Opinion

Analysis: Personable Julian Smith broke the trend for blandness at the NIO

Julian Smith (right) and Simon Coveney secured the New Decade New Approach deal. Picture by Niall Carson/PA Wire
Julian Smith (right) and Simon Coveney secured the New Decade New Approach deal. Picture by Niall Carson/PA Wire Julian Smith (right) and Simon Coveney secured the New Decade New Approach deal. Picture by Niall Carson/PA Wire

THERE was uncharacteristic unified bewilderment across Northern Ireland's political class yesterday morning as Julian Smith was unceremoniously dumped by Boris Johnson.

The Irish News columnist Brian Feeney, who is normally disparaging of what he perennially terms the 'proconsul', was begrudgingly complimentary about the former secretary of state, saying he combined a "no nonsense attitude" with a decisiveness that his predecessors lacked.

It's difficult to judge the outgoing secretary of state without mentioning those who came immediately before him. Theresa Villiers appeared indifferent and fleeting in her approach to the north; James Brokenshire was inconceivably bland; and Karen Bradley combined many of the above attributes with a casual fatuousness.

Read More: Why was Julian Smith sacked?

Julian Smith was very different, though the circumstances of his tenure in the north were also different, especially latterly when Boris Johnson secured a parliamentary majority, enabling the DUP to be jettisoned after nearly three years in a confidence and supply agreement with the Tories.

Smith was personable in a manner that is rare among Conservative ministers, most of whom are public school educated and unaccustomed to dealing with oiks.

But in a deeper way he appeared to care about people, a trait evident when it came to dealing with the victims of historical abuse, whose plight had been fumbled and disregarded by his two previous predecessors.

He also made things happen, most notably in tandem with Simon Coveney as they oversaw the securing of the New Decade New Approach agreement, which while imperfect has brought a degree of stability and accountability to the north.

Read More: Sinn Féin warns new secretary of state Brandon Lewis over legacy issues

We can only speculate as to the reasons for his sacking – his desire to see the UK remain in the EU being the most obvious characteristic that marks him out from his party leader and his chief adviser Dominic Cummings. There was speculation before Christmas that his stance on Brexit was going to cost him his job, while ahead of his sacking London journalists were being briefed that the elements of New Decade New Approach dealing with legacy were incompatible with the British government's desire to stop the prosecution of army veterans for Troubles' killings.

As a former chief whip, we can assume Mr Smith wasn't cowed by criticism and stood up to any attempts to bully him. And given his stated opinion that a no deal would be disastrous for Northern Ireland, it's likely he could have also made things difficult for Boris Johnson during the forthcoming negotiations about the future relationship with the EU and especially their implications for the north.

There is widespread sympathy for the departing secretary of state, but he can at least take some solace in the fact that during his short tenure – the second shortest ever of a secretary of state – he actually achieved something and got credit for it.