General election 2019: Northern Ireland’s political landscape is shifting as DUP hints at working with Labour if Jeremy Corbyn is removed The more emollient tones emanating from the DUP are part of a wholesale shifting in the political sands in Northern Ireland

The Democratic Unionist Party has opened the door to working with Labour in the event of a hung parliament on the condition that Jeremy Corbyn is not leader.

The DUP’s chief whip Sir Jeffrey Donaldson ruled out working with a Labour administration led by Mr Corbyn, branding such a scenario as “disastrous” for the UK.

But he hinted that the unionist party could “do business” with Labour in the event of an indecisive election result should the Labour leader step aside.

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“It would depend on what their platform was, we’d have to look at that very carefully,” he said.

See the deal

Sir Jeffrey also refused to rule out considering a second referendum along the lines proposed by Labour, which would feature a leave and a remain option on the ballot.

“Well, we’d need to see what the deal was, of course,” he replied.

His comments come just a day after DUP leader Arlene Foster made similar noises if there is a hung parliament come 13 December.

On Monday, Ms Foster ruled out working with Mr Corbyn, describing him as “an anathema to anyone who believes in the United Kingdom”.

But she added: “If it comes to be the case that someone else is leading the Labour Party, then we will judge it against not only our 12-point plan but whether it’s good for Northern Ireland to be in communication with whoever’s leading the Labour Party at that time.”

The more emollient tones emanating from the DUP are part of a wholesale shifting in the political sands in Northern Ireland.

The unionists are beginning to confront the previously unthinkable and entering into potential pacts with Labour due to concerns about the alternative in the shape of a Boris Johnson government and the Brexit deal that would entail.

Unifying impact

The Prime Minister has had the miraculous effect of uniting each of the main political parties in Northern Ireland in opposition to his Brexit deal.

Unionists fear the Conservatives’ proposals could create a border in the Irish Sea, irrevocably changing the way Northern Ireland is treated compared with the rest of the UK. While opposition parties are concerned about leaving the EU altogether and believe Mr Johnson’s deal will hit Northern Ireland’s already struggling economy.

As such, the divide between unionists and nationalists has become entrenched, but now along the lines of Brexit. The DUP, as has occurred in previous years, has agreed to a pact with the Ulster Unionists, but what was not expected was an alliance between Sinn Fein and the Social Democratic and Labour Party in a pro-Remain agreement.

The decision has been viewed as a historic moment in Northern Irish politics, albeit one that still remains divided along “orange and green” lines.

But this too could be changing. A survey in June revealed for the first time that half the population in Northern Ireland describe themselves as “neither unionist or nationalist”.

The Northern Ireland Life and Times Survey on social attitudes was conducted by Ark, and showed that in 20 years the proportion of people describing themselves as neutral on the union had grown from 33 per cent to 50 per cent.

Those under the age of 45 were particularly more likely to say they were neither a unionist or nationalist.

Whether such a shift in stance on the union leads to any change in the political complexion of the region remains to be seen, however.

Neutral apathy

As Queen’s University academic Dr Cathal McManus, who jointly conducted the survey, said at the time the research was released the findings “clearly suggest that political identity is in the process of change”.

“The big question this raises, of course, centres on the political impact that this change brings about – or doesn’t as the case may be,” he added.

Dr McManus said those who do not identify as being either nationalist or unionist generally do not fall in behind any particular party.

“It seems that a political apathy may have set in within the ‘neither’ section of the population which, of course, both limits its political impact and ensures that the traditional nationalist/unionist narrative continues to define our political culture.”