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26/09/2025

𝗨𝗨𝗣 𝗦𝗹𝗮𝗺𝘀 𝗟𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝗿’𝘀 ‘𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗿𝘂𝘀𝗶𝘃𝗲’ 𝗗𝗶𝗴𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗜𝗗 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝗻 𝗮𝘀 𝗮 𝗧𝗵𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗟𝗶𝗯𝗲𝗿𝘁𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗣𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗮𝗰𝘆

In a joint statement, the Ulster Unionist Party MLA group has announced its strong opposition to the government's proposals for a nationwide Digital ID system. The party condemns the plan as an intrusive state overreach that fundamentally threatens the rights and freedoms of citizens across the United Kingdom.

A UUP spokesperson said: “The party firmly rejects this nationwide Digital ID rollout. We view it as an excessive and ill-conceived initiative that compromises the fundamental right to privacy for law-abiding citizens.

“Such a system would undermine trust and liberty by granting the state unprecedented control over personal lives, jeopardising the core democratic values of liberty, privacy, and accountability.

“The Ulster Unionist Party is clear: we will oppose this at every turn. This proposal must not become law, and we will work to protect the freedoms that people throughout the United Kingdom cherish. We are calling on the Labour government to abandon this misguided policy and focus on solutions that respect the privacy and autonomy of the individual.”

26/09/2025

❌ Say NO to Starmer’s Digital ID plan ❌

Do you trust this Labour Government with even more of your personal data? I don’t.

Digital ID cards risk our freedoms and privacy.

The introduction of the Digital ID has nothing to do with illegal immigration, and everything to do with state control and is an infringement on our civil liberties, by Stalinist Starmer.

Sign the petition ⬇️
https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/730194?fbclid=Iwb21leANDPcFjbGNrA0M9vmV4dG4DYWVtAjExAAEe2N5VLqpA-Sh0v0S8FaWQzamwTMguPOcdtvp4P84tUPGD6LoNxc6U4Cgc4as_aem_fL7hUyjVjDcpgk-SAWsNZw

26/09/2025

We are pleased to see so many unionist politicians, from various parties, condemning this dystopian policy.

🚨 Statement on Digital ID Proposals 🚨

I am completely opposed to Keir Starmer’s proposals for a nationwide Digital ID roll out.

This is an excessive, unnecessary and deeply intrusive overreach by the Prime Minister and his government. A scheme like this risks undermining the basic rights and freedoms of law-abiding citizens while handing the state unprecedented power over our personal lives.

Digital IDs are not the answer to the challenges we face as a country. Instead of building trust, they erode it. Instead of protecting freedoms, they threaten them.

Our democracy is built on liberty, privacy and accountability. Digital IDs undermine all three.

This must not become law.

26/09/2025

❌👑 𝐊𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐖𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐚𝐦'𝐬 𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐈𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐡 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐌𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐄𝐧𝐠𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐝 ⚔🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

The editor of the Calendar of State Papers, William John Henry, made the following observation regarding King William III’s care for the Irish Protestants who sought sanctuary in England during the Williamite War.

𝗟𝗮𝗿𝗴𝗲 𝗻𝘂𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝘀𝘂𝗰𝗵 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝘁𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝗮𝘀 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗲𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝗲𝘀𝗰𝗮𝗽𝗲 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗜𝗿𝗲𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗵𝗮𝗱 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗘𝗻𝗴𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗱, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝗰𝗼-𝗿𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗶𝘀𝘁𝘀 𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝗻 𝗜𝗿𝗲𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗱, 𝗞𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗪𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗮𝗺 𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗹𝘆 𝘁𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗮 𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗹𝘆 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘁. 𝗨𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵 𝟭𝟰𝘁𝗵, 𝟭𝟲𝟴𝟵, 𝗶𝘀 𝗮 𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗶𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗚𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁 𝗦𝗲𝗮𝗹, 𝘄𝗵𝗶𝗰𝗵 𝗱𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗮 𝗯𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗳 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗳 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗼𝗼𝗿 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝘁𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗜𝗿𝗲𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝗵𝗮𝗱 𝘀𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗿𝗲𝗳𝘂𝗴𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝗘𝗻𝗴𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗱, 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗮𝗺𝗲 𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗿 𝘂𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗙𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗵 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝘁𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝘁𝘀 … ; 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗞𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝘂𝗴𝗴𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗔𝗿𝗰𝗵𝗯𝗶𝘀𝗵𝗼𝗽𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗖𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗯𝘂𝗿𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗬𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘀𝘂𝗰𝗵 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘀𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗳𝘂𝗴𝗲𝗲𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝘄𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗜𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗵 𝗰𝗹𝗲𝗿𝗴𝘆 𝘄𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗵𝘆 𝗼𝗳 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗘𝗻𝗴𝗹𝗶𝘀𝗵 𝗖𝗵𝘂𝗿𝗰𝗵.

