The unionist leaders are weak, with the exception of Jim Allister

Reading the News Letter on Saturday showed me one thing: how weak the present unionist leadership is, bar Jim Allister.

How much more does it take for unionists to walk away from Stormont than the undemocratic way that the British government, Republic of Ireland and the EU have treated unionists?

They have done the dirty deed when we are in the middle of a pandemic that no doubt pro-protocol parties will use to make unionists feel guilty about walking away from power sharing.

If they were not there tomorrow, a direct rule minister would take charge. We have seen in past agreements like the Stormont House and New Decade New Approach (NDNA) that the DUP are weak negotiators.

We are seeing their agreement on legacy having security forces being investigated and terrorists walking free. We have yet to see the full scale of what they have agreed in the NDNA deal.

It cannot be for the good of unionism that they are continuing to work the agreement so I suspect that the majority of unionist MLAs are thinking about their own wellbeing.

It occurred to me there may be those business people who would call themselves unionists taking advantage of the protocol, thinking that they can make more money as goods from GB to Northern Ireland are being stopped or exporters in GB are being weighed down by paperwork and costs.

If they are taking advantage through this betrayal shame on them.

I, as a unionist, have no confidence in the present unionist leadership bar Jim Allister and suspect many are in the same boat.

Arelene Foster was going along with the protocol until grassroots unionism put pressure on her and her party. She even wrote a letter with McGuinness in 2016 that Northern Ireland be treated differently — totally against what I and others voted for in the UK-wide Brexit vote.

The Belfast Agreement is dead, so unionists should desist from its workings.

Through the pandemic, it is hard for unionists to protest on the streets due to concern for our people.

If the present unionist leadership is not up for the fight against the protocol politically, they should stand aside.

One thing that I hope is that come 2022 many of the present unionist MLAs will disappear from public office if they continue with their present attitude to NI’s hybrid position in the UK.

John Mulholland, Doagh

• Feb 13: DUP and UUP reject Peter Robinson suggestion of collapsing Stormont

• Letter Feb 13: Peter Robinson faces unionist to face truths about implementing sea border

• Letter Feb 15: Arlene Foster should quit as DUP leader if she does not have stomach to lead unionism

• Letter Feb 15: DUP should do what is right and walk from Stormont

• Letter Feb 15: Both the DUP and the Ulster Unionists are aiding the demise of the Union

• Letter Feb 16: A shocking lack of leadership from the DUP and UUP over the Irish Sea border

• Letter Feb 16: Main unionist parties seem unwilling to rock boat even if it means weakening Union

• Letter Feb 18: Unionism sends a signal that it will bleat about the Irish Sea border but lacks guts to do what needs done

• Letter Feb 18: To remove Northern Ireland protocol unionists need to present a viable alternative to London and Brussels

• Letter Feb 12: England has accepted break-up of Union and is forcing NI to united Ireland

• Jim Allister Feb 14: It may well be a choice between Stormont and the Irish Sea border, as Peter Robinson says

• David McNarry Feb 17: Unionists are demanding removal of the disastrous internal UK border

• Dermot Nesbitt Feb 17: Unionists say nothing about how the NI Protocol breaches international law

• Peter Robinson Feb 12: Unionists might face a choice between keeping Stormont or scrapping the Irish Sea border

• Ben Lowry Feb 13: Peter Robinson has long experience of the what is and isn’t feasible

• Ben Lowry in 2020: Last night unionists celebrated a move towards Irish unity

• Jan 25: These 81 MLAs voted for absurd ban on importing soil into Northern Ireland

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