Newton Emerson: Unionists have begun to think of themselves as a minority (opens original article in a new tab)

Unionist parties in Northern Ireland blocked a proposal to raise the minimum age of criminal responsibility using a cross-community veto, marking a shift in their political strategy and highlighting divisions between unionists and nationalists.

• Unionist parties blocked a proposal to raise the minimum age of criminal responsibility in Northern Ireland via a cross-community veto mechanism.
• The petition of concern was used for the first time by all three unionist parties to block a social policy issue, marking a shift in their political strategy.
• The event highlights growing divisions and potential ideological differences between unionists and nationalists in Northern Ireland.