On repartitioning Northern Ireland
The current riots in Northern Ireland reminded me of this old article at Strange Maps: Is Ulster Doomed?. Since this year marks the centenary of the original partition of Ireland, so it is perhaps time to reconsider the current arrangements. As things stand under the Good Friday agreement NI remains part of the UK until the population wishes otherwise. Depending on how you count it polls suggest growing levels of support for a change.
However, reunification would have a high cost for the Republic (assuming the UK ceased all financial support for the province), while leaving a large population unhappy with the result. A co-dominion would be a short-term solution, but would probably only delay the event.
So let's look at a more off-the-wall suggestion, as brought up by that Strange Maps article: repartition. Looking at the last general election result we could see the new borders set so:
Finally, I would suggest renaming the part remaining in the UK British Ulter to distinguish it from Ireland. It would be a constituent nation of the (renamed) United Kingdom of Great Britain, with its own local government but more integrated than NI is currently.
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