Opinion

John Manley: DUP amateur dramatics reflect the muddled nature of Edwin Poots' leadership

Ian Knox cartoon 9/6/21 
Ian Knox cartoon 9/6/21  Ian Knox cartoon 9/6/21 

IT WAS more amateur dramatics than political theatre. The manner and substance of yesterday’s drawn-out announcements by Edwin Poots did nothing to dispel speculation that this could be the most disastrous leadership tenure in Stormont’s history. The excruciating choreography helped momentarily to take the focus off the new DUP leadership’s growing woes but it also managed to reflect the overall tone of recent weeks – shambolic and ill thought out.

There were no surprises in the ministerial announcements, Gary Middleton’s appointment as junior minister notwithstanding. The Foyle MLA’s drafting into the DUP’s new ministerial team is regarded as the only potential olive branch held out to the despondent supporters of Sir Jeffrey Donaldson. However, coupled with the decision not to give new deputy leader Paula Bradley any meaningful role, it looks like a meagre offering rather than a grand gesture. The reaction of sacked ministers Diane Dodds and Peter Weir on social media suggests the wounds sustained during the leadership campaign remain very raw.

Paul Givan was a shoo-in for first minister’s role once Mervyn Storey made clear he didn’t want to be “Edwin’s mudguard”. The Lagan Valley MLA is loyal and, having previously served as an executive minister, yet he lacks the personableness and popularity of his leader’s first choice. Mr Givan will need to work hard if he’s to put the Líofa episode behind him and prove to those outside the DUP’s support base that he’s happy to represent all communities in his new role.

Ian Knox cartoon 9/6/21 
Ian Knox cartoon 9/6/21  Ian Knox cartoon 9/6/21 

While his friendship with Mr Poots looks to be an advantage in handling the decoupled party leader and first minister’s roles, their relationship could easily become strained due to a rather muddled hierarchy. The first minister’s post comes with a salary of £123,000 but with a crucial election coming up next May – if not before – you wouldn’t bet on Mr Givan drawing down a full year’s pay.

The other ministerial appointments were also well flagged, with outside pressure to ensure the party’s poor female representation wasn’t mirrored in the executive meaning Michelle McIlveen was always going to beat Mervyn Storey to a seat at the table. Paul Frew, another Poots’ loyalist, is a largely unknown quantity taking control of a portfolio that the DUP insists on holding but often with negative results – think Arlene Foster, Jonathan Bell and more recently the debacle over Covid payments.

Now that we seen the shape of the DUP’s Stormont team we’ll perhaps get a better idea of its direction. The time since Mr Poots narrowly gained the party’s top job has been characterised as hesitant with his unionist opponents claiming he’s already climbed down on key issues like the protocol and cross-border co-operation. It doesn’t look good on paper, but as the new leader himself has demonstrated in the past, it is possible to be both resolute and pragmatic. However, he and his colleagues could easily come a cropper by riding two horses, as they attempt to appease loyalism while seeking diplomatic solutions to the protocol, or by merely paying lip service to the Irish language rather than agreeing to legislation.

The focus in the coming days will be on the behind the scenes talks with Sinn Féin, who will be keen to get commitments to implement all elements of the New Decade New Approach deal. The clock on the seven-day window to nominate the joint first ministers will begin ticking when Arlene Foster tenders her resignation, which is expected to be some time soon after Friday's British-Irish Council meeting in Co Fermanagh. If past examples are anything to go by, we shouldn’t expect an early resolution to this standoff, with the likelihood being that both parties will be happy to take matters to the wire in an effort to show their supporters that they don’t capitulate easily.

We may have see big changes at the top of the DUP yet there'll be little difference in the way Stormont operates.