Opinion

Allison Morris: Arlene knows she'll have to make a deal

DUP leader Arlene Foster at Westminster yesterday. Picture by Yui Mok/PA Wire
DUP leader Arlene Foster at Westminster yesterday. Picture by Yui Mok/PA Wire DUP leader Arlene Foster at Westminster yesterday. Picture by Yui Mok/PA Wire

NOW we've seen with our own eyes what was agreed during the recent talks process you have to wonder why unionism was unable or unwilling to deliver, what was a pretty sweet deal to their base.

And as we move forward it's worth asking what exactly they do hope to achieve from any future talks, if the draft deal that has now been leaked wasn't acceptable, what exactly would be?

There is nothing to gain at this stage from dancing on the head of a pin over whether the draft was the basis of a deal or not.

Speaking on the BBC's Spotlight special on Tuesday evening DUP negotiator Edwin Poots confirmed that the document leaked to the website of veteran journalist Eamonn Mallie was indeed genuine and not only that, stated proudly that he had help write it.

Edwin Poots said he helped write the draft agreement
Edwin Poots said he helped write the draft agreement Edwin Poots said he helped write the draft agreement

A very different narrative from that of his party colleague Gregory Campbell, who denied any such compromise on the Irish language existed just days before.

Looking at the run up to the collapse of the current phase of negotiations and it was clear a deal was in the air.

The DUP were briefing compliant sections of the media that a deal was done, unfortunately they didn't extend the same courtesy to their base who appear to be in a perpetual state of confused rage.

This is not helped by the leadership of the DUP consistently and without any logic, selling every single equality issue and compromise as a defeat.

This has fed into this lasting political crisis, those elected to represent the unionist community should be empowering their electorate and base rather than this constant siege mentality that has shaped political unionism over the last number of years.

The draft deal we have now seen elevates Ulster Scots to language status, something that was not campaigned for or demanded by anyone from that community.

A proposed Ulster Scots Commissioner to oversee the elevation of a dialect to a language is arguably a waste of public money and a cushy little job for the lucky soul that secures that particular position.

The third strand of the language bill on 'culture and heritage' I've read numerous times and still can't work out why it's even there.

That said, if that is what was needed to get devolution up and running again then so be it, in the grand scheme of things it's a small price to pay for an end to this prolonged crisis.

In reality the pain that would have been inevitable for the DUP when the details of the deal were finally made public would have been equal to that of Sinn Féin, given that many aspects of the draft are arguably a 'return to the status quo'.

The Irish language act proposed is much weaker that the Irish language lobby had campaigned for.

There was no provision for Same Sex Marriage, and no proposed reform of the petition of concern to allow a free vote on that very important issue of equality, which would almost certainly have been blocked given at least two Ulster Unionists and Jim Allister are against legislative change.

The legacy deal was a complete whitewash, Sinn Féin could have claimed that they managed to have the statute of limitations proposed for members of the armed forces removed from the consultation.

In reality it wasn't in the consultation originally envisaged in the Stormont House agreement it was put there recently, some might say so it could be removed again as a perceived concession.

Karen Bradley's holding statement to Westminster on Tuesday infuriated and frustrated many observers because of an indecisiveness that appears to be a prerequisite in Tory Secretary of States of late.

However, having seen the draft I can understand her reluctance go for the full fat, direct rule nuclear option.

A deal was close, much closer than Arlene Foster or Gregory Campbell would have you believe.

The DUP are clearly willing to negotiate and make a deal on an Irish Language Act, albeit at this stage behind closed doors.

As we stand in the wreckage of the current phase of crisis it seems obvious what is needed is for the party to reflect on how they feed down information to their members, and electorate.

To stop selling every compromise as a defeat, to stop perpetuating the myth that a shared society is an attack on Britishness.

The DUP will eventually have to deal, Arlene Foster knows that, without Stormont her days are numbered as party leader.

The time has come for unionists to be honest and open with the people they represent and realise that continually shouting 'No Surrender' is not a viable party manifesto.