David McNarry: Unionists are demanding removal of the disastrous internal UK border

(Link to Peter Robinson’s article below)

Robustly, and with a degree of frustration, he is saying, knuckle down and agree the next step beyond rejection of the Northern Ireland Protocol.

The widest possible cross section of unionism is demanding the removal of this disastrous protocol.

They cannot be let down or misled in the drive to achieve such an objective.

Having registered a united front in calling for the removal of the protocol, the mood of ordinary unionists is not to allow the leaders to be dragged into a compromise — creating another version of the protocol.

Peter Robinson is correct in his assessment that there are always weak spots to be exploited against governments. This government, full of fudge and bluster, is no different. It must be challenged.

The next step is strategically crucial for unionists — to remove the protocol and restore Northern Ireland’s integrity within the UK.

In the face of the protocol disaster only the two executive unionist parties have found common ground against it– not as some would misrepresent all five parties.

The most recent five-party common ground agreement was in the New Deal New approach Stormont agreement of last year, the out workings of which are in tatters.

The price of devolution on nationalist terms is a costly litany of concessions, such as an Irish language act.

Dithering is not a unionist strategy, nor is half heartedly throwing down the gauntlet to the prime minister.

The unionist leaders have a duty to hold the prime minister over the fire for the protocol monster he has created.

The leaders are only free to do so when they are united in their determination to ensure that Boris Johnson be left in absolutely no doubt that unionist executive ministers will not in any circumstance implement the protocol.

Unionists will rally around leaders willing to take a firm stand on the principle of upholding the integrity of the unionist cause.

All it takes is for Arlene Foster and Steve Aiken to agree a unity of purpose.

• David McNarry is a former Ulster Unionist and Ukip MLA

• Peter Robinson: Unionists might face a choice between keeping Stormont or scrapping the Irish Sea border

• DUP and UUP reject Peter Robinson suggestion of collapsing Stormont

——— ———

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.

Alistair Bushe

Editor