in the house of commons, his party leader jesse donaldson, m p, is likely to stand for the assembly. but well, this proven what greater do. likewise. he is in conversation with alex shannon and people strength and welcome back to the alex. ivan show a great place to be by going and with master we chops for the way, but we'll catch up again just well, it did. come explain it with poll, given the nice fuss, resigns, and protest. no nice protocol, but the assembly, the parliament installment keeps on what came and heard the phone or what could that catch on at westminster assembly with no government? i think we also look at a process where we are alex and i think we are where we are because all governments reluctance or difficulties are they to do something and ration to the north protocol. so we felt we feel us and,

and the discussions of habit and my constituency, some of those presence told us that the northern protocol is not working. union has contacts my constituents every day, contact me about this as well. so we felt we were at a point where we had to do something, so we did what we did. what does it do? we try to put pressure on the new government, westminster, to take an initiative, for instance, to initiate article 16 to ensure that the discussions between the u. k. government on the e are much more constructive and positive, which we do not feel that they are at those mean at the north nor assembly. an executive cannot make because the 1st minister zane assault of the minister is any ne, deputy minister automatically resigns as well. but it does mean that they ministers in there and they assembly and all their departments can continue with the legislative work that's on the papers. when i catch on it at westminster,

on thank very much, i know it and it's not the right way to govern. but it is a methodology that we have in place to try and address a bi health plan. okay. construct an ordinary protocol as well. you might suggest it to the prime minister of gym shot and i had no, i know, i know you might very well do that. but i was interested in when i asked you about the protocol, you go immediately to practicality because you, i strong reputation as a pragmatic politician, you talk about the economy and what your businesses are saying to you. but we've had evidence the official statistics from the when, as showing that the norm irish, the company from a from cove, it has been quicker than any other part of the united kingdom. it must be many, many years since northern ireland could be said to be out performing every other part of the u. k. so how to cite squared off if your businesses of telling you the

protocols a disaster. but the statistics are saying, look, with nice economy relative to the rest of the company is doing well. how does that come together? i think we have seen a bit of a spring and a response to the cope with making a break. but there are and you're right only sending i, i'm a practical person, i get it with me in seconds regularly. and so up i'm making a percent of my businesses, tell me that that protocol not, not protocol is preventing them from treating to the way that they would apply badges and i can check it in their own able to check with, with the and, and it can in the cause of maybe rocker shape the cause of the additional cost so so i would suggest that maybe i recovery in north america would have been more spec, tighter and even more positive. if we didn't have the non political red pepper bread pip, garago said on tarzan, please, couldn't you persuade using your influence and pressure and the european union to

get rid of some of these are probably necessarily a elements of bureaucracy if you are pending the whole protocol itself, isn't it possible to, to limit, don't to make it more practical for your business. i wish it wasn't like, i wish it was as simple as i've been. and i mean, not for anybody all the same respectably as well, because it made me f. there's issues and company chains and sort of let's do what we find unfortunately, right through this whole process that the unfortunately was the support of the republic of our government as well seem reluctant, they find a methodology of all the coming, solving the problems, but instead they they seem to wish to chastise in a kingdom for, for breakfast, and part even the you. so where are they, where the, the, the one in the middle and where the one of the key and all the time. so whenever there is practical solutions in place, the you refuse to do, i mean less trust lot for us before the bar shelton, the prime minister,

each and every one of them of tried to find solutions. i swung by solutions of a solution. besides that, my life is always upright. solutions is none of the difficulties of the half dos full around the whole college. but we have not find the willingness within the a you to at this moment a difficulty the snow, german with crisis in europe, the cost of living crisis, one your constituents, the downing state crisis, which you've spoken about so eloquently in the, in the house of commons the northern irish crisis, the crisis of politics, the resignation of the 1st minister is not getting enough bandwidth because of so many other things. cutting out the agenda. it's not really the best timing to focus attention on the problems we did give government on b, e from september, october of last to give them almost years to try and sort this model. right, right. we give the, the government and north cross and, and it's as far as the hardware, those we give them

a time scale as well. so we've been very patient. so when we come to a stage where they, they, the lines massage, where they, where the lane and the road and so to speak on, we one government, we want to make sure that a nasa was action on movement between the a, you and the u. k. then as far as me were concerned, and normal protocols would lead to potentially to difficulties not tobar rock. we didn't set the time skills, we didn't show that. we've been careful and i did it and were tied to the government to come along and support us. they haven't done not yet, we're hoping they will cross that lesson on discussions with them and they will lead to constructive discussions and trying to find a solution. this question of the protocol, in your opinion, be the dominating issue of the elections all. are you hoping to see a settlement before these elections?

