The Unionists are reportedly under pressure from Downing Street to drop boycott of Northern Ireland Assembly now the bill has been tabled
–
The DUP warned it would not give into ‘blackmail’ and return to Stormont until the Government’s bill to tear up the Northern Ireland Protocol was passed by parliament.
The Unionists are reportedly under pressure from Downing Street to drop the boycott of the Northern Ireland Assembly now that the controversial legislation [has been published](https://archive.ph/Ru5Oa).
Sir Jeffrey Donaldson, the DUP leader, denied that was the case. “I am not under any pressure. We have strong support from across unionism for the stand that we are taking,” he said.
“I believe that our pressure has brought about what we see today with this Bill being published.”
Sammy Wilson, the party’s Brexit spokesman, added: “We have said we will make our assessment of this legislation as it goes through, but I think, when it comes to good faith, the people who need to demonstrate good faith are the Government.”
“I think it would be very foolish to try and engage in that kind of blackmail,” he said over the British call to return to power-sharing.
The DUP has refused to reform the devolved government until it is satisfied that the treaty creating the Irish Sea border [has been removed or replaced](https://archive.ph/0VQ04).
The Government has reportedly told the DUP returning to Stormont after the May 5 elections would demonstrate to the EU and US that the British bill can solve the issues with the Protocol.
*Sir Jeffrey: Don’t twist the knife into Boris*
Sir Jeffrey warned potential Tory rebels not to twist the knife into Boris Johnson and risk prolonging the paralysis in Belfast.
The Prime Minister was left weakened after a narrow victory in a [vote of confidence](https://archive.ph/rvBXH) in his leadership last week.
“Those MPs on all sides of the House who are minded to vote against the bill, would do well to remember they are playing with stability in Northern Ireland and delaying the restoration of political balance,” Sir Jeffrey said.
“If we can legislate to address the problems with the Protocol, then there will be a great prize of stable devolution.”
Sir Jeffrey described the bill as a “welcome step” and that the eight DUP MPs would support it in its passage through parliament.
But he warned it would only get DUP support if it met the party’s seven tests. They include the removal of the Irish Sea border and all checks on trade on goods not entering the EU between Northern Ireland and Britain.
Sir Jeffrey said, “I believe that finally we are now seeing the kind of action that is required.”
*Sinn Fein ‘resolutely’ oppose ‘reckless’ bill*
Sinn Fein became the [biggest party in Northern Ireland](https://archive.ph/gPlBj) for the first time in the province’s history after the elections.
Sinn Fein, the centre-Left SDLP, which also supports Irish reunification, and the centrist Alliance party, the third largest party after the DUP, attacked Mr Johnson and said they represented a clear majority in the Assembly.
In a letter, they said they “resolutely” opposed the “reckless” bill. Instead of “law breaking”, the Government should negotiate with the EU to solve the issues with the treaty, they said.
“We strongly reject your continued claim to be protecting the Good Friday Agreement as your Government works to destabilise our region,” the pro-Protocol parties said.
During a 12 minute phone call with Liz Truss before the bill was published Simon Coveney, Ireland’s foreign minister, told her it was “deeply damaging” and marked a “ particular low point”.
*By* James Crisp, Europe Editor
13 June 2022 • 9:10pm
It is pleasant, when the sea is high and the winds are dashing the waves about, to watch from the shores the struggles of another.
Imagine being the only part of the country that isn’t going into a recession due to being in the single market….
And you have the entire government wanting to pull you out of the single market to avoid Brexiters asking questions about why its the only one prospering
And then you have the DUP wanting to stop your prospering region for political reasons
And then you have the majority of the population backing these two parties.
6 comments
The Unionists are reportedly under pressure from Downing Street to drop boycott of Northern Ireland Assembly now the bill has been tabled
–
The DUP warned it would not give into ‘blackmail’ and return to Stormont until the Government’s bill to tear up the Northern Ireland Protocol was passed by parliament.
The Unionists are reportedly under pressure from Downing Street to drop the boycott of the Northern Ireland Assembly now that the controversial legislation [has been published](https://archive.ph/Ru5Oa).
Sir Jeffrey Donaldson, the DUP leader, denied that was the case. “I am not under any pressure. We have strong support from across unionism for the stand that we are taking,” he said.
“I believe that our pressure has brought about what we see today with this Bill being published.”
Sammy Wilson, the party’s Brexit spokesman, added: “We have said we will make our assessment of this legislation as it goes through, but I think, when it comes to good faith, the people who need to demonstrate good faith are the Government.”
“I think it would be very foolish to try and engage in that kind of blackmail,” he said over the British call to return to power-sharing.
The DUP has refused to reform the devolved government until it is satisfied that the treaty creating the Irish Sea border [has been removed or replaced](https://archive.ph/0VQ04).
