SDLP launches blueprint for United Ireland

The SDLP today launched its proposals for achieving a United Ireland within the terms of the Good Friday Agreement.

Under its blueprint a Northern Ireland Assembly would remain with all its cross-community protections, but as a regional parliament of a United Ireland rather than the United Kingdom.

The ruling executive would be kept and all the Good Friday Agreements equality and human rights protections, including a Bill of Rights would still be guaranteed.

The right for differing sections of the population to identify themselves as British or Irish, and to hold passports of either would remain, as would co-operation between London and Dublin.

Just as there is Northern Ireland representation in the Irish upper house, the Senate, at present those who wished it should still have representation in the House of Lords after unity, they said.

But instead of sending MPs to the House of Commons, the North would elect TDs to the Dáil – and would have far greater representation there than in Westminster and therefore greater power, it said.

Party leader Mark Durkan said: “We seek a united Ireland that is confident, pluralist and non-sectarian.

“One that can find magnanimity to offer a home, not only to those who are Irish, but also to those among us who are British. One that is unafraid of differing identities and allegiances. One that will respect and protect them all.”

In a clear dig at rivals Sinn Féin, the SDLP said that uniquely among parties in Northern Ireland, it was clear on the structures of a united Ireland and the strategy for achieving it.

The SDLP was making a three part launch of its blueprint in Belfast Castle this morning, in Dublin at lunchtime and in the border city of Newry, Co Down tonight.

Minister for Foreign Affairs Dermot Ahern is due to attend the Newry launch.

Unveiling its proposals, the party said: “The SDLP’s vision of a united Ireland is based on equality.

"We believe that all the rights, protections and inclusion that nationalists sought within Northern Ireland while it is in the United Kingdom, must equally be guaranteed to unionists within a united Ireland.

“We are emphatic that unity must not be about the entrapment of a new minority.”

It said the Good Friday Agreement enjoyed more support than either a united Ireland or Northern Ireland remaining in the UK and it would be perverse for the Agreement not to endure in a united Ireland.

The SDLP said it recognised it would be wrong to force Northern Ireland into a United Ireland without the consent of a majority and equally that it should be kept in the UK despite a vote for unity by a majority.

It suggested that once the institutions were bedded down, a referendum should be held.

The party said it would seeking the endorsement of all southern political parties for the strategy of achieving unity based on the Good Friday Agreement.

It would seek agreement for a date for a referendum and campaign vigorously in favour of a yes vote on unity while reassuring unionists of their guaranteed place in a united Ireland.

In an effort to put clean water between themselves and Sinn Féin, the SDLP accused the republicans of being “misguided” if they expected unionists to negotiate now before a referendum .

Equally they were misguided if they expected negotiations after a referendum. “Winning a referendum will be made much more difficult if voters know nothing of how they will be governed afterwards, other than that there will be negotiations,” they said.