Opinion

Edwin Poots' view is widely held in unionism

Alex Kane

Alex Kane

Alex Kane is an Irish News columnist and political commentator and a former director of communications for the Ulster Unionist Party.

Edwin Poots' comments highlighted the fact that the DUP does not want to be around an Executive table, or any other table, with Sinn Fein
Edwin Poots' comments highlighted the fact that the DUP does not want to be around an Executive table, or any other table, with Sinn Fein Edwin Poots' comments highlighted the fact that the DUP does not want to be around an Executive table, or any other table, with Sinn Fein

“When you spend most of your time having to explain why you did something, then it’s fairly obvious that you’ve done the wrong thing.” That’s how Peter Robinson responded, in June 2001, when David Trimble stood aside as First Minister and appointed Reg Empey as ‘acting’ First Minister until, “some difficulties in the process are addressed.”

Robinson was right and I said so at the time - earning me a rebuke from Trimble.

Well, as has happened so often since November 2003, when the DUP nudged ahead of the UUP at the Assembly election, the events wheel has come full circle. Peter Robinson yet again finds himself doing exactly the same sort of things that Trimble used to do: and the criticism he directed at Trimble remains valid, as can be seen from the fact that the DUP has spent almost every day trying to explain the rationale behind the in/out farrago.

Of course, there is no rationale behind it. It is the political equivalent of incontinence. Not having Hamilton, Bell, McIlveen or Storey in office most of the time doesn’t make a damn bit of difference to Sinn Fein, the IRA, welfare reform or the talks process. But it does make the DUP look pretty bloody stupid in the eyes of the general public, particularly poor old Simon Hamilton, who has been taking most of the flak. Meanwhile, Arlene Foster - after her ‘rogues’ and ‘renegades’ comments - seems to have disappeared altogether, which suggests that Robinson doesn’t want her damaged. His favourite to replace him, perhaps?

Sitting in the Nolan Show studio on Wednesday evening a very glum looking Edwin Poots had a ‘moment’ and decided that he wasn’t even going to try and justify the DUP’s strategy any more. It probably had something to do with the fact that the audience was clearly not on his side. So he treated us to a hissy fit instead and declared that he had to “hold his nose” when it came to sharing power with Sinn Fein. Fair enough, but he must have had to hold it even more tightly when he agreed - and it was always his choice, by the way - to sit around the Executive table with them. Also, if he really believes all the stuff he was saying about the paramilitarism, prostitution, criminality, ‘murderers’ et al, why did he, personally, agree to sit in government with them for so long?

But his comment, and it’s one widely shared within unionism, highlights a point I have been making for years: the DUP does not want to be around an Executive table, or any other table, with Sinn Fein. And, in fairness, it needs to be borne in mind that quite a few Sinn Fein members would rather there were no unionists at the top table either. Indeed, they would much prefer it if there wasn’t a top table anywhere other than Dublin. They may be better at hiding their true feelings (although Adams’ comments about ‘bastards’ shouldn’t be forgotten), but the we-wish-you-weren’t-here sentiment is still embedded in their psyche.

As Poots was getting cross about Sinn Fein in one part of Belfast, Martin McGuinness was across town telling a Sinn Fein audience that the talks process “will be successful against the odds,” then went on to say that the devolved institutions are “worth saving because direct rule will result in an unrestrained onslaught on public services and the most vulnerable in our society.” It was a carefully worded speech: the sort of speech key figures make when they are serious about a deal. He also knows that the DUP wants a deal, because Robinson doesn’t want potential collapse linked to the failure of his in/out strategy—which didn’t work for Trimble, either.

I argued here a few weeks ago that I was reasonably confident a deal would be done because it suited both the DUP and Sinn Fein for a deal to be done; and since neither the British nor Irish governments want daily responsibility for the place they will do what is required to heave a deal over the line. The Secretary of State says that “there’s no large cheque,” but hasn’t ruled out money being pumped into the system somewhere. David Cameron says he doesn’t want a ‘passive tolerance’ of extremism, so he won’t allow the sort of collapse that could encourage new extremism.

Okay, they may not all be on the same hymn sheet yet, but all of the evidence suggests that they know what they’re going to sing and what instruments may be required. Expect a lot of noses to be held for a long, long time to come.