Jim Allister: Return of Stormont may not be in unionism’s best interests

It comes after SDLP leader Colum Eastwood said there was no hope of reconciliation without an Assembly and that nationalists “must not be seduced or misled” into the narrative that power-sharing was a “convenience rather than a necessity”.

Addressing the Fianna Fail conference for the first time since the parties formed a new partnership, Mr Eastwood added: “For any real republican, there is no pathway towards a new Ireland without an Assembly in Stormont.”

TUV leader Mr Allister claimed Mr Eastwood’s remarks signalled that the SDLP’s prime motivation for the return of devolution was “to use it as a stepping stone to Irish unity”.

And DUP MLA Jim Wells accused the party of trying to “out-green” Sinn Fein and “throwing away any attempts to woo unionism”.

North Antrim MLA Mr Allister told the News Letter: “The Belfast Agreement was perceived by unionists – those who supported it that is – as being an end it in itself, a solution, where everyone was going to pull together.

“To republicans and many nationalists, it was never seen as that. It was indeed seen as a building block towards delivering Irish unity.

“There is much for unionism to reflect on, particularly given that we have now come to a point where unionists are in the minority at Stormont.

“Any right-thinking unionist should ponder long and hard as to why they would want to go back to that system of government.”

South Down MLA Mr Wells said Mr Eastwood’s remarks were “the last throw of the dice” for the SDLP, which he described as a party “looking for relevance”.

“These comments by Mr Eastwood are yet another nail in the coffin of the social democratic element of that party,” he told the News Letter.

“We have known for years that Sinn Fein wanted to use Stormont as a means towards achieving a united Ireland, and it is sad that the SDLP have now seem to have joined that bandwagon.

“It also indicates to me that the SDLP has thrown out any attempt to woo unionism. They are trying to out-green Sinn Fein.

“People will not vote for the SDLP if they try and be more extreme than Sinn Fein. They have to appeal to a more middle ground of nationalism.”