Empey goes a wee bit over the top on Scottish Independance.

[Figaroni]

He has said it could reignite the Troubles. Scaremongering was how Paisley built his career, Reg is a bit long in the tooth to start playing card now.

BBC News - Empey fears Scottish independence could reignite NI Troubles

[Young Ned]

He has said it could reignite the Troubles. Scaremongering was how Paisley built his career, Reg is a bit long in the tooth to start playing thacaramel now.

BBC News - Empey fears Scottish independence could reignite NI Troubles

Was just going to start a thread about this. Here's the newsletter take:

Lord Empey said that if Scotland broke away from the United Kingdom, people in Northern Ireland would have “a foreign country on one side of us and a foreign country on the other side of us”.
He told peers during a debate about the Scotland Bill: “We would end up like West Pakistan. We are all hewn from the same rock. Just imagine the situation we would be placed in.
“We have just spent decades overcoming nationalist terrorism and we gradually after years and years and years managed to settle down our community.
“I don’t wish to exaggerate but if the Scottish nationalists were to succeed it could possibly reignite the difficulties we have just managed to overcome. I do not say that lightly.”

Empey: Scottish split

My impression is he does himself no favors, and from a purely realpolitik point of view, it would be wise for him to take MMG's advice and stay quiet on the topic. Seems to me his words may have unintended consequences, but I suppose we'll see.

[between the bridges]

as you say over the top, anyway how many threads on scottish lundys do we have now?!!!

[Young Ned]

as you say over the top, anyway how many threads on scottish lundys do we have now?!!!

It's a news story, and interesting at that. Especially considering how many people thought it was nationalists who were obsessing over this topic and that there would be no repercussions for the North. Clearly it occupies a prominent place in the thoughts of at least some unionists.

This is a hot topic now; there will be a lot of stories out on it.

I'm just a bit disappointed that he didn't flesh out the scenario he had in mind.

[between the bridges]

It's a news story, and interesting at that. Especially considering how many people thought it was nationalists who were obsessing over this topic and that there would be no repercussions for the North. Clearly it occupies a prominent place in the thoughts of at least some unionists.

This is a hot topic now; there will be a lot of stories out on it.

fair enough that's me told!! imo it's doesn’t matter what the Scots decide (and good luck to them whatever they decide) both communities in n.i will decide what we do, and before there can be any drastic changes to the status quo here, we need to decide how we live with each other, after that the rest is easy!!!

[Young Ned]

fair enough that's me told!! imo it's doesn’t matter what the Scots decide (and good luck to them whatever they decide) both communities in n.i will decide what we do, and before there can be any drastic changes to the status quo here, we need to decide how we live with each other, after that the rest is easy!!!

That's clear, but the point that I'm making is it looks like Scotland leaving the UK would cause lots of rethinks across the board about what the status quo is and what it should be. Even Wales is making noise now in reaction to Scotland's moves, and while you're right about drastic changes in the North, I'm simply saying people's attitudes about what the status quo should be are likely to change in the wake of independence. You may start seeing an entirely new tone to the discussion.

[Castle Ray]

I'm just a bit disappointed that he didn't flesh out the scenario he had in mind.

So you are disappointed he didn't do himself more disfavour and disappointed he didn't take McGuinness' advice further?

[Castle Ray]

That's clear, but the point that I'm making is it looks like Scotland leaving the UK would cause lots of rethinks across the board about what the status quo is and what it should be. Even Wales is making noise now in reaction to Scotland's moves, and while you're right about drastic changes in the North, I'm simply saying people's attitudes about what the status quo should be are likely to change in the wake of independence. You may start seeing an entirely new tone to the discussion.

Agree.

[Young Ned]

So you are disappointed he didn't do himself more disfavour and disappointed he didn't take McGuinness' advice further?

I don't recall saying I was disappointed he opened his mouth, just that I thought it was a bad idea from a realpolitik point of view.

Given the fact he's going to shoot himself in the foot anyway, I'd have been curious to hear more about how the scenario played out in his head.

[Cromlyn]

Reg is such a non entity in politics here (when wasnt he!) I look on this as a bit of grandstanding from him, who honestly cares what he has to say?
Would like to hear him flesh this out too Young Ned, maybe he hasnt thought that far ahead!