Doug Beattie: Making Northern Ireland work is key to strengthening people's belief NI’s future is within the UK - it's clear we need devolved government again at Stormont

The visit of the President of the United States to Northern Ireland on the 25th anniversary of the Belfast Agreement was important.

The president spoke about our peace, the future of Northern Ireland and the relationships between the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland. In a section that won’t have gone unnoticed by unionists, the president acknowledged the massive impact of Ulster Scots on building the United States as we know it today. Their influence is clear and long lasting from the printing of the first Declaration of Independence, the designing of the Great Seal of the United States and seventeen Presidents, through to the foundation of the 75th Ranger Regiment, a renowned United States fighting force.

But, for me, the most important part of the speech, was the president being clear that the future of Northern Ireland is in the hands of the people of Northern Ireland. The fact is that no one will decide our future other than us. But we must also recognise that Northern Ireland is not a monolith, it does not sit in splendid isolation. It is affected by external forces, geopolitical relationships and changing global circumstances.

Wider political factors are at play including the social changes taking place within the United Kingdom, the ebb and flow of power and economic crises. Combine this with the need for stable relationships between the United Kingdom, the European Union, and the United States to deal with issues such as Ukraine, Taiwan, China and other emerging crises.

It is now obvious that Brexit destabilised these relationships and a rushed, unworkable Northern Ireland Protocol was foisted on the people of Northern Ireland in a vain attempt to try and shore them up.

The Windsor Framework now replaces the protocol and within it are contained both challenges and opportunities. It is certainly not the end destination that many think it is and will, without doubt, change in 2025 when the Trade and Cooperation Agreement is renegotiated.

Unionism must grasp the long-term strategic opportunities rather than relying on short term tactical thinking based purely on electoral cycles.

For me making Northern Ireland work is key to strengthening the people's belief in Northern Ireland’s future, and a future that is within the United Kingdom. It is clear that we need devolved government now for several reasons.

Firstly, making Northern Ireland work through devolved government helps the people who we are charged to represent through providing huge economic and social change. Political stability and delivery in turn secures our place within the United Kingdom.

Unionism working the devolved institutions also means we have the power to directly affect the implementation of the Windsor Framework and any future changes.

The opposite of all these things is a Northern Ireland promoted as being unworkable. Sitting on the window ledge of the Union, being picked off piece by piece by those who no longer feel it is worth the effort. It will result in the 'rigorous implementation' of the Windsor Framework through Westminster and Brussels with no checks or balances.

It will give Dublin more of an input as we saw under the 'New Decade New Approach' agreement.

Unionism needs a change in approach. It needs to look long term by building friendships and having considered influence without being dazzled by promises made but not kept.

As the leader of the Ulster Unionist Party I will continue to make the case for devolved government. To make the difficult decisions that need to be taken to secure our place in the United Kingdom and provide for all our people regardless of religion, sexual orientation, ethnicity or community background. To ensure the peace dividend from the Belfast Agreement reaches those deprived areas ignored over the last 25 years.

We could argue the case for a new Northern Ireland, invigorated, confident, developing a long-term prosperity agenda based around fiscal responsibility. None of this will happen if we don't take responsibility for our own future. Without making those morally courageous decisions Northern Ireland will continue to drift.