There were fierce talks on the Northern Ireland Protocol during the last televised debate of the leaders before the Assembly’s referendum.
DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson, Sinn Fein Vice President Michelle O’Neill, Alliance Party leader Naomi Long, SDLP leader Colum Eastwood and Ulster Unionist leader Doug Beatty came out for the last time before the vote.
The BBC debate was moderated by Jim Fitzpatrick and began immediately with questions from the audience. There were no introductory remarks by party leaders.
This came hours after a poll showed that Sinn Fein was still ahead of the race, but also a leap for the Alliance, with support for the party rising from 14.6% to 18.2% – leveling it second for the DUP. .
The first question from the audience was whether the leaders would be ready to form an executive branch on the first day after the election, and if they did not, would they still accept their pay? Sir Jeffrey said he would pledge to run, but concerns about the Northern Ireland Protocol must be addressed first, while Michel O’Neill said it would be “absolutely incomprehensible” not to have a new executive director formed after the election. .
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Mr Beattie said he wanted to see a program for the government agreed before a new chief executive was formed, and Ms Long said it would be “indecent” for international legal relations to continue receiving their salaries at a time when they will not do their job.
Asked whether Sinn Fein would convene a border poll after the election, Ms O’Neill said “the conversation has already begun” but declined to specify a preferred voting date.
The UUP leader said the border investigation “was not even close” and accused the DUP of “intimidation tactics” on the issue.
Regarding the growing cost of living crisis, Mr Eastwood said the SDLP would put £ 200 in everyone’s pocket, while Ms O’Neill said her party would insist on a £ 230 payment for each household.
When the issue of protocol was raised again, there were fierce talks, with Sir Jeffrey being criticized by other leaders for his party’s position.
Mr Eastwood accused the DUP chief of waiting for Prime Minister Boris Johnson to “cross the hill and save him”.
He added: “We can talk about the cost of living and we can talk about health, [but] nothing will be done on any of these issues if we do not have a government. “
A member of the public wondered how any “self-respecting” politician could support a protocol that imposes conditions on Northern Ireland that “meet the UN’s definition of a non-self-governing territory”.
Sir Jeffrey was also questioned about the infrastructure in place at the sea border, while his party colleague Edwin Putts was the responsible minister.
The DUP leader said Westminster had put in place this infrastructure, not Mr Putz, and insisted it was “temporary”.
Ms O’Neill accused the DUP of insisting on “the hardest possible version of Brexit” and said her party was trying to find ways to make the protocol work.
Regarding rising prices facing households, Sir Jeffrey said the protocol “hangs up the cost of living in Northern Ireland”.
The DUP leader cited several figures to support his argument, but those figures were disputed as to whether they were really related to post-Brexit trade agreements.
Ms Long said Sir Jeffrey’s evidence needed “fact-checking” and blamed the DUP for the collapse of the executive branch, saying it meant no action could be taken to tackle the crisis.
Sir Jeffrey said Mr Beatty “did not recognize” the threat the protocol posed to the Union.
Ms O’Neill said a majority of people had voted against Brexit, while Ms Long said leaving the EU had caused division, just as a border survey would do.
Sir Jeffrey accused Mr Eastwood of ignoring trade union concerns about the protocol, while UUP leader Mr Beatty said the DUP had squandered the chance to block the protocol.
The leader of the DUP responded to the blow, saying his party had voted against it.
Mr Beattie replied that the DUP had not blocked anything, explaining: “If you had done that, we would not be here.”
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