‘Irresponsible’ to blame Brexit for NI unrest
Ex-government adviser argues paramilitaries playing a role as Stormont recalled to debate violence
‘It’s not just about politics, it’s about people who run criminal empires and who seek to exert control over communities’
THE Government’s former top adviser on Northern Ireland has hit out at “grossly irresponsible” attempts to blame Brexit for rioting among loyalists, as Brandon Lewis, the Northern Ireland Secretary, yesterday held emergency talks to try to quell the unrest.
Lord Caine, who served as special adviser to six Northern Ireland secretaries, spoke out last night amid a growing political blame game over the violence across the province.
More than 50 police officers have been injured during the riots, some of which PSNI assistant chief constable Jonathan Roberts said appeared to be pre-planned and on “a scale that we have not seen in recent years in Belfast or further afield”.
Last night, the Biden administration joined efforts to diffuse the tensions, with White House press secretary Jen Psaki telling reporters: “We are concerned by the violence in Northern Ireland and we join the British, Irish and Northern Irish leaders in their calls for calm.”
In an interview with The Daily Telegraph, Lord Caine, who voted Remain, said that while post-brexit trade disruption had fuelled unionist anger, the influence of malign figures and paramilitary groups had clearly played a role.
Northern Irish politicians and Labour MPS yesterday sought to pin the violence on Boris Johnson’s failure to be upfront about the consequences of the Northern Ireland Protocol on trade across the Irish Sea.
“It’s irresponsible and it betrays a wilful ignorance of Northern Irish politics,” he added. “It’s not just about politics, it’s about people who run criminal empires and who seek to exert influence and control over communities.”
His comments were echoed by a Belfast security source, who said Loyalist groups were using Brexit as a “flag of convenience” to exploit tensions, while also fomenting anger over the failure by prosecutors to take action against Sinn Fein politicians who attended a funeral for IRA figure Bobby Storey, allegedly in breach of coronavirus rules.
“Covid kept a lid on much of it and there’s an element of recreational rioting, but such acts are usually done with permission from those that would benefit from an increase in tension,” they added. “There’s a more sinister element of the old and bold coming through.”
Meanwhile, Mr Lewis yesterday travelled to Belfast as the Stormont Assembly was recalled to hold an urgent debate following a sixth night of clashes between Loyalist groups and police.
After the Northern Ireland Executive issued a joint statement condemning the violence, Mr Lewis spoke to leaders of Northern Ireland’s main political parties, including First Minister and DUP leader Arlene Foster and deputy first minister Michelle O’neill, from Sinn Fein. Further talks will be held today.
Speaking afterwards, Mr Lewis acknowledged the strength of feeling among Unionists over the protocol, but insisted the Government had not abandoned them. He also expressed confidence in the PSNI chief constable Simon Byrne, whom the DUP has urged to resign over the force’s role in the decision not to pursue Sinn Fein politicians who attended the funeral.
In a statement issued earlier, he said: “I have seen first hand the true spirit of Northern Ireland – the creativity, the optimism and the determination to never return to the conflict and division of the past. We cannot allow that spirit to be crushed by a small minority intent on violence.”
The talks were called after the disorder escalated on Wednesday evening, when a bus was set alight and a photographer assaulted in Belfast.
The clashes also involved groups of hooded youths hurling petrol bombs and missiles at each other across a peace wall which runs between loyalist and republican neighbourhoods in the city.
Last night, rioters were blasted with a water cannon by police as unrest stirred on the streets once more. Stones and fireworks were thrown at police by gangs of youths gathered on the nationalist Springfield Road, close to where Wednesday night’s riots took place.