The best thing I can do is just quote it verbatim, so here goes – here’s the question asked by RTE’s David McCullough during an interview with the DUP’s Gavin Robinson last Thursday night.
“This is the DUP’s record in recent years - you backed Brexit which made the border an issue again; you rejected Theresa May’s deal which kept Northern Ireland in the same custom’s territory as Britain; you backed Boris Johnson who agreed a border down the Irish Sea; and now Edwin Poots is, in effect, claiming that international agreements signed by the UK government don’t apply to Northern Ireland - are you people working for the other guy?”
I was so impressed with the question I honestly don’t remember Robinson’s response.
Anyway, while I am at it let me give me you another quote I came across last week from “Amy” who was interviewed at length by author, Susan McKay for her recent book ‘Northern Protestants – On Shifting Ground’.
Amy was asked to explain why the Protestant/Unionist people all around her voted for Brexit: “Why? A border as high as you can get it and all the foreigners out. And no united Ireland. They did what the DUP said, and now it has all backfired on the DUP.”
Talking to folks in this neck of the woods in recent days I have found that many understand and accept that unionism and loyalism has a genuine concern with the Withdrawal Agreement but most nationalists and quite few unionists see the DUP’s decision to bring down Stormont as not primarily concerned about the long term future of Northern Ireland but more about the party’s own short term future, particularly in regard to their electoral prospects come the Assembly elections in May.
Indeed, it's hard for many not to see what the DUP is at other than with a jaundiced, cynical eye.
Here’s a party that has had three leaders in less than a year. Two of those were forced out in the midst of massive internal upheaval. In recent days we have had the much publicised in-fighting as to who was standing in Lagan Valley or South Down or wherever, which exposed more allegations of back-stabbing and dirty deals.
And getting back to that RTE interview, it was clear McCullough’s question to the East Belfast MP summed up pretty much the growing impatience, even exasperation, in Dublin with what is happening. There is no mood in the southern political circles to accept responsibility for what they see as a mess all of the DUP’s own doing.
Don’t blame us was the message being sent out loud and clear.
I suppose what Sir Jeffrey Donaldson has done is gamble for high stakes with what could be the last big throw of the dice for his party. They are in real trouble and this is his attempt to attempt to circle the wagons. It’s that simple.
On the other side of the divide, republicans have to be rubbing their hands with glee. Unionists bringing down Stormont? Does it get any better for them?
The cornerstone of all republican theology over the years is that the North is inherently unstable because it was artificially created and its foundations would fall apart when unionism’s domination ended.
If the recent instability is anything to go by, there is some truth in that analysis.
Finally, Sir Jeffrey has indicated even after the elections his party won’t go into government unless the Protocol issue is resolved. Could I be so bold as to suggest that might suit Sinn Fein just dandy.
