Irish Examiner View: DUP specialises in own goals

The latest political gambles by the DUP could cause the collapse of powersharing, and install Sinn Féin's Michelle O’Neill as First minister.

Edwin Poots during a press conference at Stormont.

If Edwin Poots were not a Young Earth creationist, he might be regarded as a political dinosaur. 

The former DUP leader and current agriculture minister at Stormont is in the habit of scoring own goals. Last June, he had to resign as leader after colleagues rebelled over a deal to revive the Northern Ireland assembly. Poots quit after 21 days.

His latest own goal is to instruct his staff that agri-food checks required under the Northern Ireland Protocol be stopped immediately. Poots said he had ordered them stopped after he had received legal advice, but if he expects ongoing support from British prime minister Boris Johnson, he could let down. 

He should remember that the DUP backed the UK’s departure from the EU, torpedoed Theresa May’s Brexit deal, and paved the way for the rise of Johnson, only to be betrayed by him for breaking his promise to not impose trade checks in the Irish Sea.

The resignation as First Minister of colleague Paul Givan could also backfire. It has been denounced by the SDLP as a stunt to gain political momentum, pending elections next May. 

However, it could cause the collapse of powersharing, leading to early elections with no guarantee that the DUP will win. The party is already losing support, and such activities could accelerate a haemorrhage of centrist supporters to the Alliance party, letting Sinn Féin become the biggest party in Northern Ireland and Michelle O’Neill first minister. 

That would be the biggest own goal.