Two-thirds of unionist voters support DUP’s deal to return to Stormont

https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/politics/two-thirds-of-unionist-voters-support-dups-deal-to-return-to-stormont/a1375310274.html

Suzanne Breen
February 16 2024 11:00 PM

Two-thirds of unionists believe the DUP was right to sign up to the government’s deal and return to Stormont, with just a quarter against the move.

A LucidTalk poll for the Belfast Telegraph shows that Sir Jeffrey Donaldson has managed to bring a clear majority of his community behind the agreement to restore devolution.

Some 67% of unionists believe the DUP was correct to return to the Executive and try to negotiate further changes to the Windsor Framework/protocol from within the system, even if there is no guarantee of success.

However, 28% say Mr Donaldson’s party shouldn’t have restored devolution until the protocol was scrapped.

The DUP gave the green light for the recall of the Assembly earlier this month on the back of its deal with the Tory government following a two-year boycott.

Mr Donaldson said the new arrangements have effectively removed the Irish Sea border for goods moving from Britain to, and staying in, Northern Ireland.

However, it has been strongly criticised by more hardline elements within unionism, including TUV leader Jim Allister.

But our poll suggests the DUP leader has brought the overwhelming majority of his party’s voters with him: 72% back the return to Stormont, as do 82% of UUP and 16% of TUV supporters.

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Almost three-quarters of voters for Mr Allister’s party (74%) believe Mr Donaldson should have stayed out of Stormont until the protocol was binned, as do 25% of DUP and 16% of UUP supporters.

Some 3,207 people took part in our online poll conducted from February 9-12. The sample was scientifically weighted to reflect the local population.

The 5% of voters who say they don’t know whether or not Mr Donaldson should have returned to Stormont include 10% of TUV, 3% of DUP, and 2% of UUP supporters.

Despite a significant minority of unionists opposed to the restoration of devolution while the protocol remains in place, DUP headquarters will be pleased with the poll results.

They indicate the party leader has been able to shape opinion and take voters to a compromise position.

In our previous poll three months ago, unionists held a far more hardline stance.

Then, some 62% believed that the DUP must maintain its boycott of the institutions until the protocol was removed completely — even if that meant Stormont’s permanent closure.

The view that Mr Donaldson shouldn’t lead his party back into the Executive until the protocol was binned was held by 72% of DUP voters.

The latest LucidTalk poll shows little difference along gender lines on the DUP’s return to Stormont, although slightly more unionist women (32%) are against the move than men (29%).

Voters are much more divided according to age, with young unionists most likely to support restoring devolution, and those in late middle-age the most opposed.

Some 87% of unionists under-25 back the DUP’s return to government, as do 79% of 25-34 year-olds, and 70% of the 35-44s.

Just 58% of 55-64 year-olds support the move, as do 64% of 45-54s and 65% of pensioners.

While only 13% of the under-25s are against the restoration of devolution without the protocol being scrapped, three times as many 55-64 year-olds share that view.

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