Farage seen offering hope to freedom campaigns

The shift of British politics to the right, as represented by the increasing dominance of Nigel Farage’s Reform Part, is being seen as accelerating the causes of Irish unity and Scottish independence.

SDLP leader of the Opposition in the Stormont Assembly, Matthew O’Toole, said the rise of Reform UK — which recently won the most votes, most seats and overall control of most councils in the local government elections in England — strengthened the argument for constitutional change.

“It is not sectarian or tribal to say that you don’t want to live in a country where Nigel Farage is the most influential politician,” he said.

The SDLP Assembly member said it was now nine years since Britain voted for Brexit.

He added: “If you agree that it was a historically damaging and stupid thing to do, and that Northern Ireland’s best place is back in the EU, then you must be honest about the mechanism that can achieve this.

“The only way is via a new Ireland because UK politics has structurally shifted so much to the right.”

Mr O’Toole said his party supported Keir Starmer’s attempts to improve the London-Brussels relationship.

“However, it doesn’t change the fact that people in Northern Ireland have no way of moving UK politics towards us meaningfully rejoining the EU,” he said.

“There is a minuscule prospect of that happening. Even if the UK was moving in that direction — which it isn’t — there would still have to be a long and torturous process of renegotiation and re-accession.

“By contrast, voting for a new Ireland guarantees our return to the EU. It has been agreed by Brussels and London that Northern Ireland will automatically rejoin the EU by acceding to a member state.”

The SDLP motion describes Brexit as “an act of historic, diplomatic and economic self-harm” and says Northern Ireland’s best long-term interest is in “rejoining the EU which can only be done via a vote for a new Ireland under the terms of the Good Friday Agreement”.

The rise of Farage and English nationalist politics in Britain is also set to turbo charge Scottish independence, according to new poll.

It shows a record sixteen percent lead in support for independence if Nigel Farage becomes Prime Minister in London, according to Norstat. doubling the eight per cent lead for independence currently.

However, British Labour leader and current PM Keir Starmer is seen as a block on the cause of freedom.

As he has done on a border poll on Irish unity, Starmer has now ruled out the possibility of a second independence referendum during his time as Prime Minister.

Speaking to the BBC, the Prime Minister said even a Scottish nationalist victory at next year’s election would not change his mind on a second referendum.

He said: “I think it’s really important to focus on the priorities that matter most.

“We got a big election win last year on the basis that we would stabilise the economy and ensure that on that foundation we built a stronger Scotland in a stronger United Kingdom and that’s what I intend to do.”

Urgent Appeal