Thread by @NaomiOhReally

Takeaways from new Irish Times polling on unification:
- large majority of 62% support
- unsurprisingly small percentage in opposition - 16%
- most popular timeline is referendum "in the next ten years"
irishtimes.com/news/politics/…

Unsurprisingly, when asked "to what extent do you agree or disagree with the following" respondents mostly picked 'disagree' on changing the flag, anthem, increasing tax, decreasing public spending, and so on

Personally I think a more useful framing of the question would have been "if you are in favour of a united Ireland, would you still be in favour if it meant..." new flag, new anthem, etc, as it's not particularly surprising that people are attached to national symbols.

It would be even more useful if we knew what unionists actually wanted as a condition for unification. As far as I am aware, these ideas like flags, anthems, Commonwealth membership, and so on, are guesses by southerners about what unionists might like.

My own experience is that when you confront people for the first time about changing the flag, anthem, etc, it's a new idea and an unpleasant one.
After a bit though, people do open up to reimagining the country, and it becomes quite an interesting conversation.

My own qualitative-not-quantative assessment is that healthcare is the most important concern about unification in NI, not just among unionists but everyone.
North and south are also mutually misinformed about the status quo on the other side of the border

https://twitter.com/MichaelMoriarty/status/1470007972831059970?t=br-kmX8N3mh15vT1PzF_4A&s=19

Southerners tend to think there's one monolithic 'NHS' and assume healthcare in NI is what you'd get in London.
In NI people are extremely put off by GP charges, but often don't realise there are medical cards (means-tested free service) and children and the elderly are exempt

(This latter point is part of a broader misconception about healthcare in the UK, which is that the two choices are the NHS/free at point of use, or the dreaded American system. The many other healthcare systems of Europe, which often work better than both, are invisible).