Letter: The DUP got us into this mess so they can decide whether or not to return to Stormont

As in the aftermath of any election where unionism has lost seats the case for one single unionist party is made. The reason for lost seats is because there are too many unionist parties and the votes are splintered with transfers going everywhere. But I do not think a single unionist party will work, because the divisions within unionism are too far reaching.

The poor performance of the Ulster Unionist Party is a result of the liberal and left wing views of the party leader Doug Beattie who singlehandedly lost many good councillors, especially in the west of Ulster as lifelong unionists couldn’t support him or the views he represented. If they don’t change their leader and direction which he calls progressive then many party members will leave.

The TUV leader Jim Allister and his party also have to face reality that the vote they have at present has not increased to the expectations they had hoped for, with only nine council seats the majority of which are all in his own constituency of North Antrim. Whilst their stance on the protocol had given them a chance to increase their representation at the last assembly and this present council elections it hasn’t happened and will not happen. So where do they go from here?

The DUP and Sir Jeffrey Donaldson now have the difficult decision as to whether they go into government with Sinn Fein or stay out. The protocol argument has been settled, whether unionists like it or not and the British government know that there will be no protests similar to that in France or the Netherlands, which took to the streets or blockades of roads and they won’t worry as they will look at the low turnout of unionist voters and know most unionists don’t care anymore.

The problems that the DUP now face are of their own making. They chose to go into government with Sinn Fein in 2007 so that Dr Ian Paisley could fulfil his ambition to be first minister and they made the choice at St Andrews for their own selfish interest to change the position of first minister from the largest political grouping either unionist or Irish nationalist to the largest political party, which now regrettably – to all our costs – is Sinn Fein.

That is why many unionists including myself could never give the DUP their first preference as they have got us into this mess. Whether I like it or not – and I don’t – the DUP are the largest party in unionism, and only they can decide whether to remain outside or inside Stormont. Over to you Jeffrey what will you do?

Walter Millar, Ex TUV Cookstown