Letter: The DUP is more concerned with its relationship with Sinn Fein than restoring NI's place in the UK

Bereft of any meaningful, quantitative targets against which their progress may be measured and scrutinised, the long awaited Programme for Government falls very short of best practice regarding transparency, accountability and good governance.

Furthermore, from a unionist perspective, the document reinforces the suspicion that the DUP is more concerned with strengthening their partnership with Sinn Fein/IRA at Stormont than with restoring Northern Ireland’s place within the United Kingdom.

I suspect the full story as to why the DUP executive hastily decided to return to the NI Executive in February, despite their seven tests being unmet, has yet to emerge. However, the performance of their ministers and MLAs since their return, has been disappointing.

The DUP, and UUP, through their actions and inactions, appear committed to facilitating Sinn Fein/IRA’s agenda in regards to the operation and administration of the Irish Sea border, the imposition of EU law to NI, the development of the all-Ireland economy, the extraction of ever more public money from Westminster as ‘war reparations’ (in the parlance of republicans), the construction of a new GAA stadium at Casement Park, the redevelopment of the Maze site (with H-block and hospital intact), and the nefarious efforts to focus ‘legacy’ issues on the activities of lawful state forces and away from the illegal actions of the IRA and other criminal groups.

Whilst these examples may be the outworking of their “make NI work for everybody” approach, the reality for the DUP and UUP is, the longer they proactively partner with Sinn Fein/IRA in Stormont and forge closer and deeper relationships with their IRA-excusing first minister, departmental ministers, chairs of committees, MLAs and advisors, the more they normalise and, in the warped minds of some, legitimise what Sinn Fein/IRA remains committed to, namely defending their past atrocities, the destruction of Northern Ireland and the purging of all things British from their 32 county Republic.

The DUP have ample grounds for withdrawing for Stormont and they should do so immediately and cease behaving like they are the political wing of Sinn Fein/IRA.

Thomas Smyth, Belfast BT4