ALL strands of political unionism are united in endeavouring to set our society back a generation if needs be in order to secure an Orange parade on the Garvaghy Road, and the sooner nationalists and republicans understand that, the better.

Tom Elliott, Carla Lockhart and Jim Allister spoke in unison following the Drumcree ruling because, under their parties’ collective leadership, unionism has been walked to a place where constant agitation has become the norm – hence why Stormont appears doomed to many observers.

Under Jon Burrows, the Ulster Unionist Party has taken positions and used rhetoric and provocative language more commonly associated with the TUV, whilst a perpetually scandal-ridden DUP long ago decided that using its ministerial positions at Stormont to wage a sharpening cultural war was the best means of attempting to arrest the draining electoral support for the party.

Nationalist leaders – not least Sinn Féin – have been both naïve and complacent in not recognising the full significance of unionism’s lurch to the right over recent years.

Chris Donnelly: Political unionism wants to set society back a generation with Drumcree........

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