Losing one leader can be seen as a misfortune, losing two looks like neglect – I’m sure Oscar Wilde will forgive me for plagiarizing him.
It was negligent because many had warned the DUP get off the Brexit road or risk being run over by a big red bus.
The damage inflicted on the party by the Prime Minister’s broken promise never to put a border in the Irish Sea has shaken Stormont’s policies.
Under pressure from grassroots trade unionists – their own electorate – they ousted Arlene Foster for not having taken a strong enough position in opposition to the Northern Ireland Protocol.
Mr. Poots only lasted three weeks at work
But it seems they did not consider the consequences of his resignation as prime minister – an appointment process that opened the door to Sinn fein.
Under Stormont’s mandatory coalition government system, when the Prime Minister or Deputy Prime Minister resigns, the other falls by default and must be reappointed.
The new DUP chief Edwin Poots did not want to be prime minister and appointed his prodigy Paul Givan to share power with Michelle O’Neill.
But Sinn Fein refused to rename Ms O’Neill, accusing the DUP of dragging its feet on legislation to protect the rights of Irish-language speakers.
In what appeared to be a breakthrough, the British government stepped in and agreed to pass the necessary legislation in Westminster to save the devolved government.
Sinn Fein agreed to reappoint Ms O’Neill and Mr Poots – meaning Mr Poots and not the DUP – agreed that Mr Givan would share power.
Sir Jeffrey Donaldson is favorite to become DUP’s third leader in two months
Oddly, while Mr. Poots was in the assembly to nominate Paul Givan, his own party voted 26-4 in a neighboring room not to nominate.
A source called the meeting a “heckling” – they couldn’t believe the new leader, who had …
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Source: news.sky.com
This notice was published: 2021-06-20 19:14:00
