Northern Ireland

Deirdre Heenan: DUP caught between a rock and hard place of its own making

The party’s framing of the ‘outstanding issues’ around the Windsor Framework is becoming increasingly preposterous. Where does it go from here?

Gordon Lyons MLA and DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson. ‘The party ‘is in the rather strange position of being against every single permutation of a Brexit that they championed.’ Picture: PA

The Windsor Framework had its first official test in the House of Commons on Wednesday with a vote on the so-called Stormont brake, a key aspect of the proposed EU/UK agreement on trading arrangements.

This mechanism allows Britain to consider blocking new EU laws from applying in the North if 30 MLAs request it. As expected, MPs overwhelmingly backed the brake, which was approved by 515 votes to 29. While the vote was on a ...