Fifty percent plus one wouldn’t cause chaos

PETER Robinson and some Fianna Fail politicians state that a majority of 50% plus one would cause instability.

Undermining the 50% plus one rule undermines any current definition of democracy.

However, I believe the size of the majority will determine the type of united Ireland put in place.

I believe that a united Ireland referendum should have two questions, the first being, “Do you want to join a united Ireland? ”

The second would be, “If there is a united Ireland, what type would you select?” Three options should be given — a soft, medium or hard united Ireland.

A soft one would probably mean that Stormont would still exist as an autonomous regional assembly. The Irish Foreign Minister would probably move into Hillsborough Castle and assume a governance role and act as pay master general.

The 18 MPs would transfer directly to the Dail. Stormont would have fiscal autonomy, tax-raising powers and could decide if it remained tied to the sterling or not. People’s rights would be copper-fastened, and any unification would probably be as frictionless as possible.

Harder forms of unification would probably have greater divergence from the status quo, and probably have closer links to the Dail and EU systems.

The referendum should be held in 2023, 25 years after the Good Friday Agreement, which gives enough time for the governments to formulate and specify the frameworks for a hard, soft or medium united Ireland, and plenty of time for the people north and south to discuss. That will help reduce any instability in the case of 50 plus one.

JOHN McSORLEY Belfast