On the back of polling which saw its support plummet to only 13 per cent of voters, the the Democratic Unionist Party is reverting to type with a rudderless threat to bring down Stormont in the midst of a global pandemic.
As the UK National Health Service already teeters on the edge of collapse and Covid-19 cases persistently mount, the revolving door of ever-self-serving DUP leaders has continued to ensure that only the least qualified to protect the public interest are awarded the power to break our fragile democracy.
Haemorrhaging loyalists to Jim Allister’s TUV, and moderate unionists to Doug Beattie’s UUP, the party was faced with a dilemma over its ardent opposition to the Northern Ireland protocol, and now we have their decision.
DUP leader Jeffrey Donaldson laid out a number of “actions” in his speech on Thursday morning. These plans include an immediate withdrawal from strand-two North-South structures under the Belfast Agreement, a refusal to engage in implementation of border checks, and a resolve to obstruct any alignment with European Union law.
Crucially, none of these actions includes a timeframe – an omission more indicative of political posturing than a political plan. He added: “I’m prepared to go to the country and seek a fresh mandate. That’s democracy.”
Democracy, however, would in actuality necessitate the fulfilment of the mandate handed down by the people of Northern Ireland in 2017. It would demand the full implementation of the Belfast Agreement, and it would both acknowledge and respect the reality that Brexit has no democratic mandate in Northern Ireland.
The floundering DUP leader claimed the Northern Ireland protocol was causing “harm on a daily basis” and risked “economic difficulties”. However, evidence suggests that the protocol could boost the Northern Ireland economy with a sharp increase in foreign direct investors vying for the North’s twin market access to both the UK and the EU.
Supply chains
The potential for economic prosperity is further evidenced by the plethora of Northern Irish companies securing substantial business deals as supply chains reorientate from British suppliers to suppliers in Northern Ireland – this shift has positive knock-on effects for the economy at large and should surely be prioritised over protecting businesses on the opposite side of the Irish Sea.
One of several problems for the DUP is that many see through this political stunt. The cries of betrayal and demand for their wishes to be met ring empty, while the party continues to shirk any responsibility for its role in pursuing Brexit.
The unilateral decision of the British government to indefinitely extend all grace periods – essentially removing the impending risk of more checks between Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK – takes the teeth out of the DUP’s position, as does the mounting data that shows businesses are adapting to the new regulations, and in some cases experiencing significant growths in trade.
A further fault in the DUP’s position is that tangible solutions are available. A recent report from the House of Lords acknowledged several economic opportunities resulting from the protocol, including dual-market access, North-South trade and foreign direct investment.
The report also endorsed a sanitary and phytosanitary agreement as the “single most significant measure” to address problems with the protocol. This sensible solution has been dismissed by the British government and the DUP, who remain more concerned about protecting an ideological version of Brexit than compromising for the betterment of business.
‘Actions, not words’
Recognising that the DUP is trying to out-TUV the TUV, Allister has come out in force demanding “actions, not words” and calling for the immediate termination of all checks under the protocol. Beattie, however – perhaps keeping an eye on his party’s polling position – stated that the DUP’s threats would lead only to “instability” and “harm”.
He is not wrong. As winter looms, there is a very real threat that the pressure on ICU beds in Northern Ireland due to Covid-19 will coincide with the seasonal flu and other demands on the service with catastrophic consequences. All this would be exacerbated by the collapse of Stormont as threatened by Donaldson.
We’ve already witnessed the suspension of vital cancer operations in order to reallocate resources towards Covid treatments, and that problem will only increase.
Northern Ireland has the worst hospital waiting times in the UK; one in four children live in poverty; and legislation addressing climate action, stalking and organ donation would all be indefinitely on hold should the DUP collapse Stormont. In the words of the late David Ervine: “These people are not to be trusted, their interest does not lie in Northern Ireland, their interest is self-interest.”