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From a leadership fiasco to the ‘sausage wars’, the Democratic Unionist party’s stance on Brexit has forced it to contend with a new – perhaps even existential – set of problems. What will they mean for the region’s future?
When the Democratic Unionist party decided to support Brexit, many warned that the decision could have profound consequences for Northern Ireland’s position within the UK. Five years on, new customs arrangements and an Irish Sea border mean trade flows with the Republic of Ireland are growing – even as imports from Great Britain are slowing. And some on the unionist side fear that bit by bit, the argument for a united Ireland is gaining ground.
Now the region has found itself in the grip of a so-called ‘sausage war’ over chilled processed meats. At the same time, the DUP is about to install its third leader in a month, a crisis at the top that has exacerbated fears that the party could face electoral annihilation. Anushka Asthana speaks to the Guardian’s Ireland correspondent, Rory Carroll, and the Brexit correspondent, Lisa O’Carroll, about a seismic moment for Northern Ireland – and what a political crisis for Stormont’s leading unionist party could mean for the region’s future. Continue reading...