Accepting the statelet

A Sinn Fein member of Northern Ireland's legislative assembly has been de-selected from standing as that party's candidate in the upcoming elections in 2007. David Hyland, who represents Newry and Armagh, said some ominous words:

“If you accept policing you are really accepting the statelet."

It might be said, "if you took part in the peace process and agreed to the Belfast Agreement, you are really accepting the statelet."

Or, as someone else put it, far more succinctly, "Michael Collins, 26, Gerry Adams, nil."