Ruth Dudley Edwards doesn’t believe the DUP is ill-equipped to deal with outworking of the fast track arrangements being put in train by the British government and (mostly) supported by Sinn Fein – alone of all the political parties. She also speculates on whether Rhonda Paisley’s threatened action against the party is an indication of an internal power struggle between the modernisers in the party and the traditionalist wing. Something, she argues, that could only further undermine the party’s ability to maintain a competent political force in field against Sinn Fein.
It’s no accident that Rhonda Paisley applied for a job as a DUP policy officer, for policy is the terrority of the modernisers and compromisers. Since they don’t want her father to know quite what’s going on, it’s no surprise that she was turned down. And it’s a smart move for the Paisley family to have her sue the party on the grounds of sexual discrimination. But these odd events further weaken a party now proving itself unable to defend unionism against the unholy alliance between Tony Blair and Gerry Adams. I’m sorry for unionists: but they voted for the DUP.
Mick is founding editor of Slugger. He has written papers on the impacts of the Internet on politics and the wider media and is a regular guest and speaking events across Ireland, the UK and Europe. Twitter: @MickFealty
