Unionist campaign needs to remove Northern Ireland protocol and overhaul Stormont

Having read your report in Monday’s paper of a call by the DUP leader for ‘a more unified approach by unionists’, could I be permitted to make a few observations? (‘DUP calls for unified approach from unionists to curtail Sinn Fein,’ August 30, see link below)

Firstly, a unified approach requires a unified objective and a unified method for achieving it.

Sadly, this is just what is so lacking in unionism today. While all unionists agree that the Northern Ireland Protocol is a bad thing, there is absolutely no consensus on how to remove it, and what to put in its place.

Currently, the position of the DUP is to complain loudly and bitterly, while at the same time overseeing the operation of the self same protocol.

Rather like campaigning for the temperance movement, while at the same time operating a string of public houses.

Would the UUP do differently? They are represented in the executive that oversees this protocol, and as one presumes that they believe in collective responsibility, probably not.

So what can be done?

There needs to be two prongs to our campaign, removal of the protocol, and replacement of the worse than useless local administration with something that is democratic and durable.

The current arrangements where government is hostage to hissy fits from IRA/Sinn Fein and the SDLP is a non starter. It has been tried for over 20 years and even the slowest learner should have realised by now that it just doesn’t work.

It should be remembered that this protocol, which treats Northern Ireland differently from the rest of the UK was brought in without asking the consent of the people here.

Yes, the majority voted to Remain in the Brexit referendum, but they never voted to be cut off from the rest of the UK, that wasn’t the question on the ballot paper.

Also, there were significant areas (Parliamentary constituencies) that actually voted to leave. Surely, if the principle of consent means anything, the people of Northern Ireland should be asked in a referendum if they want this protocol and those areas that say no should be treated as any other park of the UK, while those who want to be ruled by Brussels can continue as at present. Brussels and the Europhile areas can place any checks wherever they wish in their areas, but the rest of the Province can get on with open East-West trade.

This will involve a major dislocation of the current Stormont devolution arrangements, but as they have only worked sporadically (and even then not overly well), over the last twenty years, a replacement is long overdue,

Tom Ferguson, Ballymoney

DUP calls for ‘unified approach’ from unionists to curtail Sinn Fein

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