Securing the Irish Unity Dividend…

Ben Collins is the author of The Irish Unity Dividend and Irish Unity: Time to Prepare both published by Luath Press.

I grew up in a strongly Unionist and British household in East Belfast. Being Irish was always a strong part of my identity as well as being British. During the conflict I was determined that I was not going to be forced into a United Ireland by violence or threats of violence. But the Good Friday Agreement changed all of that. For the first time I could contemplate a different future.

I have lived and worked in Edinburgh, Cardiff, London and Dublin before returning to Belfast. Ironically living in Britain made me feel more Irish and less British. Back in 2012 I decided that I wanted to write a book about how a United Ireland could be a diverse and prosperous place. The London Olympics created a mirage that Britain was a place on the up. Then things began to change with first the Scottish independence referendum and then to vote to leave the EU. It was clear to me that the relations were beginning to change across these islands.

The beauty of the Good Friday Agreement was that you could be Irish, British, European or a combination of all three. To an extent it didn’t matter whether you were in the UK or Ireland, as both were part of the EU. But Brexit undermined that. It was about putting up barriers. I realised that this surprise vote to leave the EU was going to fast-track constitutional change. We needed to plan and prepare for Irish unity to avoid the chaos of Brexit. So that’s why I published Irish Unity: Time to Prepare with Luath Press in 2022. Everything which has happened since then has reinforced the need to start planning now in advance of a border poll.

When my publisher suggested that I write a follow on book, it is was logical that I focus on the many benefits which everyone will receive through reunification. It’s about the improved quality of life we can secure by adopting a fully integrated approach across Ireland. I am convinced that Irish Unity will enable us to grow a truly all-Ireland economy within the EU, provide better healthcare and deliver more affordable housing.

There is no such thing as a kinder gentler form of partition. The best way to make unionists feel part of a New Ireland, is not by keeping a northern assembly after unity. It’s by providing better public services than Northern Ireland currently has as part of the UK. Their rights and culture will be protected after unity through the Good Friday Agreement and membership of the ECHR (European Convention of Human Rights). Irish unity can also help to minimise the friction between Ireland and Britain which is centred around Northern Ireland’s current status as a region of the UK. The British monarch will continue to be a welcome visitor across Ireland after unity. King Charles has stated his desire to visit all 32 counties. Reconciliation can only truly be achieved through reunification and the removal of the border on Ireland.

Those who see Nigel Farage and his far right agenda as the way to save the union are wrong. Brexit was an English nationalist project and Farage has previously stated that he expects there to be a United Ireland in the future. Increasing support for Reform is likely to hasten the break-up of the UK. The momentum for unity will not just come from within Ireland. Support for the SNP and their desire for Scottish independence is increasingly resilient, nearly two decades since they became the party of government. In Wales Plaid Cymru who want Welsh independence, are within touching distance of becoming the largest party in the Senedd, the Welsh parliament at the next election. The Reform party has seen their support increase dramatically in both countries, largely but not exclusively, at the expense of the Conservatives. While Labour were elected with a large majority at Westminster in 2024, their support is shallow. Just over a year after their landslide victory, they find themselves consistently behind Reform in the UK polls.

While reclaiming the fourth green field is important, for me seeking Irish Unity is also about insulating the island of Ireland from the febrile political environment in Britain. Brexit showed the damage which can happen when people vote for something which is not clearly defined and where there has been no planning beforehand. It also highlights that Ireland can only truly minimise the negative repercussions of Brexit by reunifying the island.

We do not have the luxury of procrastination when it comes to preparing for unity, we need to start the preparation now. Farage is no friend of Ireland or the European Union. On the basis of current polls, he could become British Prime Minister after the next Westminster election, either with a Reform majority or in coalition with the Conservatives. It is conceivable that he could decide to call a border poll at short notice. If the Irish government has not undertaken the necessary preparation beforehand, this could lead to chaos, regardless of whether we vote for or against unity in those circumstances. So for me the Irish Unity Dividend is both about harnessing the many benefits from reunification, but also about inoculating Ireland against the Brexit fever which Britain is still experiencing.

The Dublin book launch of The Irish Unity Dividend will take place on 1 October in Hodges Figgis and free tickets to attend can be booked here: Select tickets – Book Launch: Irish Unity Dividend by Ben Collins – Hodges Figgis

The Belfast book launch of The Irish Unity Dividend will take place on 2 October at Queen’s University Belfast and free tickets to attend can be booked here: 02.10.25 The Irish Unity Dividend: the benefits for everyone – BOOK LAUNCH | What’s On | Queen’s University Belfast