The head of the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), Gavin Robinson, has asserted that support for a unified Ireland has not progressed at all in the 25 years since the Northern Ireland peace pact was signed. Despite this, he emphasised that unionists must not become complacent about preserving the union, acknowledging the need to persuade an increasing number of non-affiliated centrist voters in Northern Ireland to support the existing constitutional conditions.
In a pre-UK election interview conducted by PA news agency, Robinson dismissed the notion that his party had recently switched its stance in endorsing the post-Brexit commerce barriers agreement of the UK government, an agreement that in January encouraged DUP to cease its two-year protest deadlock on power-sharing at Stormont and recommence with devolution.
In response to accusations of inconsistent politics from opponents, he countered that the DUP had never assumed that the Safeguarding the Union directive from the UK government had completely resolved the matters pertaining to inspections and limits on goods transported from Britain to Northern Ireland. He maintained that he had been unwavering in describing the agreement as having made a degree of headway in alleviating his party’s apprehensions over trade and sovereignty, but emphasised that further work was needed on remaining issues.
Robinson ascended to the party leadership unexpectedly, initially on a temporary basis, when his forerunner, Jeffrey Donaldson, resigned in March after being accused of historical sex offences. Donaldson’s case is currently in court, and he has signalled his intention to contest all the 11 charges he’s facing.
Robinson, who aims to fend off a challenge from Alliance Party leader Naomi Long to keep his East Belfast parliamentary seat, acknowledged that being suddenly thrust into a leadership role had brought about a “new dynamic” to his career and personal life. In his conversation with PA news agency, he shared his perspective on the relative stability of the Britain-Northern Ireland union, in view of the volatility caused by Brexit and the increasing demands for a border poll from nationalist quarters. When asked to predict Northern Ireland’s future in half a century, he responded: “I hope it will be at peace with itself. But I can guarantee you it’ll be part of the union.”
Reflecting on the past quarter of a century, it’s evident that even amidst impassioned appeals for a merged Ireland, there has been no noticeable increase in the proportion of support for nationalism in Northern Ireland. There are occasional spurts of enthusiasm, but concrete progress over this time frame has been non-existent. However, a thriving community is emerging within Northern Ireland, who take pride in their homeland. They appreciate the benefits of Northern Ireland being an integral part of the United Kingdom.
With conviction, I can assert that our position as unionists in Northern Ireland is strong, and stands firm in support of the four segments that make up the United Kingdom. The most serious threat to the union in recent times has sourced from outside Northern Ireland but now seems to be receding with weakening support for Scottish independence. Fifty years from now, I believe the union will have a stable and bright future.
In assuring that there is no room for negligence, I want to differentiate between political unionists and those who simply support the union. There is a growing moderate section that does not ponder on the constitutional question daily but is comfortable and happy to be part of the union, cognizant of its benefits. Despite politically volatile years, our main objective is not to focus on the reasons for this fractiousness but to constantly underscore the perks of being part of the United Kingdom and enhance these relationships.
This optimistic belief that the union faces no danger starkly contrasts with the views of the Traditional Unionist Voice party, one of DUP’s rivals. They criticise both Donaldson and Mr Robinson for bungling negotiations to eliminate post-Brexit internal UK trade barriers. TUV chief, Jim Allister, at the launch of his election manifesto on Friday, argued that the union has never faced such grave danger before.
Mr Robinson expressed his objection to the insinuation that he had flip-flopped on his support for the UK government’s command paper. He rejected the counter narrative, emphasising their strong pro-union stance as they head into the elections. He highlighted not only the Union’s successes in the past five years but also the potential for Northern Ireland to have a significant presence in Westminster, which he claimed was striking a chord with the electorate.
Furthermore, he said that the electorate acknowledged the significant strides that had been taken over continuous cycles in dealing not only with the challenges posed by the Northern Ireland Protocol but also in offering solutions.
Mr Robinson further underscored that the DUP was being applauded by voters for effectively shaking up the contentious arrangements that govern post-Brexit trade in Northern Ireland namely the Windsor Framework which succeeded the Northern Ireland Protocol. He remarked that they had not let up in their efforts to make the protocol workable despite being told repeatedly that it was a lost cause.
He revealed that while the Windsor Framework which was approved in 2023 represented progress, it wasn’t enough to re-establish devolution. However, further developments noted in the Safeguarding the Union command paper in January had facilitated the return of devolution, a point he thought had resonated with people.
When questioned about a potential Labour government in London and its implications for forging closer UK-EU relations possibly eliminating some trade checks between the UK and Northern Ireland, Mr Robinson responded that he was awaiting more specific information.
He asserted the importance of positive engagement with London’s leadership for Northern Ireland’s benefit, pointing out that they had fostered healthy relationships with both the incumbent government and the current opposition.
“If they end up being our government in the forthcoming weeks, our intention is to collaborate with them optimistically for the sake of Northern Ireland. Our focus will always be on the intricacies of their proposed goals, ensuring that no matter where they aspire to lead this nation, it doesn’t build or reinforce, but rather weakens any obstructions caused by discussions related to the European Union over the past half-decade.”
He further commented, “I am an individual who always concentrates on the particulars. General comments made on EU relationships from Labour so far and everyone campaigning currently, that’s the ornamentation; we need to focus on the facts.
“Consequently, should Labour establish the upcoming government, our approach will be to interact constructively with them for the Northern Irish populace. Together, we will delve into the particulars and cooperate for our mutual advantage here in Northern Ireland.”