Earlier today, I likened the second Hillsborough Report to the second Bloody Sunday Report.

Surprisingly perhaps, I heard no mention of Bloody Sunday on TV News. Until tonight.

Tom Bradby at ITN News in a conversation with Mark austen, the ITN Anchor made the comparison. And interestingly he made it in the context of people perhaps wondering about the nature of the country they live in. He mentioned that he had had a similar conversation with Austen over Bloody Sunday…….and other miscarriages of Justice such as the Birmingham Six and the Guildford Four.

In a sense it was unfortunate that these cases were all “Irish” as it might unbalance the narrative about miscarriages…..Stefan Kiszko, Sally Clark, The Cardiff Three, The Bridgewater Four, Barry George were also victims of miscarriages of justice but had no “Irish” significance. But in fairness Bradby was talking “off the cuff”.

What kind of country?      it can be expanded……bankers on inflated bonuses, politicians with dodgy expenses, journalists and phone hacking, going to war illegally on the basis of weapons of mass destruction in Iraq.

This is not an anti-British tirade. Far from it. The same “what kind of country? question can be asked about Ireland…..politicians, bankers, churchmen could be asked in Ireland. And has been.

And thats the odd thing about unionists and nationalists in Norn Iron. We cling to an unreal version of the nation (Britain or Ireland) with which we identify.

But do we really cling to an unreal version. The vast majority of British and Irish people are decent people. And historically Britain and Ireland as nations have done more good than harm (except possibly to each other). And for that matter…the vast majority of Norn Iron unionists and nationalists are decent people.

Tom Bradby is right to reflect that British people can ask this question tonight.

But the answer (as in the Irish situation) lies in the hands of the British people.

People must reclaim the true values of their nation……whether its Britain or Ireland makes no difference at al.