WHY THE IRISH BACKSTOP IS NOT AN OPTIONAL EXTRA – BUT AN

ABSOLUTE NECESSITY

The 50th anniversary of “the Troubles” starting in Northern Ireland

has been marked with little read-across to current politics. That is a
mistake.

If there had been a political “backstop” half a century ago, thousands

of lives might have been spared. If British politicians had paid
attention sooner, the powder-keg might never have exploded.

Instead, the backstop became the British Army – initially to protect

the besieged Nationalist population but soon drawn into a
conflagration which moved rapidly from civil rights within Northern
Ireland to the underlying issue of Partition.

This week, It took the President of France to put the “backstop” in its
proper historical context, rising above the bluster of Boris Johnson
and the manouevring of those who talk loudly of opposing “no deal”
while offering nothing to resolve the issue that makes it most likely.

“There was war in this part of Europe until recently and those
who play with that forget history too fast”, said President
Macron, “…Irish peace is European peace and we should not
weaken that just because of a British crisis”.

Every MP whether Tory, Labour, Nationalist or Liberal who

repeatedly voted to ignore that imperative in pursuit of some
other outcome – no deal, second referendum, General
Election – should ponder Macron’s words, then try to square
consciences with intellects.
Refusal to accept the diktat of history – the need to maintain a
Border-free island of Ireland – has created this impasse. Those
who speak most piously of European unity have been
hypocritical in rejecting Macron’s maxim that underpinning
“Irish peace” is essential to that objective, not an optional extra.

For 40 years, the scandal of Stormont was ignored by British

governments. An artificial statelet, the rulers of which
perceived discrimination and gerrymandering to be the
necessary handmaidens of supremacy, was allowed to go about
its business while civilised eyes were averted.

The Civil Rights Movement was adamant in its formative days

that it was challenging these abuses within the Northern Ireland
context. From the Unionist perspective, that was implausible
because they believed equality in voting, housing and
employment would soon erode their majority, leading
inexorably to a united Ireland.

While discrimination had its roots in sectarianism, it also had

that political rationale. It took three murderous decades and
sweeping reforms for it to be established that Northern Ireland
could exist on another basis – power shared rather than
monopolised. That was the triumph of the Good Friday
Agreement.

Its miracle was the separation of two concepts which had

hitherto been regarded as synonymous – Partition and the
Border. The Good Friday Agreement did not end Partition but it
did, to all intents and purposes, dispose of the Border – a
device which was hugely facilitated by shared membership of
the European Union.
This is history to which Johnston and all MPs who ignore
current dangers seem oblivious. There are plenty in the
Nationalist community who have lived with that compromise
without fully accepting it. Twenty years ago, war-weariness and
charismatic leaders sold them the Border-free peace package.

No matter how it is dressed up, creating barriers to trade and

movement within the island of Ireland will reawaken all of that
and call the compromise into question. There is absolutely no
need for it to happen and the ”backstop” is a hypothetical
precaution which underpins that fundamental principle.

Its elevation to centre-stage as the irremovable barrier to wider

agreement - which the great majority could live with - has
been as irresponsible as it is dangerous.

In case any MP did not notice, a trap was set this week which, if
successful, would have killed innocent police officers in County
Fermanagh. A few more episodes and the hand-wringing will
begin - but without acceptance of political responsibility.

Fifty years ago, Ireland was sucked into the “war in Europe”
which Macron spoke of because British politicians had walked
by on the other side for so long.

Their heirs and successors should join every political party on

the island of Ireland, apart from the DUP, in not only supporting
the backstop – but comprehending why it is necessary, above
and beyond other calculations and machinations.