Letter: Unionists are not interested in crumbs of comfort, we want NI to stay properly in the UK

A letter from David McNarry:
The DUP has been under huge pressure to return to Stormont but David McNarry writes that he despairs at others urging unionists to go back into government with the NI Protocol still in placeThe DUP has been under huge pressure to return to Stormont but David McNarry writes that he despairs at others urging unionists to go back into government with the NI Protocol still in place
The DUP has been under huge pressure to return to Stormont but David McNarry writes that he despairs at others urging unionists to go back into government with the NI Protocol still in place
By Letters
Published 2nd Dec 2023, 00:01 GMT

Last Saturday Ben Lowry wrote a thought provoking article (‘The DUP divide is now clear and it’s over EU law in NI,’ November 25).

He ended with this warning: “The Irish Sea border is a big problem but there are others, such as retrospective vindication of IRA terror and the likely coming use of Stormont to undermine the Union by attrition, which seem set only to worsen.”

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How right he is to draw attention to and focus on what unionists cannot fail to see what is in front of us.

Having come through terrorism and adjusted to ill advised concessions to republicans, and after our centenary anniversary year, instead of setting into a positive future enjoying the achievement of the Belfast Agreement and the principle of consent, unionists are bartering to stay properly in the UK.

I despair at others calling for the return of Stormont and urging unionists to go back into government “as things stand” with nothing likely to be better. The “half a loaf is better than no loaf” strategists simply have not got it – unionists are not interested in crumbs of comfort!

Stormont should not be instructed to act for HM government in implementing a border in the Irish Sea. What is happening is a far distance from the national vote in 2016 deciding that the UK would take back control of all its borders. Unionists are unequivocal in saying the framework is bad for Northern Ireland — and no unionist should reject that.

David McNarry, Comber

Related topics:Ben LowryUnionistsDUPIRAIrish Sea