UNIONISTS opposed to the *orthern Ireland Protocol have declared it the most important issue facing their supporters in the Stormont Assembly election next month. Thousands of unionists and loyalists have taken part in anti-Protocol rallies in recent months.
Loyalism marching against the Brexit Sea Border and threatening the Dublin government over the Protocol.
Wednesday 13th Apr, 2022.
DUP leader MP Jeffrey Donaldson has said showing opposition is a priority, and that his party will refuse to go back into power-sharing with Sinn Féin unless the issue is resolved.
Jim Allister, leader and sole elected voice and Assembly representative of the Hardline Traditional Unionist Voice (TUV), is a strident critic of the protocol who's hoping the issue will him more votes and additional seats on 5th May.
Ulster Unionist leader Doug Beattie also opposes the protocol, but has taken a less combative approach and has said his party will not attend any more rallies as they are causing community tensions and provoking civil unrest.
Unionist leaders have likened the post Brexit arrangements to a border down the Irish Sea which weakens and undermines *orthern Ireland’s position within the United Kingdom.
But what do unionists voters think?
I went along to Ballymena, the former stronghold of DUP founder Ian Paisley, to test their claim that opposition to the protocol is the most important issue facing unionist voters this time around.
The town is set in the heart of *orthern Ireland so-called bible belt and is one of the most solidly unionist constituencies.
Jim Allister was one of the 5 Assembly members elected to represent the constituency in the last election in 2017, with two DUP and one Ulster Unionist.
I spoke only to declared unionist supporters
First up was Maurice Mills, who described his age as 50 plus VAT.
"The protocol to me is all important because I believe that the future of our province is at stake as far as *orthern Ireland being an integral part of the United Kingdom is concerned," he said.
Asked whether the protocol, health service or the cost of living crisis would be the most important issue for him in the election on 5th May, he was clear: " We need a secure country, that's the first thing. The protocol endangers *orthern Ireland’s position, seriously endangers it, and I believe that the people of this province need to be awake to that fact."
Next up was Noel, who has taken part in a number of anti-protocol rallies and also says it needs to be removed.
"Because it seems to be cutting us off from the rest (of the United Kingdom), Scotland, Wales and England," he said.
"We seem to be cut off you know, like pushed out to the sea a wee bit like an Island, I know we are an Island, but you know, on our own, it just doesn't seem right."
But his priorities were different when asked which of the same three issues he views as most important in the election.
"Well I think the health, health is important to everybody, it doesn't matter who you vote for or who you don't vote for, so you know it would be more or less the health, then the protocol."
Next up were a couple who declared themselves as unionist voters, but didn't want to be interviewed when told the subject matter.
As they left, the husband made his position clear.
"Don't get us started on the bloody protocol," he said. "We're embarrassed about the whole thing and want nothing to do with it."
Jean was next. A declared DUP supporter, she said the protocol is not a concern.
"It doesn't bother me," she said.
Asked which of the issues was most important, she also said health.
"I have a granddaughter and she's a nurse and she just says it's beyond doing anything, it's just so bad. She says she hates going into her work because nobody there, there's no nurses there, nobody to help you."
Danielle agreed.
"The fact is, if you don't have health you can't live, so I would say health."
Husband and wife Bill and Jenny were on the same page.
Asked how important an issue the protocol was for him, Bill replied: "Really not very important because I feel that it's not within the province of the *orthern Ireland Assembly to do anything about it. It's Boris Johnson and his crowd across the water I think who have the say.
"Health is the most important thing."
While Jenny said that as a gardener the protocol has caused her problems because some items are not available, she shared the view that health is the number one issue.
The survey was not intended to be scientific, but a snapshot of unionist opinion in a staunchly unionist town.
The last up was local businesswoman Elaine, who moved back to to *orthern Ireland 12 years ago from Scotland.
"Health" she replied when asked to name the most important issue for her.
"Our NHS is in a shocking state, our doctors and nurses are burnt out. We can't treat people with cancer and other life threatening conditions, so health. Health's been important to me since I moved back here 12 years ago, the cost of living because everybody's suffering.
"The protocol has affected the cost of living and Brexit has affected the cost of living and that affects our health service at the same time, so they've all a knock on effect on each other at the moment, but if you don't have your health you've nothing."
DUP leader MP Jeffrey Donaldson was in the Co Down town of Bangor this morning to launch his party's plan to 'Fix the NHS', stating that radical reform is needed.
Afterwards he went on a walkabout in the town's market, where the protocol was on the menu when a number of stall holders raised the issue.
"Our transport costs went up another 28% there just two weeks ago as well as all the extra costs for paperwork and stuff," said fishmonger David Cully.
When asked to respond to the fact that all but one of the people I spoke to in the unionist heartland of Ballymena had said that the protocol is not the priority, Mr Donaldson said his experience is different and that the issue is intrinsically linked to health and the cost of living as it impacts both.
"My personal opinion: Never Trust the DUP and the DUP are good at telling lies" but that's only my opinion.
"I don't agree," he said. "I've been out in every constituency in recent weeks. I've been knocking doors with our candidates and the protocol comes up regularly.
"People are very concerned what it means for the future of *orthern Ireland, for our political and economic stability.
"I've been going around the market this morning here in Bangor and I've been hearing from a lot of the stall holders about the problems they're having in bringing produce in from Great Britain, part of the United Kingdom.
"Root vegetables, seed potatoes, fish products, and you know the added costs from the paperwork, that gets passed on to the consumer.
"People I'm speaking to are really concerned about the cost of living and they recognise that the protocol is contributing to the increase in the cost of living in *orthern Ireland," Mr Donaldson said.
Follow these links to to find out more on this story: THE Good Friday Agreement (GFA) will 'NEVER' be Renegotiated and UVF Intimidation will not Achieve the Removal of the Protocol
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