "force" another way is undemocratic therefore case closed, having spent a holiday there the people are wonderful much more so than a lot of other british people who would walk over the top of you if your were laying dead in the street

[thewillow]

Most people in the Republic of Ireland couldn't give a toss about it. Stiff Little Fingers had the right idea - tow it out and sink it.

[bobtheduck]

willow why dont you go over to ni and suggest that?

[norfolk boy]

If we're all part of europe now what doe's it matter.

[ianess]

Everyone seems to want to be either English, Welsh, Scottish, or Northern Irish. What they all forget is that on their passport their nationality is BRITISH. Even the UK independence party seems to consider itself ENGLISH. I do not see it as a problem where British people occupy a part of Britain.