‘There wouldn’t have been a border if the 26 counties hadn’t decided to leave the UK’
The Government of Ireland Act 1920 intended to create two separate Home Rule institutions within Ireland: the six counties were to form Northern Ireland, while the remaining counties was to form “Southern Ireland” – the official title followed later.
In May, 1921, Northern Ireland was created as a separate legal entity within the United Kingdom. In June, 1921, James Craig was elected as the first Prime Minister of Northern Ireland.
The Irish War of Independence ensured that Home Rule never took effect in Southern Ireland. Ultimately, this conflict led to the Anglo-Irish Treaty and the establishment in 1922 of the Irish Free State. The Anglo-Irish Treaty was signed in London on 6 December, 1921.
However, the institutions set up under the Government of Ireland Act for Northern Ireland continued to function until they were suspended by the British parliament in 1972.
The act was also changed following the introduction of the Good Friday Agreement in 1998.
Since the Good Friday Agreement was introduced, the majority of people on the island of Ireland have moved on in a spirit of peace and co-operation.
Ok, what does this have to do with Brexit and the border?
During a recent interview on The Nolan Show, Jim Allister, Traditional Unionist Voice (TUV) leader and North Antrim MLA, said that “there wouldn’t have been a border if the 26 counties hadn’t decided to leave the UK”.
Allister was speaking following the Irish Government publishing the Omnibus Bill on emergency legislation that would be enacted in the case of a no deal Brexit.
“I have no issue with border checks in the sense that we are a separate country. If the EU puts upon the Irish Republic to have a border, I say again, that’s their problem. Remember, there wouldn’t have been a border if the 26 counties hadn’t decided to leave the UK. It’s something they created. Now we’re leaving the EU – we’re all leaving the EU – and if that puts a burden on the Irish Republic to man a single market border that fundamentally is their problem,” he said.
You can listen to the interview here.
"There wouldn't have been a border if the 26 counties hadn't decided to leave the UK."@JimAllister reacts as @simoncoveney sets out Irish no-deal #Brexit measures@StephenNolan pic.twitter.com/5LLVTnKL3L
— The Nolan Show, BBC (@BBCNolan) February 22, 2019
In terms of a rebuttal to Allister’s remarks, Phil Kelly responded by saying that the Unionist politician had “no credible solution” to the border problem.
He added: “The problem for Jim and for many of the leading voices that back Brexit within Northern Ireland that have been on your show and others is they’re never able to come up with a credible solution. And the real problem for Jim is now that there’s really two options, there’s a fork in the road and both routes essentially lead to the same destination which is one that Jim and people who believe in his kind of politics dread – and that is an integrated, all-island economy”.
You can listen to Kelly’s remarks here.
"They're never able to come up with a credible solution."
@7815PWK on Jim Allister and the #Brexit backstop pic.twitter.com/igsxiR716b
— The Nolan Show, BBC (@BBCNolan) February 22, 2019
