This a report copied from yesterday’s ‘Belfast Telegraph’ of the Moygashel Rally condemning the ‘Donaldson’s Deal’.
The newspaper’s report has emphasised the comments of Jamie Bryson, who is designated a ‘Loyalist Activist’ in the media here.
Hopefully we will have details of Mr Jim Allister’s comments at the rally very soon.
I wish to add one comment and that is that I cannot endorse Mr Bryson’s opinion when he says:—
“I must also mention gallant principled people such as Carla Lockhart, Ian Paisley, Paul Girvan, Michelle McIlveen, Paul Frew, and Jonny Buckley.
“Those are just some of the people who have taken a stand, and continue to stand firm on the promises the DUP made whilst sadly the leadership have surrendered.”
Amongst those named by Mr Bryson are members of the DUP who found acceptable in the past, and have given no indication that such is no longer their opinion, power-sharing with Sin Fein/IRA, even when Martin McGuinness, the self-confessed IRA gunman, was Joint First Minister!
The DUP in Stormont has embraced the endorsement of moral perversion and sodomy and repeatedly endorsed a lesbian as a DUP councillor.
For this and many other reasons, I cannot endorse the esteem in which Mr Bryson states he hold those named by him!
Another ‘Belfast Telegraph’ article lists several persons ’tipped’ to be a minister in the the new Stormont Executive. [See important postscript below.] See — Who are the MLAs tipped for ministerial roles in the new Executive?
Time will tell who will actually come out and take a public stand against this ‘sell-out’ by Donaldson’s DUP.
Sincerely in Christ’s name,
Ivan Foster
PS. I mistakenly confused the names of the DUP men, Paul Girvan and Paul Given when I said: “It should be noted that Mr Paul Girvan, admiringly named by Mr Bryson, is reported in another ‘Belfast Telegraph’ article, as one of those ‘tipped’ to be a minister in the the new Stormont Executive.”
It was Paul Given rather than Paul Girvan who was ‘tipped’ for a post in the new executive by the ‘Belfast Telegraph’.
My apologies to all concerned!
Jamie Bryson attacks Sir Jeffrey Donaldson over ‘all spin and no substance’ deal at Orange Hall meeting – Incoming DUP deputy first minister will have legal duty to build border posts, says loyalist
Suzanne Breen
‘Belfast Telegraph –
1/2/2024 – 20:30
Jamie Bryson says the incoming DUP deputy first minister will be “debasing themselves” by becoming joint head of an administration with a legal duty to build and operate border posts.
The loyalist said that whoever in the party accepted that role would be “implementing the subjugation of the Acts of Union”.
In a fiery speech in Moygashel Orange hall, he rounded on Sir Jeffrey Donaldson whom he said would struggle to convince grassroots unionists to support his deal when he couldn’t even convince his party colleague Lord Dodds.
TUV leader Jim Allister joined Mr Bryson on the platform to discuss the deal which has the DUP poised to return to government at Stormont on Saturday.
The loyalist said it was all spin and no substance with the Irish Sea border painted red, white and blue, and the green lane continuing to exist but now called the UK internal market scheme.
“It’s like me changing Jeffrey Donaldson’s name in my phone from ‘Jeffrey Donaldson’ to ‘Surrender Deal Donaldson’, and then claiming I have deleted his number,” he said.
Mr Bryson said the DUP leader “stands today in Parliament, the darling of the NIO”.
He said Sir Jeffrey was now hailed by men who were betrayers of unionism: “Julian Smith who smashed sovereignty with his dalliance with Simon Coveney in New Decade, New Approach.
“Chris Heaton-Harris, the Secretary of State so disdained by unionism. And, of course, the once self-proclaimed hardman of Brexit who melted like a snowman at the first whiff of being an NIO lackey, Steve Baker who speaks now as if he is Gandhi.”
Mr Bryson said that the DUP leader had told his party “to meekly and subserviently trot back to Stormont” to “enthrone Sinn Fein” and to become “protocol implementers”.
The loyalist said: “We are told the Irish Sea border has gone. Lies, lies and more lies. But don’t take my word for it; instead listen to the most senior and experienced people in the DUP: Lord Nigel Dodds, Sammy Wilson, William McCrea.
“I must also mention gallant principled people such as Carla Lockhart, Ian Paisley, Paul Girvan, Michelle McIlveen, Paul Frew, and Jonny Buckley.
“Those are just some of the people who have taken a stand, and continue to stand firm on the promises the DUP made whilst sadly the leadership have surrendered.
“Rather than a honest and noble surrender, they have the shamelessness to try and convince everyone they have won a victory.”
Lord Dodds, along with DUP MPs Sammy Wilson, Carla Lockhart and Paul Girvan had acknowledged that the Irish Sea border remains. “That is their verdict, not mine, albeit it is one I share,” the loyalist said.
“Here is the test for the unionist and loyalist people: if Sir Jeffrey Donaldson cannot convince Nigel Dodds — a DUP stalwart — on what basis can he hope to convince everyone else?”
Mr Bryson said the Irish Sea border remained in full force: “The zero checks and zero paperwork the DUP claim: lies.
“There is no reduction of checks at all. Paragraph 98 of the command paper — there is an intention to work towards such an outcome — but no commitment, no legislation, no timeline. (Sir Jeffrey) hasn’t achieved this at all.”
The loyalist said the DUP leader had argued that the protocol wasn’t a constitutional issue in 2021 and claimed it offered “opportunities” that Northern Ireland must embrace.
“It was only after grassroots unionist and loyalist pressure that a new Sir Jeffrey emerged,” he said.
“One who copied our language, who spoke of the subjugation of the Acts of Union and the Union-dismantling protocol. We didn’t change then, and we haven’t changed now.
“When he asks what did we — and when I say we, I mean every single person who campaigned, protested and battled every single day — achieve, the answer is ‘We forced you to move Jeffrey’.
“As protocol implementers, as builders of the Poots posts, the DUP slumped to a paltry 13% in the polls. It was only when they took a stand, that their support began to rise again.”
Mr Bryson added: “Now, having made fundamental promises and commitments, having marched side by side with the people he now labels ‘naysayers’ — for saying the very same thing which he stood and nodded along and applauded during his ‘protest phase’ — Sir Jeffrey has forsaken it all.”