“Moving forward, our campaign call is clear – let the people vote!”
By Matt Willgress, Labour Outlook
A packed room discussed the issue of Irish Unity in Liverpool during Labour Conference on Monday at a meeting hosted by the Labour Movement for Irish Unity campaign, and part of the ‘Arise Solidarity Hub.’
The opening speaker, Nadine Finch from LmFIU, gave an overview of the events around Garvaghy Road in recent years, and the astonishing decision of the Parades Commission to permit an Orange Order march to go through there, which Sinn Fein’s leader has termed as an attempt to “drag this community backwards” and a threat to peace.
The attitude of the British Government in recent days sums up the problems of its approach to Ireland, which has not moved on in recent decades, despite the changes – demographic and otherwise – in the North of Ireland.
This issue like so many others has underlined “why the peace process needs to move on to a border poll now,” especially when considering how “economically, socially and culturally things have moved on since Brexit.”
She concluded that “we can no longer live in the past,” and we must step up campaigning on the issue.
Ian Byrne MP commented that the decision to allow the parade had been “deeply, deeply divisive,” and the community had responded by standing together in dignity and solidarity.
He also emphasised the need to move forward with a serious discussion on the future of Ireland, including through the ongoing discussions around the Legacy Commission and the need for justice for many families.
On this theme, he forcefully argued that “The Hillsborough Law must apply to Northern Ireland in its entirety,” with “no two-tier system.”
Well-known international solidarity and social justice campaigner Labour NEC member Jess Barnard also spoke, quoting James Connolly that “the cause of Labour is the cause of Ireland – and the cause of Ireland is the cause of Labour.”
Looking forward, she argued that “The cause of Irish unity has to be a critical thing” for the Left in Britain as the issue comes to the fore, and we can’t stand idly by here in the labour movement whilst this discussion around the future of Ireland is ongoing.
Geoff Bell, author of ‘The Twilight of Unionism’ and well-known expert on Irish matters, then gave an in-depth report of the “changing situation in the North of Ireland,” including with the return of the sectarian Orange Order to the fore in terms of unionism.
This is a “very serious situation,” which is making many people “question where the peace process is actually going.”
In this sense, the issue of the Parades Commission is just one of a number of issues around the Good Friday Agreement that are being discussed.
The reality of the situation economically is driving the discussion on Irish unity and building support for a new, united Ireland in the North.
Life expectancy in the North of Ireland is 80 years and 4 months, in the South of Ireland it is 82 years and 4 months. Pensions in the South are £288 and in the North £238. Benefit payments for the poorest are £254 and £95 respectively. Child poverty in the North is 21.25 – in the South it is 14.6%. It is clear that “the Union has failed,” and Labour needs to face up to this.
Our task now is to have “a serious discussion on the future of Ireland” in light of the crisis. Disappointment was expressed at recent comments from the Labour Government in favour of the union, even though the Labour Party Conference has never voted to be a unionist party. Members of the audience very much agreed that this was a disgrace and needs to change.
Moving forward, our campaign call is clear – “let the people vote!”
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