The news that a border official at Larne docks, has been forced out of their house by people who call themselves loyalists is deeply worrying. Once again the Unionist community feels it has been betrayed by the rest of the country and its ultras are once again willing to flex their muscles.
The fact that it was their own political leadership the DUP which campaigned for this and is responsible for this mess is deeply ironic but no longer relevant. They feel they have been betrayed by the government and they are right. Boris Johnson sold them down the river to get Brexit across the line and has lied about the consequences for Northern Ireland ever since. Breaking international law to try to avoid the worst consequences of the deal he negotiated is a sign of how little he and the government knew about what they were doing or cared. Experts told them time and again but the Brexiteers knew best.
The fact that it is only NI that has the best of both worlds and is in the UK and the single market is not much help. Symbols matter more than economics in Northern Ireland and border controls at Larne but not at the Irish border are very potent symbols.
The ultras love this kind of stuff, it makes them feel important again, that is why what happened at Larne is so worrying.
https://jonty.substack.com/
"The fact that it was their own political leadership the DUP which campaigned for this and is responsible for this mess is deeply ironic but no longer relevant,." I don't agree local politicians would be trusted that they know the needs of their communities and what is right for them.
The old argument that they were thrown under a Brexit NHS bus by Brexiteers is not going to work. The NHS has had more money spent on it since Brexit than even proposed on that legendary bus sign. Likewise in Northern Ireland I expect money will continue to be thrown at their bus issues until revisions can be achieved that address these current needs. If the locals didn't get it right what hope for the rest of us in the UK? None.