After thirteen months of ‘will they, won’t they’, the DUP and Sinn Féin outdid themselves this week – treating the British and Irish prime ministers to front-row seats to watch the talks process implode.

Whilst the ‘big two’ argue over how close or far they came to agreement, the electorate is forced to accept that in this place the loyalty of our politicians lies with their party above all else.

Doesn’t this latest farce sum up our sorry status quo? A political landscape built upon selfish interests, cemented by the manipulation of civic groups, which lives on hypocrisy and thrives on showmanship. In current political circles, it’s okay should any scandal – take RHI, for example – be eclipsed by a spat over identity. Holding devolved government to ransom until the pettiest of victories are secured is standard practice.

When compromise eventually comes – and it will, at some point – it will arrive begrudgingly, just as it always has. If the current impasse has taught us anything it’s that whilst Sinn Féin at least seeks to portray itself as being an inclusive, open movement, the equally undemocratic DUP is not so cunning.

As much as the Irish language lobby is to be admired for its march for similar rights granted to neighbours in the Irish Republic and other corners of the UK, it’s hard not to view with cynicism the motives of Sinn Féin which has backed them to the hilt so visibly since last January. Why have the same politicians not channelled similar energy into tackling socio-economic deprivation right across our community?

In contrast to that encouragement afforded by republicans, unionism’s manipulation of its followers, instilling within them a fear of God at the prospect of anything Irish (and anything else outside its near evangelical comfort zone) has done no favours to anyone. If the DUP spent more time considering how to accommodate rather than alienate, and responded to the changing demographics and lifestyle choices of our citizens rather than Sinn Féin’s leadership agenda, they’d feel much less threatened at the prospect of doing a deal.

When DUP leader Arlene Foster last year branded Sinn Féin as ‘crocodiles’ always wanting more, she did so before agreeing the £1billion deal to keep the Conservative Party in power at Westminster. Considering this, the wagging of Theresa May’s tail in Brussels, and given the form for dodging decision-making which they share with their republican counterparts, maybe they’re not so different after all.

Next week in Belfast sees the Joseph Rowntree Foundation launch its latest monitoring report into poverty rates and trends in Northern Ireland. A week on from the talks false dawn, it could serve as another reminder of Stormont politicians’ non-performance on issues outside the safe, petty policy category. The status quo has to go.

Also published on Medium.