‘In the absence of consensus it is important we stick with the status quo.’

The words of DUP minister Gordon Lyons earlier in the week as the cries of No Surrender were being drummed up by the usual suspects over the Ulster Banner row.

It’s a sentiment encapsulating unionist attitudes and explains why unionism is well into its twilight years at this point.

The desire to stick with the status quo is why unionism opposed power-sharing for so long and continues to resent any visibility for the Irish language in this part of Ireland.

Chris Donnelly: Commonwealth Games flag row shows how unionism is still incapable of embracing change

David Bowie was quintessentially British. But also American

Status quo translates as the sunny uplands of a British Ulster where nationalists knew their place, a memory slowly fading into the past in spite of frantic efforts to sustain it.

The Commonwealth Games NI flag debacle has provided us with another fine flag-related mess, exposing yet again the inability of unionism to adapt to the changing realities all around us.

The decision of the organisation’s chief executive, Conal Heatley, to highlight this issue can not have been easy.

In November 2024, Mr Heatley had to contact the PSNI after his personal details were posted online and threatening messages had been sent........

© The Irish News