Preface to Calendar of State Papers, Domestic Series, of the Reign of William and Mary. 13th Feb. 1689 - April 1690. Preserved in the Public Record Office, ed. William John Hardy (London: Her Majesty’s Stationery Office, 1895), xxv.

25/09/2025

🏰👑 𝐒𝐢𝐫 𝐇𝐞𝐧𝐫𝐲 𝐖𝐢𝐥𝐬𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐎𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐍𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐧 𝐈𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐢𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 ⚔🇬🇧

Writing to Sir James Craig shortly before the opening of the Northern Ireland Parliament, Field Marshal Sir Henry Wilson explained why he could not accept Craig’s invitation to attend this significant event.

𝗜 𝘀𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗮 𝘁𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗺 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝗮𝘆𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗜 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝗮𝗳𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗱 𝗶𝘁 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗼𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗺𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗮𝗰𝗰𝗲𝗽𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗶𝗻𝘃𝗶𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻. 𝗔𝘀 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗺𝗮𝘆 𝘄𝗲𝗹𝗹 𝗶𝗺𝗮𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗲, 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗳𝗲𝘄 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗜 𝘄𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗯𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗢𝗽𝗲𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝗹𝗶𝗮𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁. 𝗜 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗮𝗻 𝘂𝗻𝗹𝗶𝗺𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗯𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗳 𝗶𝗻 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗰𝗼𝗿𝗻𝗲𝗿 𝗼𝗳 𝗜𝗿𝗲𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗱, 𝗶𝗻 𝗳𝗮𝗰𝘁, 𝘀𝗼 𝗺𝘂𝗰𝗵 𝘀𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗜 𝗼𝗳𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝘁𝗲𝗹𝗹 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘀𝗲 𝘂𝗻𝗳𝗼𝗿𝘁𝘂𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗘𝗻𝗴𝗹𝗶𝘀𝗵 𝗳𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗺𝗮𝗱𝗲 𝗮 𝗵𝗮𝘀𝗵 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗘𝗺𝗽𝗶𝗿𝗲, 𝘄𝗲 𝗨𝗹𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗯𝗼𝘆𝘀 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗹𝗲𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺 𝘀𝗲𝗲 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗼 𝗿𝘂𝗻 𝗮 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹 𝗜𝗺𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗮! 𝗕𝘂𝘁 𝗜 𝗿𝗲𝗳𝘂𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝗯𝗲𝗰𝗮𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝘄𝗼 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗼𝗻𝘀.

𝗙𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝗯𝗲𝗰𝗮𝘂𝘀𝗲, 𝗯𝗲𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝗲𝗻𝗶𝗼𝗿 𝗼𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗲𝗿 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗕𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝘀𝗵 𝗔𝗿𝗺𝘆, 𝗜 𝗱𝗼 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸 𝗶𝘁 𝘄𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗯𝗲 𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗿 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗺𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗰𝗲𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝟮𝟮𝗻𝗱, 𝘂𝗻𝗹𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗞𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗵𝗮𝗱 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝗮 𝘄𝗶𝘀𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗜 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗯𝗲; 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗱𝗹𝘆, 𝗯𝗲𝗰𝗮𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝗮𝗰𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗜 𝗮𝗺 𝗖.𝗜.𝗚.𝗦. 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗺𝘆 𝗼𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗜𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗵 𝗤𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗳𝗮𝗶𝗿𝗹𝘆 𝘄𝗲𝗹𝗹 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄𝗻, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗶𝗻 𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝗮𝗰𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗚𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝗲 𝗱𝗲𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗵 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗪𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝗼𝗿𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗦𝗶𝗻𝗻 𝗙𝗲𝗶𝗻 𝗿𝗲𝗯𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝗮𝗻 𝗲𝗻𝗱, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗼𝗿𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗼𝗽𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗴𝗼 𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗲𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗺𝗲, 𝗜 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸 𝗶𝘁 𝘄𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗵𝗮𝗽𝘀 𝗯𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗽𝗼𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗰𝘀 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗔𝗿𝗺𝘆 𝗶𝗳 𝗮𝘀 𝗮 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝘁𝗼 𝗼𝗿𝗱𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝘀𝗮𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗼𝗽𝘀 𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗼 𝗰𝗿𝘂𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗯𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗵 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗪𝗲𝘀𝘁, 𝗜 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝘀𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝗹𝗶𝗮𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗡𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗵.