i'm talking about them as i'd love to see a shipment before the elections, one of the comma dominant part of the election. so i think certainly is and mean the pools today alex, which had just been released here and the paper this morning, show a raise for support for the be you'd pay on a decrease for the support option for you know, you less than 4 percent between the 2 parties, i wouldn't take very much more an election company and they give us a party where they shouldn't be in and hopefully overtake them in the pool. so i figure and i agree with the party later, jeffrey told. and that's focus on the north political replicates illustrates clarity, the opinion of the union of population. let me come to where i begun. listen, do you mean as a politician you're, you're normally a close to say to associate markers on trade unions and you're in the ground both businesses and, and all nyland. but you're also

a democratic union. the opposition to the protocol, a matter of political principle, more than economic necessity. i'm interested in this point because your politics of always been shaped by what's best for your constituents. well, i think it's best for my constituents if we don't have an order protocol. there's also been tell me, doesn't help us. we can normally, if there isn't north political, it certainly doesn't have to be murdered. examples of not that we're seconds of contact me and listen to these issues. so why i think the 2 are trained knowledge. i really, i don't think we're going to force them. it's not a, it's a point of principle and we feel it is no political gifts. they are stylish with them. the number best and north 9th and makes us less, less a part of us not constitutionally waste. a wasn't going to be that person. he was gonna say it off. unfortunate. he's no longer there,

but we want to be we often pass not to trust those trust and my discussions in prison. i hard with her about a month ago when i am sure. but the european court of justice, the officer, but the nor sites movements and east west movements. again this process all the way things, but we want the transfer of these words and the action. so that's where we are. and we're doing every county for st government to support us, but, and want jim shannon, after all, youth experienced in terms of commitments, an undertaking soon bought us johnson and other west from us to lead us. do you really trust her? what you are being told and walks, i would like to believe, alexa, every word that people, politician, tory, ever tell me what all we usually t that can happen. we often see not action yet. we often see not the luxury yet. we don't want the words alex, we want the action and never government delivers the action which may happen until

like, man. then we can also say that, well, the worship get missed our tree. we, we stand tail with for love to happen. not there yet. action as always, that own words, it's good to hear the words, but actions much better. tim shalon, thank you so much for joining me once again on the alex allen, show my pleasure only. thank you and god bless and keep safe for kate will do. jim joining us after the break when alex alex is for my social democratic and labor party leader, allister mcdonald, to find out where the national community spends with unionism in crisis over as british economic lakes with the bay. ah, this is

my son. i who live? oh, it's a daughter, a wall with a couldn't walk over to one id my calendar. i'm all chill, optical don't know . 1 it's been 30 years since the soviet union collapsed. um miss gotta go to chill them on to what the fuck. so shown

where your trust on one coil or tom ukraine was one of the independent states that emerged from the ruins of a super bowl or somebody who you also get on greens. come a little more michelle, a and finish a watch at the past 3 decades. when likely ukraine, eye witnesses recall the events. this will be more or less of judiciary, both in a deficiency of chipotle. what are you familiar with that order? i'm not sure, but i've been at that for months with marvin windows and what other forces were at play? producers whom you show in ship machine, those them you robin the kid. what is i'm with when is this the shows ocean was, was over enrolled me. take a look at you 30 years after gaining independence dog

with us for dinner unless you mean. yeah. with unity retorted, we're a little no problem. welcome back. at the end of last year, the financial team supported or an estate a suggesting the northern ireland academy had a student unusual position of performing the rest of the key. this suggests that the vehement opposition to the protocol from the d p. maybe based on political principle rather than economic reality. alex pits the question to form a s t o p leader, alistair mcdonald. ausa mcdonna. welcome back to the alley simons. you. thank you for having me. delighted to be with you today. i was still, you have been for a range of political crises,

sasan island for the years. i would you assess this one is just basically about the elections coming up is about democratic eunice politics, or do they have a genuine grievance about what seems to be the uk some regulations of the protocol? well, i think it's a bit of everything. yes, it's about elections coming up and people are bracing themselves on the b u. p. we're in a very weak position because they devoured each other and they're still very split internally. the dilemma for all of us is that basically the arrangement, the protocol arrangement that has been made between the you are the u. k. a gives northern ireland the best of both worlds. and us aligned the north america economy to get the best of both worlds. and deb our trade frances, what the irish republic has double or trebled is. and since that opened up but equally we still have a good access to the u. k. markets. so we have both with accessible to you and you

