We are on a slippery slope back to troubled times
The evocative images of night riots in Belfast showed scenes of chaos and fire. Fierce anger dominated the streets with hissing fireworks and hard brick thrown into the centre of a lava-fuelled political cocktail. The peace barrier put up to halt clashes between politically divided communities was torn asunder. The hurled petrol bombs and the burning of buses are an ominous echo of a past in which the wound is still very fresh and must be handled with delicacy.
As of January, goods arriving in Northern Ireland have to undergo customs checks. Something they were promised by Boris in 2019 ‘would not happen’. This has created trade barriers, genuine difficulties and disruption in getting imported goods through. It’s easy to see why Unionists feel as though they are getting a raw deal as they perceive themselves as British, but these custom checks create a somewhat uncomfortable distinction. The pandemic has been at the forefront of our focus but there are other things that need attention.
Does the violence have the potential to escalate? At this stage, probably with a very real danger that we will get sustained rioting and further unrest. Boris left it for six days before even commenting on the riots with a single tweet calling for an end to violence. This is inexcusable. Using a single tweet to voice his opinion downplays the gravity of the situation.
Our shared influence of membership of the EU was vital in stemming the tide of blood and paved the way for peace in Northern Ireland after three decades of blood and heartache.
Now we can see the paving being ripped up as we break away from Brussels. We were warned in 2016 that this could happen. The unravelling of peace in Northern Ireland could be a horrible side effect of Brexit.
The significance of these events cannot be downplayed by Westminster or Stormont. Everyone must have a common interest in resolving the problems rather than leaving the fires to spread.
Once the peril of the pandemic fades the focus will have to be brought back on Brexit and the long term effects it will have on all of us.