The North may be facing a winter of discontent after Christmas. Health service workers are seeking parity with Britain. This will be another tarnishing of the shine on the Executive. People were definitely relieved when the Executive and Assembly were restored earlier this year. Thus they accepted what many would have thought unacceptable. Michelle O’Neill has visited the Shankill twice. Not a pane of glass was broken. She attended the Remembrance Sunday ceremony in Belfast. Yes, there were mutterings of discontent. There was no revolt. A few years ago even most of the SDLP would have found O’Neill’s actions had gone too far. Then we have had Emma Little Pengelly of the DUP playing camogie. More, we have had DUP traditionalist Paul Givan speaking a few words in Irish and doing Irish dancing. The sky did not fall on either. But we should not get too caught up by the hype about the political problems being solved. The problems aren’t solved. The two big parties are pulling in opposite directions. Neither though, has an alternative. Thus they are a pair of Siamese twins who can’t stand one another.
