evidence: On Saturday, we reported that two-thirds of all voters in the Republic say they would vote in favour of a united Ireland in a referendum. When don’t knows are excluded, that’s a 4-1 majority over those who say they would vote against the proposal. [...] What are the political implications of these findings? The shallowness, or conditionality, of the commitment to a united Ireland among many southern voters will not come as a surprise to people who have studied the subject in detail in recent years. But it presents a corrective to the assumption that a vote in the Republic would be a foregone conclusion. The misgivings of southern voters provide a campaign blueprint for those opposed to the move. But there is encouragement for those who favour a united Ireland, too — as well as food for thought for those who say that unity would be an opportunity to create a new state, a new and improved Ireland. An Irish NHS could persuade many northerners to vote for unity; so could a publicly funded secular school system. This is also something that is very popular in the south. If voters could be convinced that they would personally benefit financially, it could also bolster support for unity, North and South.