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POLITICS ON ITS hill at Stormont has always been a hard climb. That has been the story of the 25 years since Good Friday 1998; how politics has struggled in the peace, how it has rarely had the ease or the freedom of a run downhill.
There has always been something; some reason – some row – to make things difficult. It has been arduous, tiring, work.
That is how it began, and how it continues, from the starting point of the arguments over decommissioning and the phrase ‘no guns – no government’ that described those early battles after Good Friday; and how, in unionist thinking then, the IRA made government impossible, and how there was a choice to be made between politics or the ‘private army’. It could not be both.
A message from Stormont
Last month, a message was sent to me, including a line that my “longstanding prediction about the final death of Stormont may be right this time”.
I’m not sure that I have predicted that outcome but rather argued that it has had too many of these crisis moments. And, after the last rescue mission of 2020, I said that if it failed again, then it should fail forever. I wrote that in my book ‘Political Purgatory’.
But Stormont, it seems, is always allowed another chance and more time.
That is why it is still there; allowed these things, because if it collapses entirely, then it says the ‘peace’ has failed.
All of the talk in the here-and-now is about the autumn. If Stormont is to be put back together again, it will be then. Or will it?
That message that was sent to me last month was from an MLA: “I can’t see Jeffrey [Donaldson] doing it,” they wrote, “too much of a stretch and not enough courage.”
Politics has been swimming in the turbulent waters of the ‘sea border’ that became part of the post-Brexit trading arrangements, and that has made Northern Ireland different from the rest of the United Kingdom.
At a Feile Derry event last week, I said that those who shouted loudest for Brexit cannot now wash their hands of the Protocol and the Windsor Framework. Politics is both what you demand and what comes with it. It is what has made this latest Stormont mess.
So, we have had another year-plus standoff; more uphill politics, more climbing and a mountain of statements that the Executive must be restored. It hasn’t shifted the DUP. And, from others, there has been the argument that there should be no return to an “unreformed Stormont”.
In other words, the current system of government does not work and won’t work and has to change. The so-called news conferences on that hill and elsewhere, are not news. They are ‘repeat’ conferences, old hat, a waste of time.
On Tuesday, I tweeted: What does back to Stormont mean? If it is having Stormont for the sake of it, then we should forget about it. So much that is broken here, stems from the failure of that place.
What does back to Stormont mean? If it is having Stormont for the sake of it, then we should forget about it. So much that is broken here, stems from the failure of that place https://t.co/Sgg4kLjUDq
— Brian Rowan (@BrianPJRowan) August 22, 2023
A tweet from the veteran political editor Ken Reid on Thursday morning said it all:
Magnificent view over Belfast from my hospital room in the City Hospital. Stormont in the distance . A lot more activity in this ward than on the hill. The pressure on staff is unrelenting. What a contrast.
— Ken Reid (@bigkenreid) August 24, 2023
Stormont has to be something more than a building. It has to prove itself; show that politics can work, that it is worth having.
The sea border is the latest in a long list of reasons why politics has struggled – struggled from decommissioning to ‘Stormontgate’, from the arguments over the Maze Peace Centre project through welfare reform, flags, parades, the Past, RHI and the fallout from Brexit – these, the endless battles of politics, the many disagreements – the damage.
Yet, politicians and others, from all places, still come to Northern Ireland, to see the peace, to look at it, to talk to us, to ‘learn’. It’s incredible.
That year changed everything. Follow the electoral trend since then:
Sinn Féin now the largest party at Stormont;
Michelle O’Neill waiting to be First Minister;
Sinn Féin the largest party in the local government elections;
Unionists no longer hold a majority of the Northern Ireland seats at Westminster.
That shift, as much as the turmoil of the sea border, has created the political storm.
The last time Stormont was saved was in January 2020 when Julian Smith was Northern Ireland Secretary of State and Simon Coveney was Tánaiste and Irish Foreign Minister.
It was their ‘joint’ work and effort (not joint authority) that made the New Decade – New Approach Agreement possible – that brought the parties back into the Executive after a three-year absence.
It did not last long, and this is the issue – if it is rescued again, how long before its next fall?
And how many Stormont falls before we finally realise that it doesn’t work? Recently, in a podcast for the Belfast Telegraph, I was asked about Stormont and when it might return, and I said I didn’t care.
It has failed too many times; perhaps the biggest failure of the peace process. Stormont for the sake of Stormont, is not worth having.
There has to be good reason to bring it back. What colour will the leaves be then? I just don’t know.
In this broken place, there is no such thing as urgency or a deadline.
But, even when it is stuck, politics is moving. For many, there are more important things than Stormont.
Brian Rowan is a journalist and author. He is a former BBC correspondent in Belfast. Brian is the author of several books on Northern Ireland’s peace process. His new book, “Political Purgatory – The Battle to Save Stormont and the Play for a New Ireland” is out now at Merrion Press.
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Stop their pay, that might help
Great article Brian!
The circus on the hill may indeed have staged its last act. Bring in joint authority!
The people have moved on since the peace process but the politicians especially the DUP are left behind. Stormont has failed and too far behind to catch up now.
@Jos: DUP still attract a lot of votes , so clearly many people in their hundreds of thousands , haven’t moved on. At least the Ulster Unionist Party, who aren’t happy with things will still commit to sitting at Stormont . To be fair , there’s talk that there’s a bit of a split in the DUP , between the northern based folk and those DUP at Westminster )the headbangers who want direct rule ) about going back in . The system is flawed in that one party can dictate to the rest .
