Why Unionism Still Makes Sense

The question has been posed again this week, "What is Unionism?"

In a Northern Ireland context, the reasons for voting the Unionist parties and for believing in the continuance of the UK often do not coincide; I believe that the potential "yes" vote for the Union in a Border Poll is much higher than the present vote achieved by the DUP and UUP. I’m also convinced a very large percentage of those voting for both Unionist parties (and in particular for the DUP), do so not out of principally of any great love for the Union, but because they feel they are the best guarantee for the future of their particular community. This is perfectly understandable given the underlying and continuing sectarianism of the main representatives of Irish Republicanism, Sinn Fein.

But to concentrate on this narrow religio/ethnic motivation for voting "Unionist" masks the fact that for very real and objective reasons, the continuing union of England, Northern Ireland Scotland and Wales, makes a lot of sense:

1. The UK’s Economic Strength.

The United Kingdom has the fourth largest GDP in the world. It is the fifth largest visible trader, third largest invisible trader in the world. It is the country with the fifth largest industrial and fourth largest services output. The FTSE has the third largest (the biggest in Europe) stock market capitalisation in the world. London is amongst the top 3 world financial centres. Certain parts of our nation do not yet take advantage of these strengths, but the potential is there; it only requires more vision on the part of our political and business representatives.

2. The United Kingdom’s Place in the World.

As a nation of sixty million people, the UK is able to play an important role in the European Union, the United Nations and other international organisations. Apart from these formal roles, the UK also plays an important part in world politics.

3. Its Institutions.

The Westminster model of democracy is admired and has been copied throughout the free world. The UK’s media is amongst the most informative, combative and freest in the world. The UK’s social security system (despite some structural weaknesses) provides an effective safety-net from the day you’re born to the day you die.

4. Its Guarantee of Social, Religious and Cultural Liberty.

The United Kingdom, through the Westminster parliament, has some of the strongest anti- discrimination legislation in the world. In the United Kingdom, as whole, you are given an equal chance to succeed irrespective of your creed, colour or sexual orientation

5. Britain’s Diversity.

All of us who live in the United Kingdom are a small part of the greater whole, a whole that contains people of many races, creeds and political beliefs, a whole that is "stronger when it is brought together in its diversity." Different people of different cultures and faiths have brought different perspectives and ideas to the United Kingdom, ensuring that it remains one of the most vibrant countries, culturally and socially in the world.