Alban Maginness: Why unionists need to start talks about life after Brexit with politicians in the Republic

In 1969 Terence O'Neill, then Prime Minister of Northern Ireland and a much underrated - but in retrospect a far-seeing unionist politician - called a snap election for February 24. Ian Paisley, then a much underrated street agitator, derisively quipped: "Only a snowman would have called such an election."