Letter: Jeffrey Donaldson should ignore pied piper Sammy Wilson and his obsession with Brexit

It has been disastrous for Unionism and the people of Northern Ireland. He has followed the road to nowhere guided by Sammy Wilson the Pied Piper of Carrick

Eight years ago, when faced with a decision on Brexit rather than having a serious debate on the economic and social implications for Northern Ireland the party decided to allow Sammy to dictate policy on the EU.

The decision to support Brexit without considering economic implications for Northern Ireland and its impact on the Belfast Agreement has proved to be utter folly.

Even so the worst impact of Brexit could have been avoided and no sea barrier would have been necessary if we had agreed a soft Brexit like Norway and Switzerland. Unfortunately, Sammy decided, and the DUP supported backing the Tory ERG group in destroying this option and Theresa May. Another disastrous decision.

Rejecting the soft Brexit option made the sea barrier inevitable. Clearly, the DUP did not understand this and were conned by Johnston to support him. Since then, instead of focusing on the problems of the NHS and deteriorating public services, they have wasted years on negotiations rewording, amending, and clarifying the NI protocol and now the Windsor framework. But the fundamental principle has not changed and will not be changed. We remain in the EU single market and are subject to the EU Court of Justice on some commercial issues. We also remain full members of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

The fact that the ECJ still has a role in Northern seems to be Sammy's main concern. This concern is shared by Jim Allister who seems likely to burst a blood vessel at the thought of the ECJ ruling on the contents of a McWhinney sausage. However, it is not shared by any other significant players. The Windsor Framework is supported by the UK government, the EU, the USA, the House of Commons and even the Tory ERG which exploited the DUP to get “Brexit Done” and then dumped them.

With such overwhelming support, the Windsor Framework will not be changed. Further, hot air expelled by Sammy and his colleagues will only cause more embarrassment for the people of Northern Ireland. Meanwhile, as they play their silly games public services will continue to collapse patients will die on waiting lists and workers and their families will be denied their wages.

With no Executive, these problems will get worse. So, Jeffrey do your job ignore the Pied Piper and his obsession with Brexit and tackle the many problems facing the people in Northern Ireland.

Brian Wilson, Bangor