The DUP is citing the risk of a Sinn Fein First Minister to scare unionists

I see Sir Jeffrey Donaldson is running around trying to scare people into voting DUP with the threat of Michelle O’Neill becoming First Minister.

A few thoughts on that:

1. In law she is joint First Minister — Paul Givan can’t blow his nose without Michelle O’Neill’s consent.

2. There can only be a SF/IRA First Minister if unionists vote for a Deputy First Minister. Sounds like the DUP are ready to do that.

3. What difference will it make? We already have convicted terrorists in government, we have them overseeing our police, we have them involved in overseeing our education.

Listen, the only reason the DUP are bringing this out is to distract you from the fact that every day they are implementing the Northern Ireland Protocol which is designed to break us from the Union.

It is being used to distract people from the fact that Jeffrey and Co have guaranteed SF/IRA their Irish Language Act.

Spending millions more on Irish and Ulster Scots while our health service is run into the ground.

Let’s remember it was Jeffrey Donaldson, along with Arlene Foster, who supported Boris Johnson’s original plan in early October 2019 for an Irish Sea regulatory border.

He did this after the DUP said they wouldn’t contemplate such a thing — that this was a blood red line for them.

An election is coming folks and the fact is, if you vote DUP you will get more of the same.

It’s time unionism got off its knees and started making some demands — too often it is SF/IRA making the demands and then getting them.

We need a new system of government.

Tom Smith, Ex DUP councillor, Ards and North Down Borough Council

——— ———

A message from the Editor:

Thank you for reading this story on our website. While I have your attention, I also have an important request to make of you.

With the coronavirus lockdown having a major impact on many of our advertisers — and consequently the revenue we receive — we are more reliant than ever on you taking out a digital subscription.

Subscribe to newsletter.co.uk and enjoy unlimited access to the best Northern Ireland and UK news and information online and on our app. With a digital subscription, you can read more than 5 articles, see fewer ads, enjoy faster load times, and get access to exclusive newsletters and content. Visit https://www.newsletter.co.uk/subscriptions now to sign up.

Our journalism costs money and we rely on advertising, print and digital revenues to help to support them. By supporting us, we are able to support you in providing trusted, fact-checked content for this website.

Ben Lowry

Acting Editor