Irish Unity

BEN COLLINS grew up in a strongly pro-unionist and pro-British background in East Belfast. Previously an active member of the UK Conservative Party in Scotland from 2001 to 2003 and then a campaigner for the Alliance Party in Northern Ireland, he is not a member of any political party. Ben is a former Chief Executive of NIFHA (Northern Ireland Federation of Housing Associations) and has worked in roles with a strong focus on political communications for more than twenty years. This has included working as a press officer for the Northern Ireland Office (UK Government Department) at the time of the St Andrews Agreement negotiations, for three international communications consultancies, a professional body and a medical regulator. He has an MSc in Political Communication, an MBA and a Law degree, and is licensed to practise as an attorney in New York State. He resides in his home city of Belfast, working across the island of Ireland. He has previously lived and worked in Edinburgh, Dublin, Cardiff and London.

The partitioning of Ireland has left a tragic legacy of estrangement especially in Northern Ireland where until the Good Friday Agreement of 1998 conflicting allegiances and identities set the scene for ongoing wasteful conflict and instability. The Agreement put the issue of ending partition on the agenda for medium to long term consideration. Brexit which was not supported by a majority in Northern Ireland and changing demographics have brought the issue of partition closer and closer to centre stage. Many scholarly and political analyses are now adding to the inevitable debate, but few deepen and widen it as Ben Collins’ book does. With exceptional courage he steps outside the predictable tribal politics which have inhibited fresh, radical thinking on all sides including within the unionist tradition which he is steeped in from birth. Here is a plan for building a dynamic and welcoming new home for all who share this beautiful island. A home beyond partition, without partition. This book is precisely the kind of challenging thinking needed at this strange time. I hope it provokes thoughtful and respectful discussion across all the chasms we need to bridge if the future is to honour the promise of peace and partnership most yearn for. – MARY McALEESE, President of Ireland 1997-2011In a timely addition to the growing public debate about Irish unity, Ben Collins examines the feasibility and desirability of such a radical change. And he pulls no punches, convinced that Northern Ireland’s political institutions aren’t fit for purpose and that Irish unity is ‘an idea whose time has come’. Ben Collins grew up as an East Belfast Unionist, describing himself today as ‘an idealist and a pragmatist’ who believes ‘Irish unity is an urgent necessity’, especially after the trauma of Brexit and what he describes as Boris Johnson’s ‘betrayal’ of Northern Ireland. His book is a roadmap towards that end; a clearheaded analysis of the complex issues, grounded in fact, with terrific historical detail. He highlights one of the thorniest issues now facing Northern Ireland; the state created specifically to have Protestant and Unionist majority that will very soon have neither. Anyone interested in the future not just of Northern Ireland, but of these islands, would benefit from this thought-provoking book. – BILL NEELYBen Collins argues a powerful and articulate economic, social and political case for Irish reunification within the European Union. That this is not the work of a life-long republican but from an author originating from a unionist background indicates how the old certainties surrounding the constitutional question are disappearing. The book is particularly strong in observing broader contexts: the increased economic drivers from Brussels with Northern Ireland given the EU Protocol; the continuing strength of the independence movement in Scotland and its growth in Wales. The growth of a centre ground within the North, persuadable for Irish unity, is correctly observed as potentially decisive in deciding the outcome of a border poll. The author outlines how a unity referendum can be won on either side of the border, via a combination of leadership and the allaying of fears, before articulating how a single parliament in Dublin can accommodate unionists.Not everyone will agree with the author’s assertion that Irish unity is probable within a decade. Regardless, this is an important book which ought to be read by those on either side of the constitutional debate – and by those yet to make up their mind. – JON TONGE, Professor of Politics, University of Liverpool.Irish Unity: Time to Prepare details how the unfolding campaign for Scottish independence has helped build momentum for Irish unity and describes the step changes in his own outlook. – LESLEY RIDDOCH

• Acknowledgements 9 Foreword 11 Glossary of Terms 13 Timeline of Key Events 15 Preface 23 Introduction 29 Part One: Setting the Scene 41 Preparing the Ground 42 The Economy 64 Symbolism and Cultural Identity 86 Historical Perspective 93 Calling a Border Poll/Unity Referendum 100 Part Two: Winning the Referendum 119 Gaming the Campaign 120 Getting the Irish Republic to Vote for Unity 147 Appealing to Unionism 154 The Power of Sport 181 Part Three: Thriving After the Vote for Unity 187 Governance 188 Legacy Issues – Dealing with the Past 195Lessons from Other Countries 199 Where We Want to End Up 203 Conclusion: A Summary of My Support for Unity 207 Endnotes 209