SF blackmail must clearly be shown to have failed entirely

The DUP MP thinks the republican party is issuing preconditions to discussions, never mind preconditions to the restoration of devolution.

Sinn Fein’s leader at Stormont, Michelle O’Neill, had in her new year message said that her party wanted to see the executive restored but then added, in effect, that this could only be on Sinn Fein’s terms.

This shameful state of affairs has been indulged by London and fuelled by Dublin. The former will not concede that weakness, kindness and coaxing do not work with Sinn Fein.

The latter has made clear that it will insist on a move towards joint authority if Stormont fails. Therefore, Sinn Fein knows it gets reward either way for its political blackmail.

Only if it climbs down on its red lines or there is a return to London-only direct rule will its tactics have failed. And the tactics must now be seen to have failed.

Even if talks do resume, there will be intense unionist suspicion of any agreement that is accepted by a party as ruthless and demanding as Sinn Fein has shown itself to be.

Backed by fellow travellers, but also by naive people, the party believes it can make long cherished strides on both legacy and language. Thus, the details of anything that it is prepared to accept in those two spheres will need careful scrutiny.

It will be hard, for example, to draft any language legislation that does not open the way to significant future litigation.

There will clearly also have to be a breakdown of the suggested £150 million initial funding package for legacy, to see how much of it is being spent on the legacy inquests into deaths at the hand of the state. The inquests are a prized republican goal, such is their confidence these will help justify the IRA.

Things have gone so far now that the only objective that matters is a long-term one: how in the future can we ensure that one party is never again allowed to bring local government to a standstill in this fashion.