Ard, never mind the northern protestants, what makes you think the Republic's catholics would want a united Ireland? Their economy is transformed, as you pointed out. Why jeopardise that by bringing upwards of a million belligerent prods into the equation? (Those religious labels are just lazy shorthand on my part. I'm delighted to see religion fast losing its grip on both communities.)

Alanabit, it was the idea of threatening the Ulster loyalists with full independence that I found a bit ludicrous. A surefire recipe for mayhem, and - as I said - it's not for the Brits to decide anyway.