DUP's red lines are based on a self-destructive Britishness many unionists don't share

There are two red lines holding sway over Northern Ireland’s politics. One is the Democratic Unionist Party’s vow to protect “the integrity of the UK” using its parliamentary influence over the Westminster government. The other dominates Stormont, where the DUP is resisting introducing an Irish language act – Sinn Féin’s top demand for re-establishing Northern Ireland’s power-sharing government.

There are political connections between these red lines. Brexit has worsened local rifts. But there is another, deeper relationship. Both entrenched positions arise from a particular vision of unionist identity – one which may soon self-destruct.