DUP is under pressure from a small number of hardliners to stay out of Stormont – Baker
The DUP is under pressure from some hardliners to stay away from the Stormont assembly, Northern Ireland Minister Steve Baker said.
Negotiations have been going on behind the scenes for months between the British government and the DUP over Northern Ireland’s place within the United Kingdom in the post-Brexit agreements.
The party is seeking further assurances from the UK on post-Brexit political and trade arrangements following the signing of the Windsor Framework.
The framework, negotiated by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak earlier this year and approved by Parliament, includes reduced controls on goods moving directly from Great Britain to Northern Ireland in a bid to reduce barriers to trade within the UK.
What I think I see is that a small number of really important opinion leaders who shape what the DUP does are now actually controlling life in Northern Ireland to a degree that is not really consistent with their status as unelected figures, their Express your opinion and put pressure on the DUP
On Tuesday, Mr Baker claimed negotiations with the DUP were in their final stages.
He also urged hardliners to stop pressuring the DUP to stay out of Stormont and urged them to think about what future they want.
“I think realistically we are in the final stages with the DUP letting us know what they need,” Baker told media in Belfast.
“But what I think I see is that a small number of really important opinion leaders who shape what the DUP does are actually now controlling the life of Northern Ireland to a degree that is not really consistent with their status as unelected figures to express one’s opinion and put pressure on the DUP.
“I would say to them and everyone else: we really need to think seriously now about what future options are available and anyone who is an opinion leader now putting pressure on the DUP to stay out of government really needs to ask themselves what.” they are trying to achieve.”
Mr Baker said the EU would not restart negotiations and described the Windsor framework as “the best we could do… our compromise”.
When Belfast hosted a major investment conference in the city, Mr Baker pushed to capitalize on the goodwill.
“We have investors flocking to Northern Ireland and wanting to invest in a spirit of goodwill. We have spoken about how Northern Ireland will be a unique place in the world to benefit from this,” he said.
“So what I would say – for lack of a better term – to the pro-union opinion formers: please think about the best interests of Northern Ireland. If you want Northern Ireland in the Union it will need a government, so please give it that government.”
Former DUP MP Gregory Campbell claimed Downing Street had “repeatedly informed” the media that “significant progress” had been made in talks with the DUP and had “pressured” his party to return to Stormont.
Mr Campbell also said his party had submitted a paper to the government, which he said it had been studying for several months.
“The time has come for a briefing aimed at putting pressure on us to stop and keep what they have repeatedly promised,” he added.
Mr Baker replied: “Let us be clear: I am not coming here today to try to protest against the DUP.
“We have an investment summit coming up and I want it to be a success. That’s why I was allowed to come out at Number 10 and do media.
“But it is just inevitable that you ask me about leadership training and it is just inevitable that we have to talk about what the DUP is doing.
“I want the DUP to be happy and successful in government, but I fear we will inevitably be talking about it all the time when it is no longer in government.
“I like Gregory a lot, but they talked about megaphone diplomacy and everything else. I’ll answer your questions, I’m happy to answer your questions, but it’s in the hands of the DUP if they want Northern Ireland to flourish.
“You just have to go and govern Northern Ireland and we are very, very happy, but at the moment I have to tell you that we are waiting for the final word from the DUP about what they want and when they will get it. “We will do everything we can “To give it to them because we want them back.”
https://www.standard.co.uk/news/politics/dup-rishi-sunak-stormont-uk-government-parliament-b1106564.html DUP is under pressure from a small number of hardliners to stay out of Stormont – Baker
