A former deputy leader of the PUP says that if unionist concerns on the NI Protocol are not addressed, a political vacuum in loyalism could lead to a “dangerous situation”.
UUP councillor Dr John Kyle is a retired GP from east Belfast who is also a former Deputy Leader of the PUP, which has traditionally had links with the UVF.
He was speaking after the Loyalist Communities Council (LCC) sent a letter to unionist leaders last week, expressing impatience over the Northern Ireland Protocol, calls for Joint Authority over Northern Ireland and visits to Northern Ireland by southern government ministers. The LCC is made up of leaders from the UVF, UDA and RHC terror groups. The letter warned of "dire consequences" and cited the 1994 loyalist ceasefires, leading many to regard it as a veiled threat of violence.
However, Dr Kyle urged political leaders to take a serious look at the situation inside loyalist communities.
Ulster Unionist Party leader, Doug Beattie and Dr John Kyle in February 2022. Dr Kyle was announcing that he was leaving the PUP to join the UUP.
He sees the current political strategy to restore Stormont as primarily focused on putting pressure on the DUP to end their boycott, without any reforms of the Protocol.
"But I would say the political realities of the situation are that until there is resolution on the protocol, there cannot be any stability within the North of Ireland political institutions," he said. There must be some recognition by the negotiators by the government or by the Europeans, that they have responsibilities to resolve the problems over the NI Protocol. That's where the primary responsibility rests."
He adds: "There's been no perceptible movement on the NI Protocol and we are almost two years down the road. Everyone accepts that there are genuine problems with the protocol. And there's been general agreement on what possible solutions there are available for that, and yet, nothing seems to be done."
Loyalist Communities Council (LCC) which consists of members of the UDA, UVF and Red Hand Commando
And he does not accept the view that the LCC was issuing threats. "I think as some have said, this is not a threat. This is just a fact. This is just explaining the situation. They've got no ability to address the problem and we are living in a vacuum. And where there's a political vacuum, then disruptive voices begin to dominate and society begins to unravel. Unscrupulous people will take advantage of a political vacuum. That is a very dangerous situation."
He also believes the cost of living crisis is adding to tensions in loyalist communities. The UUP councillor says his views on the political tensions are very much informed by what he is hearing on the ground in his own community.
He regards recent calls for joint authority from from variou parties last week as "completely incompatible with the Good Friday Agreement".
And those with responsibility for negotiating change in the NI Protocol he says: "They need to realize that they have a responsibility to those communities who are affected by the protocol, but who did not have any power. The UK and EU need to appreciate it is intensely destabilizing for the North of Ireland and their responsibility to the people of North of Ireland to find some sort of agreement as soon as possible."
With many thanks to the:News Letter and Philip Bradfield for the original publication.
Follow these links to find out more on this story: Was the PUP telling porkies? As PSNI chief sees 'no rise in threat' from loyalist paramilitary violence
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