The petition against the Irish Sea border has caused barely a ripple at Westminster

Yesterday the News Letter front page said it all (‘London backs down as EU says no to demands,’ see link below).

London clearly has no desire to stand up for the Union and the economic future of Northern Ireland.

The challenge now for unionism politicians is simple — what are they going to do to make them take us seriously?

The DUP launched a petition which gathered the required number of signatures in very short order but now we have had the debate. It is history. It caused barely a ripple in the Westminster pond. It certainly didn’t stiffen Mr Gove’s resistance to the EU.

What’s the next step? It is welcome that all unionists have united behind the legal challenge launched by Ben Habib, Baroness Hoey and Jim Allister but what are unionists who hold office doing?

Why is a DUP agriculture minister still staffing the border posts? Why the North-South ministerial council still operating? Where’s the leadership from the big unionist parties?

John Brennan, Ballygowan

Boris Johnson backs down as EU says no to demands to reduce Irish Sea border – and DUP says ask for more checks, not less

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