It’s been the year of the deadline, hasn’t it? Make that “missed deadline”. It’s rubbing off on this writer, clearly – this was supposed to have been published on Wednesday!

After ten months of political impasse, for the umpteenth time this week Secretary of State for Northern Ireland James Brokenshire warned we’re on a “glide path” to Westminster intervention – more commonly known (probably more affectionately known now) as direct rule.

How did we get here? What started off as a row over a renewable heating incentive scheme, accusations of incompetence and misconduct descended into our by now standard unionist-nationalist game of culture wars.

Are our political parties to blame? In a word, yes. A drop-in visit from former US President Bill Clinton this week to meet DUP leader Arlene Foster and Sinn Féin’s Michelle O’Neill respectively reinforces the fact that disagreement between the two is what prevents a return to devolved government here.

It also reminds us of the lack of involvement and assertiveness of external actors, whose predecessors so famously helped bring about the 1998 Good Friday Agreement: a Prime Minister ready to check in whenever, a perceived purpose-driven Secretary of State in Mo Mowlam.

Today’s PM, Theresa May’s commitment to the Union has been very public, but her involvement in Northern Ireland matters minimal. Her current schedule, and indeed the rest of her enduring tenure in that position, is taken up by the rather significant matter of extracting Britain from the European Union. But for David Cameron before her, there is little excuse.

Our SoS sure has his critics. Sinn Féin MP Barry McElduff has called him “James broken chair”. Political commentator Alex Kane has been consistent in writing we need a secretary of state who is taken seriously. Perhaps by Freudian slip, UTV’s Ken Reid recently tweeted “Brokenshite.”

So, we thought we’d share a few photos of Mr Brokenshire’s tenure as SoS, of the glide path towards direct rule – announcements of deadlines will have been made and missed throughout the duration.

DUP leader and the late Martin McGuinness.

Arlene Foster’s fireside address, during the days of the RHI scandal. Remember that?

He hasn’t gone away… Gerry Adams has been at the forefront of Sinn Féin’s negotiations with the DUP.  

Sinn Féin’s Michelle O’Neill and Arlene Foster. A sight to sum up Northern Irish politics in 2017?

And finally.. James Brokenshire on a family holiday in Northern Ireland last year. 2017 has been slightly busier…

Also published on Medium.