Short answer: Yes, yes it does matter. In order for Northern Ireland to be independent and hopefully down the road unified with the rest of us, there has to be credible stability in Stormont. Only then will a cross border referendum be possible. I do hope to see a united Ireland someday. Pity all the Irish ‘Slava Ukraine’ types didn’t feel the same about our own nation.
@Tom L: My own nation is the Republic of Ireland. It shares an island with Northern Ireland. Just because they are on the same island does not make them the same country. If you think it does make them the same country then you can’t possibly recognise Scotland, Wales or England as separate countries as they all occupy the same little island.
@Roy Dowling: point to the areas of England which have been segregated from either Scotland or Wales, by threat of immediate and terrible war. Areas which contain large proportions of ethnic Scots or Welsh, but gerrymandered in such a way to ensure they would be a minority to be suppressed and oppressed due to their ethnic/religious back ground. To be discriminated against for past 100 years. Then your opinion just might hold water.
@Roy Dowling:
It is the same country.
The North of Ireland is not Scotland, Wales, nor England. It’s part of Ireland.
Unlike the other 3, Northern Ireland is not defined as a country.
@M Bowe: What is the nationality of a person born in Glasgow? Scottish or British?
@Daniel Webster: Northern Ireland isn’t part of the republic of Ireland. When the English invaded Ireland there were many countries on this island. It wasn’t a united island then, it still isn’t one now. Nobody in northern Ireland has ever been ruled by an Irish government from Dublin.
Northern Ireland is just as much a country as Scotland and Wales, it can rule itself but answers to Westminster. It doesn’t answer nor has it ever answered to Ireland. And before you say the British can’t just make countries, ask Israel Pakistan and the many others the British have made and help make out of thin air.
@Roy Dowling:
There were not ‘many countries’ on the island. Family alliances do not don’t define a country.
The fact is no one ‘runs’ Northern Ireland. It’s a rudderless, leaderless region that unionism has ideologically failed.
The British are indifferent to it and don’t treat it the same as the countries of Britain.
Northern Ireland is an integral part of Ireland and we have many cross border institutions that reflect that, along with the fact people can officially identify as Irish citizens.
“And before you say the British can’t just make countries, ask Israel Pakistan and the many others the British have made and help make out of thin air.”
Ah yes, 2 more examples of failed states created by the British. Well done.
@Roy Dowling: you need to read up on your Irish History.
@Daniel Webster: I suggest you check your history bud. The island of Ireland had many kingdoms on it and it’s kings were fighting each other when the English got here. The fact is the English first arrived here at the request of the deposed king of Leinster. He wanted them to help him get his kingdom back. Seriously go back and learn your history.
2 more failed states or not they are proof northern Ireland is a country. It’s not part of my country nor do I want to be “reunited” with a country we were never United with in the first place.
@Tom L: if Stormont prove capable and NI shows ability to be Independent, there’s not a cat and hells chance of Unification . That third identity of “Northern Irish” would gain more popularity . Nevertheless , Stormont needs to return to business . Unification might require acceptance of some crazy federation by allowing that area have its own parliament . Basically status quo but us paying for it rather than London. No thanks . They haven’t proven to be capable of running anything (I get what you are saying though)
@Tom L: Ukraine have a history, however brief , of a fully united , independent and sovereign territory . Ireland doesn’t . No comparison .
@Roy Dowling: Your nation is called “Ireland”. The Republic is only a description and a handy way for the British knuckle draggers to refuse to accept that Constitutional fact .
@Roy Dowling: actually , the Irish government was based at Dublin Castle prior to 1922 ! Naturally , none of them were remotely elected by the limited electoral of the time and all were Unionists . Grattan’s Talking shop on the Green prior to 1798 was in Dublin . Of course not as a fully Independent country from England and then later the UK
@Roy Dowling: Northern Ireland is very different from Scotland or Wales. It was cleaved off of Ireland by Britain as part of their exit strategy from various colonies when all of that went to pot. Its existence is bizarre and it was never actually built to last. Britain want it gone, SF are rising to the top electorally. The writing is on the wall.
When The DUP against the wishes of The NI population backed Brexit it was because they hoped it would damage the long despised GFA and bring back “The good old days” ?! of a visible border on the island of Ireland. The DUP/TUV are political dinosaurs and hopefully in a generation or two they will extinct.
@Matt Rogers: *be
While Jeffrey Donaldson is the zenith of altruism there are two inescapable facts vis a vis Stormont, it’s functionality and purpose.
1) No Unionism Veto = No Stormont
2) No Unionist Largest Party = No Stormont
If reform means majority consent and the Unionism veto is disbanded I think that Unionism of all parties and persuasions will unite together to resist and the region goes through another cycle of turmoil.
The British govt pay lip service to the GFA so Irish and UK govt working together is folly while the tories remain in govt.
NI is a basket case. I have no solutions in mind.
Just ignore them and their flegs.
The Emperor has no clothes
Stormont fails cause of the DUP. It’s that simple.
Take away all vetos and let the biggest party form a government
@philip riordan: what happens , like Mary Lou’s antics in recent times , if and when no other party would agree to form a northern government with SF ? SDLP don’t have enough numbers and it might be against their interest to do so as they are rivals
Get rid of the DUP veto.
Britain has not got the backbone to put right the wrongs of Northern Ireland
have your say