The ongoing power-sharing deadlock in Stormont has been a source of deep concern for many in Northern Ireland. With the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) refusing to re-enter government with Sinn Fein until its demands for a range of policy changes are met, the political impasse has made it difficult for the region to function effectively. However, as former Ulster Unionist Party leader Lord Empey has argued, the DUP’s decision to boycott Stormont could be playing directly into the hands of its political rivals. If the current stalemate continues, it could have serious consequences for the future of Northern Ireland’s political landscape, with implications far beyond the current dispute.
The former leader of the Ulster Unionist Party (UUP), Lord Reg Empey, has urged the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) to end its boycott of Stormont, stating that it “has to be the very opposite of what is in pro-Union interests”. Lord Empey also warned that it was time for unionism “to face up to new realities”. The Assembly has not functioned properly for almost 15 months, following the DUP’s withdrawal from power-sharing in protest at post-Brexit trading arrangements between Northern Ireland and Great Britain.
While the party has said the Windsor Framework – agreed between the UK and EU in February – has gone some way to address its concerns, Lord Empey believes that more needs to be done. He asserts that the DUP boycott of Stormont has failed, and is only benefiting political rivals, adding that “Sinn Fein have long argued that ‘Northern Ireland is a failed political entity.’ What is the logic behind any Unionist action that helps to prove Sinn Fein’s point?”.
The UUP’s stance has been criticised by the DUP, who accused Lord Empey of trying to divide unionism. Despite this, Lord Empey continued to argue that “to proceed with a continuing boycott makes no sense”.
Earlier this week, US President Joe Biden gave a speech in Belfast, stating that he hoped the institutions would soon return. Biden also said that he believed that the UK should be working more closely with the administration in Dublin to support Northern Ireland. Speaking on this topic, the Tanaiste Micheal Martin said that he believed that Biden’s speech could be helpful “in terms of the atmosphere, in terms of the next number of weeks and months”.
However, the DUP insisted that it would only consider returning to devolution if the UK Government took further steps to address its concerns. Jonathan Buckley, a DUP MLA, accused the UUP of attacking the DUP instead of working with the Government to secure a better deal for Northern Ireland.
The Brexit deal has caused significant disruption for Northern Ireland, which remains part of the UK but operates under a different trade regime to the rest of the country due to its land border with Ireland. The DUP has demanded significant changes to the Northern Ireland Protocol, which governs post-Brexit trade in the region.
Lord Empey’s calls for an end to the boycott of Stormont come as criticism grows of the DUP’s handling of the situation. Lord Empey is not the only person to have called for the DUP to rethink its approach to politics in Northern Ireland. A group of loyalists linked to the paramilitary Ulster Defence Association (UDA) recently called on the DUP to withdraw its support from the current Protocol or face “political consequences”.
In conclusion, as the Assembly has not functioned properly for almost 15 months, Lord Empey, former leader of the Ulster Unionist Party, has urged the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) to end its boycott of Stormont, stating that it is hurting the unionist cause. While the DUP has argued that the Windsor Framework has gone some way to address its concerns, Lord Empey pointed out that more needs to be done. His call for change comes amid growing criticism of the DUP’s handling of the political situation in Northern Ireland.
