DUP: Back to bombast

There has been a hardening in the rhetoric of the DUP since the Northern Ireland elections, but then again there is nothing too new there. By Anton McCabe

The DUP has maintained a hardened position since the elections at the start of the month. They contrast dramatically with their statements of December last year, when they were on the brink of agreement with Sinn Féin.

Speaking to the Westminster Parliament last week, DUP leader Ian Paisley said, "I dispute with my friend, the Hon. Member for Montgomeryshire (Lembit Opik), the idea that the people of Northern Ireland want negotiations. The people have spoken, and they have said, 'No more talks.' (The IRA) had their chance, and they didn't take it. Right, let's have democracy."

On Tuesday, the vintage Paisley of old was on show. "Mr Durkan of the SDLP is another apologist for terrorists in the government of Northern Ireland," he thundered. "He has mixed so long with the fascists of Sinn Féin, built up into their present strength by the helping hand of the SDLP, that he is blotched with fascism himself."

Proving this was no old man's aberration, North Belfast MP Nigel Dodds repeated the same tune on the same day. "Anyone who thinks that Sinn Féin can be brought into government at any time in the near future should read this report and see just how inextricably linked the Provisional movement is to the world of terror and criminality," said Dodds. "The government of this Province cannot be corrupted by the presence of Sinn Féin/IRA ministers."

Last year, the tune was very different. On 27 November, Paisley spoke to The Newsletter (Belfast's pro-Unionist morning paper) of his conversation with George Bush, saying "I told him I would like to be in a position to make a deal but that any deal must be fair and it must address to my satisfaction and my electorate's satisfaction all the fundamental issues that have blocked progress for so long."

That same night, he made his famous 'sackcloth and ashes' speech in Ballymena, "Sinn Féin's leader Gerry Adams says we want to humiliate the IRA. There's nothing wrong with that. I think it's a very noble thing. The IRA needs to be humiliated. And they need to wear their sackcloth and ashes, not in a backroom but openly."

Later in the same speech, he seemed to leave the possibility of agreement open, "Sinn Féin will have to step up to the mark instead of dodging the real question. They cannot have it both ways, of a place in government and a place in terrorism and criminality. There must be no way back for Sinn Féin. They must realise that a fair deal means that they cannot serve two masters."

In The Irish Times of 4 December last, Dr Paisley said, regarding a deal with Sinn Féin, "I will have to do a good deal of swallowing. I will have to do a good deal of biting my lip in future days, but I am prepared to do that provided they cease to be terrorists, and cease to do what they have been doing so long and washing their hands in the blood of my fellows."

Within days, talks had collapsed around Paisley's demand that photographs be published verifying IRA decommissioning. A DUP spokesperson denied the party had fundamentally changed positions, "The Republican movement were unable to sign up to the terms as outlined in the draft comprehensive agreement. Subsequently it became clear that while negotiations were ongoing between Republicans and the two governments the Northern Bank robbery was being planned. Other terrorist and criminal activity, including the Robert McCartney murder has also occurred in the period after the end of negotiations. Consequently there is no faith that Sinn Féin/IRA are serious about ending terrorist and criminal activity. There is no evidence that Sinn Féin is moving any time soon to disband the IRA and enter the political arena on the same basis as democratic parties. Such thinking provides the basis for the statement from Nigel Dodds."

There are obvious differences between the strands of thought in the DUP. Significantly, none of the hard-line post election statements have come from Deputy Leader Peter Robinson.

It is estimated that about 60 per cent of the party's Assembly group would back Robinson's more pragmatic approach, and 40 per cent would oppose a deal. The spokesperson denied any divisions saying, "Every member of the DUP is completely united around such a view."

The spokesperson also hinted at how Westminster success has taken the pressure off the need to make a deal. "Because of the size of our Westminster team it is certainly the case that other parties need a functioning Assembly to a greater extent than the DUP," he said.

There is, no doubt, a strong lobby in the DUP that would like a deal. However, senior Ulster Unionist Stephen King has pointed out their difficulties, "Ian Paisley has indeed won a famous victory. His party is enjoying unparalleled success, not because unionists want him as their first minister, or because they believe the DUP will deliver a new and better deal. Rather, the unionist population swung massively behind the DUP because it believes that, whatever the nuances of the DUP's theoretical position, it is the best bet for keeping Sinn Féin out at all costs."