How the DUP did their bit for the 32

Be careful what you wish for, lest it comes true!

Well the DUP campaigned for Brexit but they probably secretly hoped that it would not come true.

In that, they were on the same page as the man who could become Prime Minister.

Boris always had his eye on the prize.

If he had led the Leave side to a heroic defeat, then he would have been able to galvanise the Spartans of the ERG to be his shock troops in toppling Cameron.

Instead, he won.

Bugger…

With Brexit negotiations looming he thought it better to show the Dunkirk Spirt.

He left the field of play to the vicar’s daughter.

When he finally walked into Number Ten with his éminence grise Dominic Cummins, there was an election to win and the future relationship to conclude.

He has achieved both.

Now Great Britain is getting down to life as a third country in its dealings with the EU and their Northern Ireland protectorate.

Because of the Northern Ireland Protocol, the Six Counties remains, for trade purposes, within the Single Market and the Customs Union.

This prevents a  hard border on the island of Ireland.

The Brit negotiators thought that this was an initial negotiating gambit from Brussels that would be ditched once the real horse-trading began.

They were wrong.

Now Norn iron is starting the journey to an economic united Ireland within the European Union.

The DUP should take a bow as they helped this to happen.

Peter Geoghegan lays out in forensic detail how the party was used as a conduit for campaign money during the referendum.

The biggest donation they ever received ( £435,000) was spent in places like Sunderland on Leave posters.

The DUP received the donation during the referendum campaign and spent £282,000 of it on an advert in London’s Metro newspaper.

When these problems were raised as potential problems, Edwin Poots of the DUP was dismissive.

Of course, now there is some inconvenient evidence to address.

Now at Checkpoint Larney, there is a genuine third country border between GB and NI.

The email from the meat supplier to a customer in Norn Iron is telling:

“…deliver into Ireland.”

As British as Finchley?

Really?

 

Of course, Irish reunification is a process, not a climactic event.

For example, it is too early to gauge the long term impact on young people from the Six Countries travelling Europe on Irish Passports and taking part in the Erasmus Programme.

However, it is unlikely to make them feel more “Bradaish”.

To access many British products, the DUP chaps find themselves on the wrong side of the water.

They’re also on the wrong side of history.

The DUP campaigned for Brexit, and they got it.

 

Now they are blaming others for the reality of Britain being a third country to Northern Ireland.

For the avoidance of doubt, I’m enjoying this.