Letter: The DUP is again failing unionism and failing Northern Ireland

As a former councillor and MLA I am embarrassed by the current political situation and as a unionist I cannot sit idly by and not comment on the current situation. The mantra of Never Never Never or No No No is destroying unionism and faith in unionist politicians. When we hear that children that depend on free school meals are being denied this service, businesses which would benefit from rates reductions are being denied, working parents which could benefit from additional payments for nursery care, health service deteriorating day by day and schools that cannot afford to turn the heating on or pay for teaching assistants, you wonder what planet Sir Jeffrey Donaldson has moved to. This is just the tip of the iceberg and we are already in danger of sinking with no lifeboat in sight.

The Conservatives, the Labour Party, the Social Democrats and others voted by 515 votes to 29 to accept the Windsor Framework. Unionism has no friends left in Westminster and at some point Sir Jeffrey will be summoned by the prime minister to be told: “That’s it, we have had enough! From tomorrow Stormont is abolished, we will introduce direct rule, we will devolve as much as we can to councils, we will retain Health, Education, Infrastructure and Finance together with Justice and Policing. By the way we will listen to concerns from the Irish government and possibly the next Irish government will be a Sinn Fein coalition so they will have a say and you won’t. Close the door on your way out.”

The DUP have failed unionism, they have failed Northern Ireland and it is no wonder young people cannot be bothered to vote or wont vote Unionist.

I am, and always will be an Ulster Unionist, I’m a devolutionist but the day is fast approaching when the ship will sink and the DUP will have pushed us into an all Ireland state. Get off your hands Sir Jeffrey and get the assembly back up and running before its too late.

Ross M Hussey, Omagh