Debate contribution: Election of Speaker and Deputy Speakers
Debate contribution by Mr Gary Middleton on .
- MLA
- Mr Gary Middleton
- Party at the time
- Democratic Unionist Party
- Date
- 30 May 2022
- Type
- Debate contribution
- Business
- Assembly Business
- Heading
- Election of Speaker and Deputy Speakers
- Assembly identifier
- Official Report component 4177798
Read the official Assembly record
Text
Thank you, Mr Acting Speaker. The recall of the Assembly is nothing more than a distraction from the real issue and problem that is preventing these institutions from functioning, our communities moving forward and progress being made in Northern Ireland; that is the Northern Ireland protocol. Rather than trying to work towards solutions and to get a resolution, this is another attempt to ride roughshod over the concerns of the unionist community. We have seen attempt after attempt by Sinn Féin, joined by its useful helpers in Alliance and the SDLP, to sneer at, look down on and try to laugh off the genuine concerns of the unionist community. Northern Ireland power-sharing works on the basis of parties working together. It works on the basis of consensus. It works on the basis of parties coming together and trying to move forward. Since the inception of the Northern Ireland protocol, not one unionist MLA or MP has supported it. Despite that fact —
No, I will not. Despite that fact, Sinn Féin has not done one single thing in the spirit of respect, and we see nothing but disrespect from the Members opposite. Not one time have they attempted, in the interests of respect, to deal with the concerns or the problem. In fact, when the DUP tried to bring the issue of the protocol to the Executive, when it was functioning, it was vetoed by Michelle O'Neill. It was vetoed from even getting on the agenda by Michelle O'Neill. That is the type of respect from the Members opposite that we are dealing with. At the election, the DUP received a mandate to deal with the protocol and to ensure that we remove the Irish Sea border. I want to make the message very clear today — my colleagues have already done so — that we are resolute in holding to those commitments. The unionist community stands together. If you have not noticed it, please wake up and see that the unionist community is resolute about dealing with the Northern Ireland protocol, restoring fairness to these institutions and ensuring that we have fair access to the UK internal market. Over the past two weeks, we have seen some progress being made by the UK Government, despite the shameful delegation from the United States, which came into Northern Ireland on a supposedly diplomatic visit and has left a damaging and disgraceful message to our community. Basically, it came here and sided with the republican agenda, and that is completely and utterly unacceptable. Of course, we have Declan Kearney coming out to say that the concerns are a myth; we have Mr O'Toole saying that he does not understand it; and we have Mr Tennyson saying that it is beyond him. I urge the parties opposite to please get to grips with the unionist electorate. They should understand that we will not be pushed to the side or ignored. If Sinn Féin and other parties in the Chamber are serious about making devolution and these institutions work, they should look back to 2019 and the mistake that they made to move forward with a Northern Ireland protocol without the support of the unionist community. That was a mistake then, and it is a mistake now. I urge them to commit to making Northern Ireland work within the United Kingdom. This party is resolute on that, and it will not change its position.
570 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.
Assessment
Uncertain: close call Constitutional question, Brexit, the Windsor Framework and sovereignty
Uncertain: this record is excluded from all totals until a person reviews it.
- Overall probability that the activity is being used to promote, exploit or escalate an identity-based controversy: 0.69 (qualifying needs at least 0.70; at or below 0.30 is not qualifying).
- Criteria met: Identity framing (0.86).
- The text adopts the identity-based framing in its own voice (0.73).
- Subject area: Constitutional question, Brexit, the Windsor Framework and sovereignty.
- The answers did not meet either automatic threshold.
This is an AI-generated assessment of the text, made against published criteria. It is not a finding of fact about the MLA or their intentions. The Assembly record itself is the fact.
Jev’s structured answers
| Question | Probability | Met? |
|---|---|---|
| Identity framing | 0.86 | Yes |
| Sectarian or communal antagonism | 0.23 | No |
| Cultural grievance politics | 0.05 | No |
| Dog-whistle messaging | 0.47 | No |
| Controversy escalation | 0.34 | No |
| Legitimate policy scrutiny | 0.25 | No |
| Overall judgement | 0.69 | Between thresholds |
| Option | Probability |
|---|---|
| No identity-based framing | 0.27 |
| Reports or questions it | 0.00 |
| Criticises or condemns it | 0.00 |
| Adopts it (chosen) | 0.73 |
| Subject | Probability |
|---|---|
| Constitutional question, Brexit, the Windsor Framework and sovereignty | 0.79 |
| Sectarianism, hate crime and community relations | 0.18 |
| Another identity-related subject | 0.02 |
| No identity-related subject | 0.01 |
| Flags, emblems, symbols, names and memorials | 0.00 |
Assessed 21 October 2026 at 09:32 UTC by jev-1.13.0 (requested as typesafe/jev) under rubric 2026.10-r9, methodology 1.9.
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Classifications can be challenged. A person reviews every challenge, and any change is recorded publicly above with its reason.