'Ireland owes this country nothing' - Bonnie Greer's defence of Ireland on BBC Question Time goes viral

There were calls to grant American/British playwright, Bonnie Greer, honorary Irish citizenship after comments she made on B.B.C. Question Time on Thursday.
U.S./British playwright, Bonnie Greer on B.B.C. Question Time on Thursday evening.U.S./British playwright, Bonnie Greer on B.B.C. Question Time on Thursday evening.
U.S./British playwright, Bonnie Greer on B.B.C. Question Time on Thursday evening.

Ms. Greer was on the panel of the weekly current affairs show when she spoke about the relationship between the United Kingdom and Ireland over Brexit.

"Often I hear people in this country [United Kingdom] talk as if this country owns Ireland.

"Ireland owes this country nothing."

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Virtually all of the main political parties in the North of Ireland, bar the D.U.P. and all of the parties in the South have rejected proposals put forward by British Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, to replace the backstop.

"Ireland owes this country no concessions, it owes it no quarter, it owes it nothing."

Mr. Greer went on to warn the U.K. against harming Ireland as it attempts to deliver Brexit with or without a deal before the end of this month.

"The third thing I would add too is that the Good Friday Agreement is, in spite of its rather benign name, is a truce.

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"It's a truce because the United States of America and the E.U. sat down with this country to make it happen.

"We have to be much more serious about this.

"The United States is Irish and if anyone think they are going to get a deal through and have a trade relationship with the United States that shafts Ireland, you got another thing coming - it's not going to happen.

"People are very serious about Ireland in the United States - don't mess with it, don't make it look bad," she said.

People from all over Ireland reacted by heaping praise on Ms. Greer.

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"Can someone give Leo [Varadkar] a shout and sort Bonnie Greer out with an Irish passport," joked one man.

"Bonnie, I never knew you existed until tonight but you will always be welcome in Ireland," added another.