Simple rank hatred of ones own country

By Dan Salt

Who is Dan Salt ? Straight, white, non disabled man – grew up in the privilege of a poor single parent family – no university education – no pronouns as I’m not a moron

As the journalistic world has decided to apply its normal level of piss poor make believe analysis to the NI talks with the EU let me inject some realism into the situation based not on feelings, wishes or even simple rank hatred of ones own country

The NIP as it stands is unsustainable – it is damaging the NI economy – driven the bulk of Unionism of Stormont and on current trajectory out of the GFA – fiddling around the edges is not going to change that – if the EU thinks a quick nip tuck will be enough – good luck

The issues that underpin the now hard response from Unionism go deeper than the NIP – they run through a deep sense of unfairness from a community which feels let down by its own government and by a process which has become ever more unfair

So the Europhiles can crow all they like about how the UK will fold – how there will be U-turn upon U-turn – the Irish government in its infinite wisdom can brief all it likes – but the truth is the Unionists are not going to go back until their concerns are dealt with

So rather than focusing on what the EU or the UK wants people should focus on that – because frankly both negotiating sides are irrelevant to the end goal – do I expect this level of rationality – nope – do I expect a result which Unionism will accept – nope

Because every briefing I have seen from the EU and even the idiotic Irish government indicates they don’t get it – they seem to think the UK government can simply click its fingers and the Unionist will return to Stormont – they can’t and they won’t

Everyone needs to remember that these are communities which for 40 odd years lived under the threat of violence – the threat of a hard ticking off by some politicians they don’t care about isn’t going to phase them one jot

Certainly not from a US President and administration which they now consider to be their enemy – the EU should really remember that – whilst also being reminded that they decided to deal themselves into Ulster – a province which is one long continuous compromise

So just remember this as the media and the assorted piss poor think tankers and analysts project their wishes and needs onto the coming weeks