The Irish protocol.

It has alot to do with it, i see it myself

Yep i agree it's definitely reported like its religion but not always the case

Whipped up anti protocol fear for the DUP election. Retreated once the job was done.

Pretty clear statement. The last sentence in particular.

It's funny the way the Unionists and Unionist sympathetic media keep saying that 'Not one Unionist politician supports the Protocol' but ignore the fact that not one of the other politicians (the majority) objects to it.

Alex isn't the most Unionist of the north's media but he should know better than trying to sell this 'woe is me' story without balance.

Then there can never be another sitting NI assembly again until a 3rd way is found that is satisfactory to all parties concerned. If it's precedent we're talking about, then Sinn Fein would consider it their prerogative to do the same as the DUP upon the imposition of a hard border within Ireland.

There are some issues that are beyond compromise in NI. One is the constitutional question. A border poll would most likely never get cross-community support, whichever way it goes. That's why it makes more sense to have it as a simple majority vote. Similarly with the Protocol, it will never get CC support. That's why it's a simple majority in the NIA in order for the consent mechanism to work.

Unless some fantastic innovative solution is brought forward, which allows the UK to fully leave the EU, ROI to stay in the EU, and keeps the flow of goods and services going from ROI<>NI and NI<>GB, exactly as before 2021, while retaining the integrity of the EU SM, then someone is going to have to compromise on their wishes, and everyone involved is saying, 'but not me!'. I will say it's going to be the DUP and the Ulster Unionist community, simply because they have the least sway in the push and pull between the UK and EU. The EU has thus far backed Ireland's position. The same cannot be said of the Conservative government for Ulster Unionists. Theresa May only the other day gave Donaldson a verbal slap down in the Commons.

it's not sauce for the goose stuff at all.

an irish language act itself may not have any effect on the lives of ordinary people but it's non-introduction does, as it is alloweing sectarianism to continue, therefore SF had to collapse the assembly as otherwise they would be placating sectarianism.

the protocal is effecting very few people and there are ways to prevent that but britain wouldn't agree to them, and the DUP are refusing to get the assembly up and running simply because they don't want to work with any opposition party, not because of the protocal which is a success and is a benefit to northern ireland allowing it to be in both camps.

SF absolutely have the moral high ground here and always have done so over the first century bigots of the DUP.

I think where I would disagree with you here is that there is a difference in the nature of the Irish Language Act, which is ultimately a piece of language legislation that is not opposed on the basis of impossibility, but rather ideology. The Protocol on the other hand is simply a matter of possibility versus impossibility -- because it is the only logical endpoint to the conundrum of reconciling what the Brexiteers wanted and what the EU will realistically tolerate. It's beyond an ideological argument insofar as to oppose the Protocol (to the extent that one tries to scrap it) is to more or less oppose the only logical path of progress.

While Unionist concerns about the so-called sea border are understandable, their oppositiom must be viewed with an acknowledgement that (1) a sea border is the lesser of two evils in staying as close to the spirit of the GFA as possible, as it is clear that checks at ports etc are far less socioeconomically intrusive than a land border; and (2) the largest Unionist party campaigned for Brexit despite clear warnings that it would be disruptive to the working of the GFA -- this miscalculation makes them morally responsible for the situation even if they don't like the situation or accept they were enablers of it.

I appreciate it isn't as simple as just telling the Unionists this and they will just accept the logic -- but I do think the above is logical nonetheless.

If the British back down again what does Unionism do?

Don't worry. They're sending a US Special Envoy

That’s hilarious- all the fake huffing and puffing and idle threats to scrap it (the DUP were lapping it up like rabid dogs) and now BoJo hasn’t a notion of scrapping it. The EU should actually double down on the Protocol now.

How many times do English tories have to March them up a hill and then throw them off it?

And now BoJo is going to order them to like it or lump it! Also ordering the DUP to get back to work with SF as lead party!