Poll on pointless question

Will this be our national flag????

The Belfast Telegraph has teamed up with Inform Communications to poll the people of Ulster (at least the six counties of Ulster that is still within the UK) on said six county statelet surviving until 2021, 100 years after partition of the Island.

The results seem to highlight a serious lack of unionist confidence, or the 'wrong people' were asked, or the people asked just didn't care as they were probably busy trying to hold onto the jobs they may still have had.

Apparently we have a split on whether Northern Ireland will still be part of the United Kingdom in 2021. Wow, shocker there!

42% thought we would still be in the UK, while 42% did not think we would be in the UK. 25% Prods thinking we would be in a united Ireland by 2021.  Woops! 

55% of all respondents to the poll believe Northern Ireland should remain part of the UK. Well there is your answer, mucker.

In the Belfast Agreement it was written under 'Constitutional Issues' that the two National Governments of the UK and Ireland,

recognise the legitimacy of whatever choice is freely exercised by a majority of the people of Northern Ireland with regard to its status, whether they prefer to continue to support the Union with Great Britain or a sovereign united Ireland

The last 'Border poll' took place in 1973, the year I was born. There have been a number of calls for referendums from both Unionist and Nationalist political powerhouses. A dangerous proposal, but I think a welcome one. It will either confirm that most people in Northern Ireland wish to stay in the UK and that Nationalism, while a legitimate aspiration, is irrelevant, or show that Unionists are misguided and the majority want to join with the other 26 counties.

I have a funny feeling, no matter what the surface feelings are, the result will be for the UK end of things.

This also does not take into account whether or not the Republic of Ireland want us. In the same portion of the Belfast Agreement it also states that the two governments,

recognise that it is for the people of the island of Ireland alone, by agreement between the two parts respectively and without external impediment, to exercise their right of self-determination on the basis of consent, freely and concurrently given, North and South, to bring about a united Ireland, if that is their wish, accepting that this right must be achieved and exercised with and subject to the agreement and consent of a majority of the people of Northern Ireland

So there are a few practical questions that require answering before a Nationaliat aspiration can become a reality.

1. Does the majority of Northern Ireland want a United Ireland?
2. Does the majority of the Republic of Ireland want a United Ireland?
3. Can the Republic of Ireland afford reunification?
4. Can the people of Northern Ireland afford to live in a reunified Ireland?
5. Will we still have a free health service?
6. Why not reunify with Scotland instead?
7. Do people really care?