The Government has reportedly told the DUP returning to Stormont after the May 5 elections would demonstrate to the EU and US that the British bill can solve the issues with the Protocol.
*Sir Jeffrey: Don’t twist the knife into Boris*
Sir Jeffrey warned potential Tory rebels not to twist the knife into Boris Johnson and risk prolonging the paralysis in Belfast.
The Prime Minister was left weakened after a narrow victory in a [vote of confidence](https://archive.ph/rvBXH) in his leadership last week.
“Those MPs on all sides of the House who are minded to vote against the bill, would do well to remember they are playing with stability in Northern Ireland and delaying the restoration of political balance,” Sir Jeffrey said.
“If we can legislate to address the problems with the Protocol, then there will be a great prize of stable devolution.”
Sir Jeffrey described the bill as a “welcome step” and that the eight DUP MPs would support it in its passage through parliament.
But he warned it would only get DUP support if it met the party’s seven tests. They include the removal of the Irish Sea border and all checks on trade on goods not entering the EU between Northern Ireland and Britain.
Sir Jeffrey said, “I believe that finally we are now seeing the kind of action that is required.”
*Sinn Fein ‘resolutely’ oppose ‘reckless’ bill*
Sinn Fein became the [biggest party in Northern Ireland](https://archive.ph/gPlBj) for the first time in the province’s history after the elections.
Sinn Fein, the centre-Left SDLP, which also supports Irish reunification, and the centrist Alliance party, the third largest party after the DUP, attacked Mr Johnson and said they represented a clear majority in the Assembly.
In a letter, they said they “resolutely” opposed the “reckless” bill. Instead of “law breaking”, the Government should negotiate with the EU to solve the issues with the treaty, they said.
“We strongly reject your continued claim to be protecting the Good Friday Agreement as your Government works to destabilise our region,” the pro-Protocol parties said.
During a 12 minute phone call with Liz Truss before the bill was published Simon Coveney, Ireland’s foreign minister, told her it was “deeply damaging” and marked a “ particular low point”.
*By* James Crisp, Europe Editor
13 June 2022 • 9:10pm
It is pleasant, when the sea is high and the winds are dashing the waves about, to watch from the shores the struggles of another.
Imagine being the only part of the country that isn’t going into a recession due to being in the single market….
And you have the entire government wanting to pull you out of the single market to avoid Brexiters asking questions about why its the only one prospering
And then you have the DUP wanting to stop your prospering region for political reasons
And then you have the majority of the population backing these two parties.
**In case you missed**:
> **Sunday** June 12 – [**Restore power-sharing before we override Northern Ireland protocol, ministers tell DUP**](https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/restore-power-sharing-before-we-override-northern-ireland-protocol-ministers-tell-dup-s378kbbcs) – ([🪞](https://archive.ph/CUHQ5))
>
>Ministers have told unionist politicians that they must re-establish full power-sharing with Sinn Fein before parliament is asked to pass a law that would override swathes of the Northern Ireland Brexit deal
You have had people like Sammy Wilson losing it most of the day on that
e.g: [Sammy Wilson: Blackmailing the DUP to return to powersharing would be foolish](https://www.irishnews.com/news/brexit/2022/06/13/news/sammy-wilson-blackmailing-the-dup-to-return-to-powersharing-would-be-foolish-2741487/)
Which makes one think the UK gov stating that yesterday was a deliberate provocation on their part to muddy the waters further.
–
And will drop these here too:
>Belfast Newsletter: [TUV leader warns DUP over a return to Stormont as Northern Ireland Protocol legislation expected](https://www.newsletter.co.uk/news/politics/tuv-leader-warns-dup-over-a-return-to-stormont-as-northern-ireland-protocol-legislation-expected-3728827) – ([🪞](https://archive.ph/XN93c))
>
>TUV leader Jim Allister has cautioned against a return to Stormont by the DUP – even if legislation is introduced today which addresss unionist concerns over the Northern Ireland Protocol.
and
>Belfast Newsletter: [Jim Allister sets out ‘initial response’ to new Protocol bill](https://www.newsletter.co.uk/news/politics/jim-allister-sets-out-initial-response-to-new-protocol-bill-3730361)
>
>Unionists should not “surrender the leverage” they have by going back into Stormont on the basis of the new Bill to change the Northern Ireland Protocol, TUV leader Jim Allister has said.
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^^^edit: ^^^added ^^^emphasis ^^^above ^^^so ^^^some ^^^here ^^^would ^^^get ^^^the ^^^signal ^^^there ^^^was ^^^something ^^^important ^^^being ^^^pointed ^^^out ^^^to ^^^them
We will not give in to the ‘blackmail’ says the blackmailer.
These fuckers are the ones who need sending to RWANDA.