𝗧𝗵𝗲𝘀𝗲 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗺𝘆 𝘁𝘄𝗼 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗼𝗻𝘀, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗜 𝗮𝗺 𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗮𝗴𝗿𝗲𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗯𝗼𝘁𝗵 𝗴𝗼𝗼𝗱. 𝗢𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗱, 𝗜 𝘀𝗲𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺 𝘁𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹 𝗿𝗲𝗴𝗿𝗲𝘁 𝗯𝗲𝗰𝗮𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝗶𝘁 𝘄𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗿𝘂𝘁𝗵 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗴𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗻 𝗺𝗲 𝗶𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗲 𝗽𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝘀𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘄𝗼𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝗳𝘂𝗹 𝗳𝘂𝗻𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝟮𝟮𝗻𝗱.

𝗩𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝗺𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗸𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗹𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗺𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗹𝘆 𝗼𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿 𝗼𝗳 𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗵𝗼𝘀𝗽𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆.

Sir Henry Wilson to Sir James Craig, 16 June 1921 in Keith Jeffery (ed.), The Military Correspondence of Field Marshal Sir Henry Wilson 1918-1922, Publications of the Army Records Society, vol. I (London: The Army Records Society, 1985), pp 273-74.

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24/09/2025

🟠🔵 𝗧𝗛𝗘𝗥𝗘 𝗜𝗦 𝗡𝗢𝗧𝗛𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗡𝗘𝗪 𝗨𝗡𝗗𝗘𝗥 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗦𝗨𝗡: 𝗣𝗥𝗢𝗧𝗘𝗦𝗧𝗔𝗡𝗧𝗦 𝗔𝗡𝗗 𝗣𝗘𝗧𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗘𝗦𝗦 𝗗𝗨𝗥𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗪𝗜𝗟𝗟𝗜𝗔𝗠𝗜𝗧𝗘 𝗪𝗔𝗥 ⚔🪖

Petty jealousies amongst Protestants are, sadly, nothing new. Many of us get discouraged by infighting between unionists and squabbles among members of the loyal orders. Realising that similar pettiness existed, even in much better days for the cause, helps us to avoid the sin of despair. For example, the editor of the Calendar of State Papers from February 1689 to April 1690 tells us that the Duke of Schomberg struggled to deal with indiscipline among his troops in Ireland. Schomberg perhaps did not help himself with his ‘predeliction for foreigners’, which provoked the jealousy of the English officers. [1]

One would have thought that, given the enemy they were facing, they would have put aside such petty jealousies and focused on the bigger picture. Indeed, you would have thought that they would have been glad of help from any source. Such pettiness was entirely out of place in these circumstances when they were at war with the forces of Roman Catholicism and French absolutism. Such pettiness is also out of place today as we battle not only the spiritual influence of Romanism, but the political influence of Republican-Marxism. In such circumstances, the last thing that we as Protestants and Loyalists should be doing is needlessly fighting with each other, especially not over trivialities.

[1] Preface to Calendar of State Papers, Domestic Series, of the Reign of William and Mary. 13th Feb. 1689 - April 1690. Preserved in the Public Record Office, ed. William John Hardy (London: Her Majesty’s Stationery Office, 1895), xvii-viii.

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23/09/2025