LONDON (Bywire News) - Left wing, Irish republican party Sinn Féin — whose main objective is the reunification of Ireland and an end to British jurisdiction in the North of Ireland — pulled off a remarkable win in the recent Northern Ireland Assembly election. While commentators and those on the right attempt to bamboozle Brits by pontificating about the intricacies of where the losses and gains fell, no one can deny the only important takeaway from the election. A nationalist party is now the largest party in the six counties, and they attained that control through a system that was created to deliberately keep power in the hands of unionists.
This is a seismic moment for the island of Ireland, and the future of the UK union. But will Westminster bother to sit up and take notice? Considering those in charge right now have all the cognisance of a pile of abandoned ventriloquist dolls, I fear they will opt for the usual bluff and bluster which will only speed up the nationalist’s cause.
In my view, Boris Johnson played politics with the Northern Ireland Protocol in order to win the 2019 general election, knowing full well it would come to this with the EU and US standing firm with Ireland. Most people now realise that the only thing Johnson cares about is his own immediate survival. Even if that is to the detriment of the 1.9 million inhabitants of Northern Ireland.
Predictable deadlock
As expected, following the Assembly election, the DUP — led by Sir Jeffrey Donaldson — refused to return its MLAs (Member of the Legislative Assembly) to the Northern Ireland Assembly at Stormont, unless the protocol was scrapped.
Sinn Féin vice-president and assumed new First Minister Michelle O’Neill has said they won’t be “held to ransom” by the DUP.
Speaking to the media, O’Neill said: “The people have spoken and they have spoken very clearly. The message is one of hope, it is also one of optimism for the future, for the political leaders to work together and to make politics work. That is my commitment as a political leader and as an incoming first minister."
"The electorate also demands that the parties get back down to business, to elect a speaker, to sit in the Assembly, to have it function, to appoint a first minister and a deputy first minister, to form a new Executive. As democrats, the DUP, but also the British Government, must accept and respect the democratic outcome of this election. Brinkmanship will not be tolerated where the north of Ireland becomes collateral damage in a game of chicken with the European Commission. Responsibility for finding solutions to the protocol lie with Boris Johnson and the EU.”
The outcome of the election saw 484,314 of the electorate voting for pro-protocol parties, and 346,180 for parties that oppose the protocol.
Despite this clear message from voters, Northern Ireland once again finds itself in limbo, thanks to a petulant DUP that has no mandate, at a time when the cost of living crisis is deepening and people are struggling to pay their bills. What constituents care about in the here and now is whether the newly elected representatives will help them, and the DUP is saying NO — their favourite word.
It’s a sad state of affairs when the electorate has had its say in a democratic election, yet the will of the people — a phrase that Brexiteers like the DUP so often bandy about — is not being respected.
Similarly, the EU referendum produced a 56% vote in favour of remain in Northern Ireland. Ironic then that the DUP stands for Democratic Unionist Party.
The fact of the matter is: Sinn Féin wants to move forward, and the DUP belongs in the past.
Progressives and Regressives
As difficult as it is for unionists to accept, the momentum for a united Ireland is growing with every passing day. While Jefferey Donaldson and co. stamp their feet and cling desperately to the sinking carcass of the Union, Sinn Féin — with Mary Lou McDonald as president — continues to make inroads with its progressive and positive outlook. Northern Ireland has had its fill of the disastrous DUP and its never-ending demands and regressive politics.
In Mary Lou McDonald and Michelle O’Neill, Sinn Féin has two polished and charismatic leaders who understand the challenges facing the Irish people. They have their sights set on transforming Ireland into a more equal society regardless of gender, creed, colour, or sexuality. Their language and tone are conciliatory, with the intention of bringing everyone together. They are strong and passionate leaders who offer much-needed hope to many. Strikingly they can also handle the media with ease because their knowledge is greater than any British hack.
On the day of the Assembly Election result, McDonald was interviewed by Sky News. The correspondent, armed with their agenda, asked this question: “Any push for a referendum [Irish unity] would have to get the okay of the Westminster government, and realistically do you think that’s ever going to happen?”
Mary Lou, visibly taken aback at the lack of knowledge remained calm but responded in a direct fashion, saying: “Just bear in mind that the right to referendums on Irish unity is already agreed, and contained in an international agreement, so it’s not a matter of a negotiation or a debate between Dublin and London. This matter had been concluded. And so we believe that the preparation for that big change needs to happen now. We want this to happen in a way that is orderly, that is planned, that is democratic, and that is peaceful. We believe that is what we’re facing over the next number of years, certainly, in this decade we will have those referendums”.
The Future is 32
Whatever happens with the protocol, the sense is that the north has simply had enough of continually suffering as a result of the failures of Westminster and the DUP, while their representatives cash out their hefty salaries for doing sweet FA. If a resolution is not reached within 6 months, another election will be called and I predict that the Alliance Party — led by the formidable Naomi Long — will hoover up more DUP votes.
Meanwhile, in the Republic of Ireland, Sinn Féin’s dominance gathers pace. Latest polling has Sinn Féin on 36% (+4), Fianna Fáil 24% (+1), and Fine Gael 19% (-5). The next general election is not until 2025, but at this stage, Sinn Féin president Mary Lou McDonald is the clear favourite to be the next Taoiseach [Irish PM]. If that comes to fruition, Sinn Féin will control all of Ireland — which will surely be the optimum time for a border poll on Irish unity.
As things stand, it’s not a matter of if but when Ireland is reunited and becomes the 32 county state it rightly should be. Sinn Féin offers new dawn, and a prosperous route out of the crumbling Union. What was once an impossible dream will now almost certainly happen in my lifetime.
(Writing by Jason Reid, editing by Klaudia Fior)