It is inexcusable for unionist parties to allow such a blatant violation of the principle of consent without consequence for devolution

As Northern Ireland enters its centenary year, unionism finds itself assailed from multiple angles.

As a consequence the unionist community has become war weary.

This has been demonstrated by the lack of any significant opposition to the implementation of an EU customs border in Irish Sea.

This border violates the Act of Union itself and creates the dynamic for an all-Ireland economy.

It also means the People of Northern Ireland are now subject to EU laws without any democratic representation. This is a situation that would spark international outrage if it was happening to any other community of people in the western world.

However rather than make this case it would seem that the current strategy of the DUP leadership is to avoid potential electoral losses.

The party now seeks to play down the long term constitutional significance of the border and deny any responsibility in its creation (despite the fact a DUP Minister is actually overseeing the construction of the necessary border infrastructure).

Grassroots DUP members must ask themselves how they can with any creditability celebrate the country’s centenary when their party is actively cooperating with a mechanism which will result in NI being gradually erased from the political atlas?

Even if the NI Protocol cannot now be stopped, for the unionist parties to allow such a blatant violation of the principle of consent to continue without any consequence for local devolution is inexcusable.

Their ongoing inaction is sending a message of defeatism to the various strands of Irish nationalism, who believe Political Unionism has no bottom line.

It also serves as an open invitation to the Irish Government to make further interventions in the Internal affairs of the Province, gradually eroding what is left of British Sovereignty. Be under no illusion that Eire will soon assume a self-appointed role of becoming NI’s representative in the EU.

Unionists must use the opportunity of Northern Ireland’s centenary to rediscover their confidence and resolve. They must renew their zeal in upholding their right to exist as a small nation. They must demand their basic human right of no Government without representation.

They also need to remind themselves that a united Ireland could never function effectively without their cooperation. They are not as weak as its opponents would wish.

Nor are their elected representatives quite as powerless to shape events as perhaps they would have us believe.

Kirk McDowell, Belfast BT5

——— ———

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