The DUP gets weaker within grassroots unionism

Yes, as Ben Lowry pointed out on Saturday January 22, the DUP are running out of road (‘Double jobbing u-turn leaves DUP with reduced options,’ see link below).

The turnaround by Boris Johnson has brought them to a crossroads. It’s either continue to do nothing and run the assembly down until March, trusting Liz Truss, one of Johnson’s commandants, with the protocol, or collapse it now.

The failure of the DUP to carry out their threats has left them in a very weak position. I would even question their support among grassroots unionist people who have seen their weakness. Is it any wonder that we saw posters at protest rallies stating that the DUP were not welcome.

There may be some well-off unionists who have been feathering their own nest while Northern Ireland’s position in the UK weakens. It seems that the DUP position with grassroots unionism is weakening.

They argue it was their opposition that has brought the foreign aggressors of the EU back to the table. If it were not so serious, it would be laughable. Who are they trying to kid? Someone like Kate Hoey and other lay people, who are not elected politicians, have taken more action to oppose the iniquitous protocol.

May is fast approaching and we will be waiting for the usual spiel such as vote for us if you oppose the protocol. It took some unionist politicians time to waken up to the rubbish being spun, like, Northern Ireland can have the best of both worlds. If we look at the DUP’s record of their opposition, it is derisory.

Unionist parties need to make their position clear that a vote for them will mean all-out war against the protocol even if it means scrapping support for the Belfast Agreement (that has been breached) and pulling down the Assembly.

The powers that be must be made to sit up and realise that unionists have had enough of their country being made a bargaining tool. Northern Ireland is not for sale at any price!

John Mulholland, Doagh

Ben Lowry: The double jobbing u-turn leaves the DUP with reduced options at Stormont

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