AT the time of writing, it’s not clear whether Carla Lockhart’s resignation from the DUP will drive the party to pull Emma Little-Pengelly from the Executive or whether there’ll be a final effort to agree a budget before pulling her out.

It’s difficult to see why Sinn Féin would agree a budget in those circumstances, but in any case the Executive’s days are numbered.

It seemed after 2007 that there was a chance of political accommodation with Paisley and McGuinness in charge, but you’ll remember there were about a dozen DUP members who never accepted sharing power with Sinn Féin. They signed a protest letter to Paisley.

The difference between Paisley and weak Gavin Robinson is that one gulder from Paisley and the dirty dozen scattered. However, they got him a year later.

Noel Doran: The dark road of the Orange Order from Longstone to Drumcree

Brian Feeney: Don’t fear the end of Stormont. Fear more of the same

Peter Robinson’s attempt to accommodate partnership (including serious speeches about it to his own party) was scuppered in 2011 when he couldn’t fulfil his deal with Martin McGuinness about the Maze. Since then it’s been downhill all the way.

© The Irish News