DUP leader Gavin Robinson has urged unionism to think long-term and make its voice heard at the ballot box following a bruising week for his party.
He said many are “angered and disgusted” at the actions of Sinn Féin and First Minister Michelle O’Neill for backing an allegedly illegal protest on the Garvaghy Road which has prevented the Drumcree Orange Order parade.
In a letter to party members, Mr Robinson cautioned that collapsing the Assembly will likely strengthen Sinn Féin.
He said the actions the DUP will take in the weeks to come will be “guided by hard-headed decisions designed to strengthen, not weaken, unionism at this critical point”.
First Minister Michelle O’Neill and Sinn Féin President Mary Lou McDonald (PA)
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The fallout from the Drumcree stand-off saw Upper Bann MP Carla Lockhart resign as a DUP party officer, however, she remains a member.
Last week also saw a legal challenge to the decision by the Secretary of State Sir Chris Bryant to ban the Drumcree parade from the Garvaghy Road with the judgment expected next week.
Meanwhile, Ms O’Neill, along with Sinn Féin president Mary-Lou McDonald, and other party members, have attended voluntary police interviews in the probe into alleged breaches of the Parades Commission ruling to allow the parade along the Garvaghy Road for the first time in almost 30 years.
Mr Robinson said the outcome of that police investigation “will be key”.
“Justice must not only be done; it must be seen to be done,” he wrote in his weekly message to party members.
“No person can be immune from prosecution because of their politics or position.”
He described speaking with people at events across Northern Ireland in recent weeks, and hearing from those “angered and disgusted at the actions of Sinn Féin and the so-called First Minster for all”.
Posters at the Garvaghy Road in Portadown, Co Armagh (Liam McBurney/PA)
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But he said the “overwhelming majority” of unionists don’t want Sinn Féin to become stronger, “knowing the impact that would have on the future of Northern Ireland”.
Mr Robinson said before Sinn Féin collapsed Stormont in 2017, the combined DUP, UUP and TUV vote stood at 45.2%.
But at the following election it fell to 43.5%, and unionism lost its overall majority in the Assembly for the first time.
At the 2022 election it dropped to 40.1%, and Sinn Féin emerged as the largest party.
Mr Robinson said Sinn Féin’s actions will not go unchallenged, but said he will take decisions to strengthen unionism “at this critical point”.
“In all of the actions we take and the plan we will follow in the weeks to come, it will be guided by hard-headed decisions designed to strengthen, not weaken, unionism at this critical point,” he wrote.
“By acting now to stop the Executive functioning at all, in the absence of a budget and without a plan would leave unionism and Northern Ireland weakened in the longer term.
“No one claims Stormont is perfect and whilst being in a mandatory Executive with Sinn Féin is very difficult we cannot wish away the mandate they have been given by the people who vote for them.
“Sinn Féin has fundamentally undermined confidence in the fairness and running of the institutions. That will not be allowed to go unchallenged.”
Mr Robinson also called on the UK Government to “take action to bring forward workable and meaningful sanctions”.
“A new mechanism must be put in place that doesn’t let a party decide whether or not it should be sanctioned. No person can be the accused and the judge at the same time,” he added.
Mr Robinson also told party members that next year’s Assembly election is an “opportunity for unionists to give their answer to the arrogance of Michelle O’Neill”.
He also called for unionism to “put aside petty personal attacks and unite”.
“Every unionist representative wants to see Northern Ireland prosper, and while some think it is better to have Westminster make all the decisions rather than local elected representatives, I believe we can we all agree on the common purpose of wanting to see as many unionist MLAs and councillors elected next year.
“That requires dedicated action,” he said.
“The decisions made in the next number of weeks will shape the direction of Northern Ireland in the years to come. We will hold strong and not allow lawlessness and arrogance to win through.
“We win by thinking long-term and making all our voices heard at the ballot box.”