The DUP are boycotting Stormont because of their opposition to the Protocol which was actually agreed to by the UK government, Parliament, and people as part of Boris Johnson's fantastic oven ready deal.

Only Westminster has the power to re-negotiate the Protocol with the EU, so should the DUP not be boycotting Westminster instead?  Why hold the people of N. Ireland hostage over a Protocol to a Treaty they had no hand, act or part in devising or agreeing?

The cynic might suggest the DUP's real motivation is trying to avoid having to serve with a Sinn Fein First Minister.

Their failure to do so also gives cover to the UK government's claim that their N. Ireland Protocol Bill is necessary to protect the peace process, when in reality it is little more than a ransom payment to reward those who have kidnapped the peace process.

The truth is the hostage is now dead. Brexit has killed the peace process and loyalists are mobilising to protect the union with Britain against an emerging majority for re-unification, as shown in the recent LucidTalk poll.

The internal devolved solution to providing democratic legitimacy to N. Ireland has failed and we are back to the bad old days of armed resistance.

The Loyalist Communities Council (LCC) which has representatives from the UVF, UDA and Red Hand Commandos has told Dublin Ministers they are no longer welcome in the North and has been associated with recent riots, bus burnings and a bomb threat against Simon Coveney.

Recent Tory governments have a lot to answer for.