It depends who you ask, there is a lot of knowledge about the financial cost, one thing the IRA did do is make the cost in terms of lives lost, bomb destruction easy enough to see that you didn't need a calculator. At the end of the day issues like this aren't decided by popular consent though, the English themselves will never be offerred self government for example no matter how many 'desire' it, so it doesn't matter what they think. Northern Ireland is itself sufficiently unstable that it will never be a case of being merely a matter of electoral politics, the instability during the Troubles (and widening of the gap between the communities) has probably made the best case for Union (irrespective of demographics) that could have ever been made, only the UK has the military power to quell dissent and provide a high enough uniform to civilian ratio to maintain order in times of an impending civil war, that is the brutal truthful logic behind it.

Though I'd say more of them could name the day quicker than they could tell you St. George's Day

Simon Bates used to load up on U2 and Thin Lizzy on his morning radio show, as I recall.

Does the regional BBC news not even show the London Parade ?

BBC London would show it. but that would be about it - on national news, there is never a mention.

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Really ? I never knew that !

there were plenty on the Labour left and the far left who supported it. Ken Livingstone and Vanessa Redgrave are two that come to mind.

And the "Troops Out" movement in the 70s was based in England.

But Jeffrey Archer???? are you sure about that?

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I recollect Jeffrey during his days as Deputy Tory Party Chairman supporting the concept just as everything was begining to boil over in other departments for him! Thatcher let her displeasure be known to him and the relationship cooled at the time, AFAIK he certainly said he could see the day when unity would come.
Mind you there's alot of ting s Jeffrey thought that we now know to be different!

Clive Soley and Ken Livingston also support a united ireland. I seem to remember a few celebs in the acting business like Venessa Redgrave and yer won who used play basil Faulty's wife supporting troups out and a UI.
Troughout the conflict -the Daily Mirrors consistent policy was for withdrawl and a United Ireland, though it refused to condemn its army's murderous actions in ireland.

During the Tan War the english people of London came out and lined the streets for Terrence MacSwiney's removal back to Ireland. Before that, many prominent people in English society supported irish Independance like Roger Casements friend -Arthur Conal Doyle- creater of Sherlock Holmes. And of course Paraig and Willie Pearse's father was an Englishman!

and lets not forget that Roger Casement was a Irish born British diplomat, who received awards for his work from King George himself!

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Wow.I used to hang out with 2nd generation Irish in north London.They could put you in your parish.But I spose things change ,especiallly outside the city.

I know a lovely English guy,been living here for years ;he can't understand why the Duke of Devonshire owns fishing rights on the Munster Blackwater.I don't think the Anglo Norman invasion of Ireland is a hot topic in English schools.

The English I worked with wanted out of Scotland and Wales,never mind Ireland

Then again Major McDowell - Irish Times unionist type- believed in a United Ireland,as long as it was in the Commonwealth.Not on now though,methinks.

Arthur Griffith the founder of SF was a dual monachist. Mind you John Bruton is one too but I suppose most politicians in Leinster House today would ******************** themselves at the thought of a united ireland -excluding the shinners of course.