Sometimes I almost feel sympathy for the DUP. Having hammered in vain on the door of John Finucane in the hope that he’d be somehow disgraced for speaking at the South Armagh commemoration, Edwin Poots this morning has mounted a steed named Distraction and was last seen galloping off towards the Boucher Road in Belfast, in the hope that he could create a furore about Irish being rammed down the throat of the unionist population. No good in Nolan calling after him that Boucher Road was ‘a shared space’: Edwin was already digging his spurs into the tired old nag Distraction in the hope that we’d all forget what it’s costing us for the DUP to collect their Stormont pay-cheques while sitting on their bums.
No, that’s not really fair. The DUP are not just sitting there; they’re no doubt in touch with the Tories and pleading with them to provide protective cover for their autumn return to Stormont. This cover will probably take the form of some extra cash for NEI (the DUP always did like a bit of cash to wave around, back as far as and beyond the famous Ash-for-Cash routine.)
It’s so easy to climb up on the nag Distraction and take a ride. After all, that’s what the whole Twelfth thing is about. If you’re busy asserting your glorious history and innate superiority over the natives, there’s less chance that anyone will ask pertinent questions like “What sort of politics is it that thinks people don’t mind the DUP feathering their many nests, even as vital health treatments are postponed to a point where lives may be at risk?”
Somebody who’s good at sums should tot up how much moolah the DUP have so far accumulated for remaining in the squat position and how much more they will hoover up before finally slinking back into the height-of-ugliness building in Stormont. The nag Distraction isn’t the only one with his face deep in a nosebag, chewing happily and taking the occasional kick at anyone who doesn’t see the world the way they do.
Great article Jude. Here’s an estimation of the costs :
Stormont from 1st May – 31st Oct 22 is reported as 8.5m, assuming costs have remained the same then period of suspension would be 23.4m altogether. DUP have 28.1% of seats so just over 6.5m is probably a reasonable approximation of what they’ve accumulated so far.
I have been listening to unionists bleating for more decades than I care to admit. I zone out when they appear on the tv, (Thank God for sky plus…) their constant moaning is a bore. It would not matter if every Catholic in the six counties signed a pledge never to mention Irish unity ever again, they would still find something to complain about. Despite SF leaders bending over backwards to appease them by meeting King Charles they still managed to contrive faux outrage about John Finucane, whose father was killed by the British state. They are like the Trump nutters, beyond parody. Time and demographics, combined with the open and progressive message of Republicanism will deliver freedom. We just have to wait.