DUP leader Gavin Robinson has warned that a return to direct rule from London would see a “radical woke agenda foisted” on Northern Ireland. He pointed to the “most liberal abortion law in Europe” being imposed on the region during a previous Stormont collapse.
Mr Robinson made the remarks in his weekly letter to party members, as he faces pressure from some quarters of unionism to withdraw his party’s deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly from post. Such a move would force First Minister Michelle O’Neill from her position.
Political fallout after Drumcree dispute
The warning comes amid simmering political fallout following the Drumcree parading dispute, in which an Orange Order procession was unable to walk the mainly nationalist Garvaghy Road despite a Parades Commission green light. Scores of Sinn Féin representatives, including Ms O’Neill, have been interviewed by police and investigated for alleged breaches of the commission’s determination regarding a protest on the Garvaghy Road in Portadown.
While Ms Little-Pengelly remains in post, the DUP has stopped facilitating joint engagements between her and the First Minister. This included last weekend, which prevented both ministers from taking part in the Remembrance Sunday ceremony at Belfast City Hall in their official capacity.
Robinson urges long-term view
Upper Bann MP Carla Lockhart has resigned from the DUP, saying the party should have ensured serious consequences for Ms O’Neill. In his letter, Mr Robinson said he understands the “real frustration with Sinn Féin”. He wrote that the overriding desire is for Northern Ireland to work and for the Stormont Executive to “meet the expectations of the people it serves”.
He added that key to that is a budget, which the Executive has not yet been able to agree on due to what ministers have argued is insufficient funding from London. “The clock is ticking and agreement has yet to be reached. We continue to press the Government to deliver a sustainable funding package, one that allows us to reform public services, deliver pay awards for nurses, teachers and other public sector workers, and keep health and education provision going. It is the basic job of government,” he wrote.
“I know there is real frustration with Sinn Féin. Their arrogance has been on show time and again. But the answer is to stop Sinn Féin’s agenda, not to tear down the institutions that give unionists a hand on the steering wheel and a foot on the brake. We need to punish the lawbreakers, not everyone in Northern Ireland. Walking away would not punish republicans. It would leave the Sinn Féin-kissing Labour Secretary of State in full control of all our affairs.”
Warning on direct rule consequences
Mr Robinson cautioned what can happen when unionists “cannot apply the brake”. “The most liberal abortion law in Europe was imposed on Northern Ireland by Westminster while Stormont was down. Not one MLA voted for them,” he said. “If we returned to direct rule, the radical woke agenda would be foisted on our schools, our public sector and every other part of life, with no ability to stop it.”
He added: “Some without responsibility think only of their next Facebook post, as Democratic Unionists, however, we have a responsibility to think long-term and ensure that no action we take, regardless of the lawbreaking republicans, plays into our enemies’ hands. That is why we will not be goaded by Sinn Féin. Instead, as I said to the Prime Minister this week, we want a sanction in place that will punish all Sinn Féin ministers who broke the law. We will keep holding Sinn Féin to account and keep fighting for a budget that works. Every lever we have will be used to protect the values of the people we represent.”
