Nationalists and centre-ground politicians need to unite and work together for good of our future

WHAT is surprising is that people are surprised that the talks broke down. Again.

First, it was the heating scheme. Then it was Arlene Foster’s leadership of the DUP. When these failed to gain traction, it became the Irish Language Act, with same-sex marriage, abortion and the border/Brexit hovering menacingly in the wings.

Sinn Fein has a vested interest in making Northern Ireland unworkable. For nearly 40 years, its armed wing sought to achieve this through terrorism. When the bullet failed, the tactics switched to the ballot box.

If Northern Ireland (there is no such place as the “north of Ireland”) can be demonstrated to be a viable, functioning, integrated society, the ballot, in Sinn Fein’s eyes, will also have failed.

So, what do they do? They erect obstacle after obstacle to frustrate the successful functioning of Stormont. They have culture, heritage, marching, legacy, rights, wrongs up their sleeve that will take us well into this century, by which time they hope to have worn us all down into capitulation.

Until the majority of the nationalist population, led by a courageous SDLP and in partnership with right-minded people from the centre-ground of politics (UUP, Alliance and Greens), get their act together and sideline Sinn Fein, we will be put through 40 more years of these duplicitous shenanigans.

Such an alliance is the DUP’s greatest fear.

PADDY McEVOY By email