Lockdown in Northern Ireland is not sustainable for too much longer

Few people would doubt that.

However, the bitter divisions in the assembly about the best way to respond to the pandemic are reflected all over the world.

In England there are sharp divisions within parties such as the Conservatives, let alone between them.

In America there are divisions within government and the houses of congress and divisions between states.

Even in Germany, which was held up as a model European example of how to response to coronavirus, there is bitter resentment at the various rules, and there have been much larger anti lockdown demonstrations than in NI.

Many leading scientists are themselves split on what to do.

But at Stormont there is an extra layer of deadlock and rancour, due to the abnormal system of mandatory coalition between political irreconcilables.

This system of enforced power sharing just about held together when Peter Robinson and Martin McGuinness were at the helm, but has been barely able to function ever since.

Sinn Fein’s three-year collapse of the assembly until its non negotiable demands for return were met set a disastrous precedent, for which Northern Ireland will certainly pay.

The DUP has been right to resist renewal of the restrictions. It was perhaps ill advised of Arlene Foster to be so emphatic that they would end this week, not because her aims were wrong (rather, they were laudable) but because her ability to deliver on the pledge was in doubt.

Some hospitality outlets said earlier this week that it was already too late to tell them they could open this weekend because they had to order in stock.

Such elementary concerns show the mismatch between scientists and politicians on fixed salaries, issuing decrees from on high, and business folks who take huge risks to set up enterprises which greatly enhance society, facing bankruptcy.

Covid is self evidently a very serious pandemic, and deadly for vulnerable groups. But it is a tiny risk to the great bulk of people, and we cannot have their futures and livelihoods left teetering on the brink of ruin for much longer.

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