The “old” Ian Paisley from 2003, who grabbed me by the throat to tell me he wouldn’t even talk to Sinn Fein, no matter how much he shared power with them, must be spinning in his grave today.
or the party he founded is now staring at their disturbing reality of playing the second Shiners violin in Stormont after the seismic change in Northern Ireland’s election policy.
Eighteen years ago, I “dared” to ask the doctor on live television at the Balimani Electoral Court if he would speak to Sinn Fein in light of their growing support among voters.
But he grabbed me by the lapels of my jacket, looked me in the eye, and said a resounding “no,” adding that anyone in the DUP who spoke to Sinn Fein would be out of his party.
A few years later, of course, the “new” Paisley not only talks to his former enemies, but enters government with them.
But I wonder if he ever imagined that the day is rising, as it is now, when SF will overtake the DUP and win the right to have the title of Prime Minister … and probably a woman at work.
However, it was not difficult for many of us to foresee the inevitability of SF’s victory, not only because of their strategies, but also because of the DUP’s own problems. Personally, I was puzzled by Sir Jeffrey Donaldson’s campaign claims that his party could still end before Sinn Fein.
I always watch the bookmakers before the commentators to decide who will triumph. This most pragmatic group of brothers is seldom fueled by the parties’ boasting about what they will achieve.
And the odds they offer are powerful indicators of winners, losers and hopeless.
The bookmakers had Sinn Féin’s favorites to be the biggest party – in fact 1/25. And the odds of 10-1 for the DUP’s chances of finishing in the first place said a lot about the party’s position.
And the Shiners certainly went home. And the DUP remains to consider its “difficult” campaign, which has been hampered by divisions and allegations of dirty tricks.
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DUP leader Jeffrey Donaldson
PA
DUP leader Jeffrey Donaldson
But they, too, were guilty of the cardinal sin of believing and trusting the TWO-PERSONAL Boris Johnson, who sold them more small than a dog swindler.
The party is undoubtedly in trouble, but many believe it may be a failure.
The catastrophes of its leadership and their mishandling of internal crises have obviously raised doubts that they could deal with external issues such as Brexit and the protocol, and have clearly pushed them in the direction of TUV, which has made significant breakthroughs in the union vote.
The only party the bookmakers didn’t see rising so well was the Alliance, which prospered at the expense of the UUP, SDLP and the Green Party. The fact that Naomi Long has seen such a jump in the number of seats in Stormont is a testament to her continued strong leadership and an encouraging sign that many people here are obsessed with orange and green politics.
But is a united Ireland closer than it used to be? Of course it is. Maybe not around the corner, because there is still a general union majority, but Sinn Fein must laugh all the way to banking a border poll sooner or later, although distancing himself from this as a priority during your campaign.
Undoubtedly, we have just seen how history is made, and the results show that politics here has come a long way since the election of Sinn Fein’s first adviser in Belfast prompted the unionists.
And when Alex Muskie became the first Lord Mayor of Belfast from SF, the consequences among loyalists were dire.
But what’s next?
The DUP says they will not return to the executive branch to give Michelle O’Neill her “crown” glory until the protocol is sorted out to their satisfaction.
However, a former DUP insider told me last week that he had no doubt that they would return very soon.
“You can bet on that,” he said.
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