I have to commend Andy Burnham for his comment last week that a border poll was “off the table”.
The prime minister’s poor choice of words have resulted in a wealth of conversation about the question of Irish unity, from both sides of the debate.
Those who completely dismiss the idea have had to spill more ink over it, thanks to Burnham providing such a succinct soundbite.
Secretary of State Chris Bryant later cleaned up after Andy, saying that the PM was “fully committed to every part of the Good Friday Agreement”, which if true, would certainly set him apart from his predecessors.
There is now more than an entire generation who have grown up since its signing.
Whether they’re from the ceasefire generation or peace babies, their distance from the conflict does not mean they don’t bear the scars of the Troubles or carry new wounds thanks to our seemingly impossible political situation.
But still, when we talk about a border poll, Irish unity, or creating a new Ireland, their voices never seem to be heard.
While arguments against unity come from people of all backgrounds, something a lot of them have in common is their age.
It is usually the older generations who want to put the question to bed and make us accept our situation as permanent.
In many ways I can see why they’re so quick to end the conversation. They lived through the conflict and saw its end, so why risk rocking the boat?
But the status quo that they have accepted should not be the future they want for their children and grandchildren.
Three decades is a long time and in those years peace has been achieved, but not prosperity.
We are still under-funded and neglected and regularly misunderstood by those in Westminster.
In many areas we are trailing behind the rest of the UK, which is no surprise given the decades we lost to fighting.
That bright future that was promised has been dulled by a lack of funding for public services, mental health care, and a housing crisis, all piled on top of the economic problems the rest of the UK is dealing with.
Northern Ireland is a failed state. You can debate whether this statement is too cut and dry but you can’t argue that we haven’t been given the opportunity to really flourish.
We are in a permanent cycle of stopping and starting, while we go to Westminster with our cap in hand begging for more money.
However, the younger generation don’t see this as just the way things are – but as something that needs to change.
They are the ones who helped create the Belfast we have now, the one that was able to open its arms and embrace the Fleadh and is blossoming with bars and cafés carrying a distinctly Irish spirit.
Indeed, it was almost amusing to see Burnham in Cathedral Quarter during his ‘listening tour’, as one can only assume he kept his eyes shut.
The Fleadh was one of the most positive things to happen to Belfast in decades and its significance will only grow over time. More than just a celebration of music and dance, it was an event that showcased who we are now and how far we’ve come.
Our move towards Irish language signage is also hugely significant and reflects the growing interest in learning and reclaiming it among young people.
Rather than scaremonger over it, they have chosen to embrace it, on the campus of Queen’s and throughout the city.
It would be unrealistic and insincere to characterise this whole generation as Irish nationalists wanting to leave the UK.
But they are the ones most impacted by our current situation and whom our future should be built around.
So if the question is should we try for something better, they are the ones whose answer matters the most.
I hold steadfast in my belief that a united, new Ireland will happen in my lifetime.
I was born when we were still occupied, I came of age after the Good Friday Agreement, I got to spent my teens in peace, and I returned to live here when Irish pride was no longer something that had to be hidden.
I see the writing on the wall and all around me.
But for those who say it is nothing but a fantasy, I must ask, why do you so confidently believe you are living in the end of our history? That all that is possible has been achieved and the future is written in stone?
For the sake of the next generation, I can only hope that younger voices can be allowed to break through the noise created by those who would rather dismiss reality than dream of something better.
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