came arkansas and it's doing pretty well in our economy is doing very well. so you would basically agree with paul monahan, for example, the chief executive of the chamber of commerce. not allowed who, who says exactly that we're doing well, we've got preferential access to the u cable, the total access to the e u. that's why the nor nice economy is a land of opportunity. and yet, individual businesses quoted by jim shannon, for example, say look at, you know, we're finding, you know, we've got to felon 20 forms to, to, to export era or stuff to our own country. he can see the point of view. there is, nope, no doubt that there are issues there and on basically that in order to maintain the bipartisan, if you'd like, or the double benefits, there will be some losers. but though those losers are those people that have extra

burdens of paperwork and all the rest are in a very small minority. and the i talked to tells me that there are benefits and great benefits on rid opportunities and the difficulties can be and will be ironed out of those with the difficulties. basically are prepared to work on them and discuss them. so, you know, at where there's a, well, there's a way, the problem is this, that there has been a major effort by the democratic unionist party to turn the various difficulties that can be solved and to issues that can't be solved on, into political issues and, and make them a call slap. and paul given resigned a week or so ago they, there was hardly a huge. i mean, when i resigned this fuss minister scone, it was a major story. when collin jones resigned his 1st minister whales. it was a significant story when to lease a me resigned this prime minister. that was

a huge story. but paul, given us a fuss minister resigned and i with the long island the wasn't really that much of a, a splash of publicity about is that because of so many other issues going on or is a collective shrunk of the shoulders and saying, well, i'll be all right after the elections will edition collect of sugar the shoulders because the various levels of incompetence m storm and at the moment how glad the public to become disillusioned and disconnected the public have no great aspirations or no great hopes for storms on the reason for that is, that you know, the b, u, p. wonderful. a don't. and shouldn't be in there. they have their own agenda going off in the opposite direction on the various interest that are they are the consensus people in the middle are relatively important. and it's,

it's sad purchasing nothing to be quite frank. that's not being any by us, not creating any change that's not meeting people's hopes. so people have given up hope. and, you know, whether paul given us foreign minister or foreign minister, really. not only does it not affect people and the wider world, it doesn't affect people in northern ireland all that much. it was a dump squib, and people saw it for what it was political maneuvering. you've been a long time advocate and worked for a rock crush long between the constitutional nationalism and modeling unionism in an island. are there any hopes from that center grown breakthrough in the coming elections for will? do you pay attention? fame? get the, the drumbeats of the election campaigns dominating all while they will get the drum beats. i have no doubt, but a lot of people, a lot my friends that might be of

a different political langler done. other words, unionists are great hopes at the moment for the bt and the also a unionist party making a recovery. you know, i see the dog is gone out of his way to move the also unionist party into 21st century. agenda. okay, is some delicate shop and dine, but he is spectacularly recruited a significant number of people who were if you like from the same gene pool, but we're not formally members of the else a unionist party. and that there's a certain amount of momentum are and they also unionist party. now, whether that's produced as a result or common election, i'm not sure, but i would expect that it would. oh, and your position as a constitutional nationalist is your attitude to snowden. you and your colleagues

look at a things of moving our way. there's no bond on an island, the file and the, the moving trade between the, the, the, so from the north, that is one of the ingredients of this. a rather rosy economic position relative to everyone else at the present moment. a. so live based on what we've got to do is no upset, the apple cup sit tight and wait for his thin economics. the tatum of course, is that your position or do you think of something else that needs to be done? well, there's an element of doc there, but that's a passive position. and if we're going to make progress on the 21st century on this island, we have to do it proactively. there has to be a proactive engagement and there has to be an accommodation for everybody. and the difficulty we have always had from a national perspective, is that a unionism, some quite often lifts the ball and ticks it off the pinch and refuses to work with us on, on any sort of a level pitch. and that's, that's where the b,

u. p. are doing at the moment, i want to see a progress in terms of a new ireland and agreed ireland. but i also want got ireland to be a warm home for those who have traditionally been unionist. and i think that's the big challenge facing us is how to accommodate unionism, particularly the unionism of the u. p. while they themselves refuse to cooperate every concession in the republic and the present moment, the relatively new t shirt. instead, latitude conducive to this realignment you're calling for them. and northern ireland is more that could be done from the south to assist in accommodation in the north, where the site is very helpful. and the department of foreign affairs in dublin is,

