Young Unionist Voices on the Political Climate in Northern Ireland

The Unionist Youth Network, formed in February, consists of young unionists in Northern Ireland who met on social media. These young people have diverse party preferences and varying views on the Democratic Unionist Party’s (DUP) boycott of Stormont. One of the network members, Jay Singh Basra, who belongs to the Ulster Unionist Party, understands his party’s position on calling for the restoration of an executive. He highlights the importance of having a functioning government for the welfare of local youth programs that suffered due to lack of funding. However, Jay acknowledges that the Windsor Framework, a political agreement, was not completed, which he believes influenced the DUP’s stance.

Another member of the network, Jack Steele, is a DUP supporter who voted for the first time in the recent council elections. He emphasizes that the time taken to reach a decision is not the primary concern but rather the quality of the deal. Jack trusts the current leadership of the DUP to secure the best possible agreement and mentions the significance of the party’s position in avoiding changes to the protocol.

Zac Taylor-Clarke, who previously voted for various unionist parties, currently leans towards the DUP’s position. He considers it crucial for politicians to not only follow their mandate but also stand up for all citizens. Zac believes that devolution cannot thrive if one community remains unhappy, a sentiment echoed by Matthew Shanks, another network member who feels connected to the union despite his mixed religious background.

The network aims to bring a fresh perspective to unionism in Northern Ireland, focusing on positivity and countering the negative associations often attributed to the label. However, they believe that broadening unionism’s appeal will require resolving the uncertainty surrounding the DUP’s future in Stormont.

The possibility of Stormont’s failure leading to the risk of the union itself is a topic of concern. Zac, however, doubts this scenario and is more doubtful about the survival of a Sinn Fein-DUP executive due to divisive issues. According to him, entering an executive in the near future would likely lead to immediate collapse. In contrast, Matthew believes that, while it seems many unionists are falling out of love with the institutions, preserving the union remains a significant reason for supporting the return of Stormont.

These conversations within the youth network reflect the ongoing introspection within political unionism. If the DUP decides not to re-enter Stormont in the coming weeks, these discussions may intensify as unionism faces important decisions.