In line with the rest of the UK?

Brought "into line with the rest of the UK", words all true Unionists love to hear surely?

Well...for some, only when it suits:

The age of sexual consent in Northern Ireland is to be reduced to 16 to bring it into line with the rest of the UK.

The reduction from 17 was contained in new sexual offences laws introduced to the House of Commons on Wednesday by Criminal Justice Minister Paul Goggins.

I'm not making an argument here, one way or the other, regarding 16 being the age of sexual consent; my argument is if that is the age Westminster decides is appropriate, then it is appropriate for every part of the UK.

The age change will apply to both heterosexual and homosexual relationships. MLAs claimed a change could encourage sexual predators from the Republic of Ireland -where the age of consent remains 17 - to travel to Northern Ireland.

Of course it could, that one year will make all the difference- what complete and utter nonsense.

Quote of the Day

Lord Palmerston, the original proponent of real-politik said over 150 years ago:

"We have no eternal allies and we have no perpetual enemies. Our interests are eternal and perpetual, and these interests it is our duty to follow."

Translated into the struggle for the Union today; in Northern Ireland, these kind of antics of Sinn Fein are strengthening not weakening the link with the rest of the UK, whilst the two main Unionist parties at present seem content at best to consolidate their own electoral position; at worse, the DUP in particular are developing a separatist strand of Ulster nationalism which runs contrary to the true principles of British Unionism.

On the wider UK canvas, it’s the traditional party (or at least its leadership) of the Union which needs closest watching. The hunger for power within the upper echelons of the *English* Conservative Party will justify any betrayal of both principles and their natural allies in the other three parts of the United Kingdom.

I strongly suspect that if and when the crunch finally comes, those of a Unionist persuasion are going to have to leave traditional loyalities aside and make the fight for the Union a non-party based one- ultimately it will be that cause which it’s our duty to follow, not David Cameron’s, Gordon Brown’s or Peter Robinson’s.