is very, very popular punches way above the weight on the international stage. and they are very, very sensitive to the north and they attempt to work in the north and in various ways that can be constructed. and they're desperately trying to be helpful. what's appearing to annoy union as amman, julie, the reality is that the irish government is slowly and steadily doing the decent thing and moving, moving us steadily towards a new fashion in ireland. a new agreed ireland. i'm not quite sure how that will work out. there's a lot of debate, a lot of discussion to be hard, but i think they risk government are doing as much as they can. no unionism would say, unionism would accuse the irish government have not been engaged enough for not doing this or not. but you know, please things are on a spectrum,

a continuous spectrum. and he can demand more engagement today and then deny and not one that can gauge meant tomorrow and has to be consistent. and i honestly think that there's an of substantial degree of consistency coming in from their risk government. and how about the british government from a democrat to union this perspective, they would have the plenty of reason in the recent past not to trust. but as johnson are they going to put the trust once again in the u. k. government to get the most of the effects, the d, u. b unionism generally, and the b u p in particular throw themselves at the front of the british prime minister and embarrassed us throw them on the bus a couple of times already. and we'll do so again, you know, bar assign a bar us and we know how unprincipled is we basically, and he's out for himself and the union officer and chris thought

he would play them along when a suit someone's needs them that i think the problem, i have is that, that the d u p in particular are trying to cling to a version of the british empire that exists at a 100 years ago, 19 and 20 or even before it got there is tempting to recreate that or not can be recreated the word just moved on and that's the difficulty we hear that. a lot of these people are refusing to recognize the 21st century. and the koreans problems far as the long term because until they wake up and smell the coffee at the 21st century, we're all at a loss. we're all at a stagnant stage. this will tell us what would be a greatest fear phenomenon i would looking forward to the elections and man and also what would be a greatest hope for fun looking forward. well i,

i feel my greatest hope is that we get ourselves together. and we make northern ireland work on we saw the bread and butter issues. and when we have a prosperous functional community, then we can talk about what degree we are part of the u. k. what degree we are part of a new ireland and all of that thing, but a dysfunctional economic basket case is no good to know nobody and nobody will want us. so, you know, the hopes are that things will move forward constructively, unsteadily and slowly. we've come a long way since the good friday agreement night, be it, it's a lot slower than i would like. but i would like to think that would begin to gather speed. and the people that we have elected to the assembly would find ways and means of working together. cross community lines,

you can't make peace. there's no point in making peace with your friends. you have to make peace with your opponents with your enemies politically under. that's the big challenge and i think in the early news post good friday agreement and the early needs of the north american assembly in their lead nazis, even though there was a lot of turbulence, there was a lot of cross party communication and dialogue which allied things to happen on the economic front on the house front. and dad, dad seems to be missing at the moment and a stop the we have to get that back. i will swing donal, thank you so much for joining me once again. the malik salmon show. thank you, alec. wonderful to be with you. keep up the good work. the president of northern islands chamber of commerce said on the 21st of november last year. 70 percent of our members believe that northern islands, unique status presents opportunities for the region. this is because,

unlike that rest of the u. k. businesses, those in northern ireland still have unrestricted access to the e use. huge single mike. it forgets then can the official statistics shown the relative performance of the northern ireland academy last year as the best and living memory. this suggests that the vm and opposition to the protocol with place as an administrative board and i do see is based on the unionist principle rather than economic experience. although it should be said that jim shannon points to powerful individual examples of rampant bureaucracy. how do you say the agreement just over a year ago, the u. k. government no seem intent on evoking it for the european union and the usa have thus far made it clear that without the protocol, there is no rex it deal. and so both the union is community, northern ireland and the conservative and unionist party across britain have

a choice to make whether economic realities should override political objectives, or whether the essential unity of the united kingdom is really worth economic council for now from alex myself and all of us that the ship. good bye stacy, and hope to see you all again next week. ah ah . ah, these people learn from their own experience. how vulnerable of business is to the bank. so he pushed my business over, the age, pushes me right to the edge,

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year. a russia says it has no intention of inviting ukraine, and i wouldn't security response to the u. s. a military advisors out of ukraine and, and joined with moscow. well, power shifting, blind grains, internal conflict on to russia. and the canadian prime minister is branded dictated by opposition lawmakers as hearing mouth over the use of emergency powers. i just think truck is a prime minister. this is canada a lot from oscar just.