Sinn Fein to sit at the back of the bus

At one level the establishment of a new administration in the North of Ireland can be presented as a sign of strength.

In the face of three parties crossing over to opposition the Democratic Unionist party and Sinn Fein have acted decisively, appointing an independent unionist as Justice Minister and compensating Sinn Fein for blocking this key post by awarding them key posts in finance and health.

A draft programme for government has been published. In reality it is a meaningless wish list, hoping that everyone has a long and healthy life, for example. A major element—the agreement to cut corporation tax—was not even mentioned in this woolly document. The administration plans to takes months in developing the programme as an example of new politics.  In reality they are trying to disguise the fact that the programme was written before the election in the form of the Fresh Start austerity package. The government will be dancing in the cracks in the pavement, trying to avoid responsibility for the catastrophic cuts in jobs and welfare. 

Sinn Fein have: Health, Finance, Agriculture (including environment and rural affairs) and a department for infrastructure.

The DUP have Education, Economy, Communities.

Independent unionist Claire Sugden is Justice minister.

While Sinn Fein pat themselves on the back for taking on major ministries, they seem to be unaware of the tradition of the senior partners in government steeping back from these posts in times of recession. Given that the Fresh Start austerity programme involves the loss of 20,000 public sector jobs and sharp falls in the sums available for welfare and services, Sinn Fein will live to regret stepping forward so quickly.
 
At a more fundamental level greater stability would have been afforded to the new administration if the Alliance party had returned to the Justice Ministry. They offered to do so, but their price was a cutting back on the sectarian veto on any progress represented by DUP use of a “petition of concern” mechanism. Alliance were also deeply alarmed by the disappearance of any commitment to integrated education and its replacement by a policy of “shared education” – that is, the continuation of sectarian apartheid in the school system.

The DUP and Sinn Fein rejected the Alliance proposals. This is acknowledgement that the current political settlement maintains sectarian division and that the DUP are enshrined as top dog – all claims of reform and progress are so much moonshine.

Then there is the appointment of Claire Sugden. The glaring fact is that Claire Sugden has only one  qualification for being Justice Minister – she is a Unionist. The DUP have made it abundantly clear that they will not accept a Nationalist in this position.  Sinn Fein think it all right to sit on the back of the bus as long as they get their share of sectarian favours.

The fact that the smaller parties have gone into opposition is welcomed as a sign that we are seeing the birth of “normal politics.” In fact that means that the only way that they can gain support is by attacking the carve-up that the Sinn Fein/DUP coalition has just announced, a carve-up that in the past would have been everybody’s fault as all the parties were included in the administration.

When the dust settles Sinn Fein will find itself at the forefront of imposing austerity in the North while they try to build themselves as a left party in the South. A clear view will see the DUP enthroned in government – and Sinn Fein, the subordinate element, will be making up the throne.  To keep control of their right wing and to demonstrate that unionist ascendency is alive and well the DUP must use Sinn Fein as a footstool. The fall in the  nationalist vote, the rise of lefts and independents means that the nationalist working class base has begun to notice. 

Following the latest exercise in sectarianism and corruption, the political climate could quickly turn stormy.