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I imagine that it's what TUV voters, for example, really want, but do they recognise it? Or is it just magical thinking?
The contorsions of the DUP are illuminating in that respect : they have realised that they can't be a party of government and actively promote the Troubles. It is rightly acknowledged that people of faith have no monopoly of virtue - Queen Elizabeth II
They never supported the Good Friday Agreement which basically ended the Troubles by offering joint government and an open boarder within Ireland, which, with "an ever closer union" within the EU, would have gradually eroded the distinction between Irishness and Britishness within a common European identity. They regard all accommodation of nationalists as compromising their "Britishness" and appeasing terrorists.
Perhaps their definition of Britishness encompasses the right to subjugate all others. They never imagined that Ireland, backed up by the EU and USA, would have the balls and the capability to stop this from happening, and now they have to accept the fact that their gambit backfired spectacularly and it was the British link that was weakened.
The DUP don't really see themselves as a party of government for Northern Ireland, hence their rejection of the 56% - 44% vote to Remain in the EU. Their idea of government is entirely to maintain the interests of their own loyalist community.
But now they have to contend with a new reality that (a), unionist parties no longer command a majority in the N. I. and the assembly, and (b) a majority of their own voters care less about the Protocol than they care about the political stability and economic progress of N.I.
Normal politics is in danger of breaking out. The same Polls which show declining support for political unionism still show a large majority in favour of the union with Britain. It's just that many ordinary unionists are embarrassed by their own parties due to their antediluvian social policies and counter productive economic policies.
Hence the rise of the Alliance Party. Index of Frank's Diaries
Honest version... "The UK government continues to wish to break the Northern Ireland protocol but fear the trade and diplomatic consequences, so still hold out hope that the EU will suddenly see reason i.e. our view, and change completely. Otherwise we have no idea what to do" https://t.co/WMp3b11COZ— David Henig (@DavidHenigUK) December 3, 2021
Honest version... "The UK government continues to wish to break the Northern Ireland protocol but fear the trade and diplomatic consequences, so still hold out hope that the EU will suddenly see reason i.e. our view, and change completely. Otherwise we have no idea what to do" https://t.co/WMp3b11COZ
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