Unionists have to acquiesce in an increasingly phoney Stormont

A letter from the former MLA David McNarry:
By Letters
Published 25th Mar 2022, 01:12 BST
Updated 25th Mar 2022, 01:18 BST
William Craig, leader of the Ulster Vanguard, looks out from the balcony of Stormont in March 28, 1972 for the last session of the NI Parliament before direct rule. Now SF can control Stormont decision makingWilliam Craig, leader of the Ulster Vanguard, looks out from the balcony of Stormont in March 28, 1972 for the last session of the NI Parliament before direct rule. Now SF can control Stormont decision making
William Craig, leader of the Ulster Vanguard, looks out from the balcony of Stormont in March 28, 1972 for the last session of the NI Parliament before direct rule. Now SF can control Stormont decision making

Your Morning View yesterday (‘Scrapping of Stormont in 1972 set the tone for UK approach in 1972,’ March 24, see link below) is a wake-up call.

It could be construed as making a laudable case for scrapping Stormont now.

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In stating “we have a dysfunctional government in which a party that wants NI to fail knows it has to be in office at all times and is allowed to behave as you would expect a party with such aspirations to behave”, the implied criticism is clearly directed at Sinn Fein.

Letter to the editorLetter to the editor
Letter to the editor

Unionists will recognise that the alarming rise of extreme republicanism is down to the uncompromising support from a majority of nationalists.

Therein lies the unsolvable dilemma for unionists, when forced to acquiesce in what is increasingly exposed as a phoney devolved government.

Phoney and absurd because minority rule dictates that Sinn Fein has an unchallenged ability to control Executive decision making.

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It is unworkable when government revolves around the approval of a party dedicated to destroying the influence of the majority pro-union community and undermining its very existence.

People have had their fill of the hard won peace from terrorism being disturbed by political upheaval.

They have had enough of being denied normality and the harvest of social, economic and political stability.

The union itself might be safe but unionist tolerance of interference in Northern Ireland’s internal affairs by Dublin, Brussels and Joe Biden’s Washington has worn thin. The relentless orchestrated pressure on the UK over matters such the NI Protocol and legacy is in fact part of the campaign to “get the Brits out of Ireland” that is being played on Sinn Fein fiddles.

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Time to remind them and London also that Northern Ireland is not in, and is not a part of, Ireland.

Time, therefore, with an election forthcoming, for unionists to decide do they want to negotiate new devolved arrangements or walk clean away from the battering ram of the intransigent Irish republican agenda.

David McNarry, Ex UUP and Ukip MLA, Comber

The scrapping of Stormont in 1972 set the tone for London’s approach to Northern Ireland

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Related topics:UnionistsNorthern IrelandSinn FeinBen LowryIreland