The decision by Arlene Foster and the rest of the DUP to refuse to attend any of the events involving the Pope in Southern Ireland over the last few days leaves them isolated when it comes to the rest of the Protestant based politicians in Northern Ireland. By contrast to her refusal to drive across a barrier free border to attend a State based event involving the International leader of the Catholic Church, was her willingness to travel across the sea to attend a meeting of the Grand Orange Lodge of Scotland on 30th June. Her decision displays a complete lack of understanding of how these two events, just over 8 weeks apart will be interpreted by the residents of Northern Ireland, or perhaps she is intending to be provocative. At the time when the visit to Scotland was being planned a DUP spokesman said Ms Foster would use the event to say that the UK needed to build a “shared society” where “people feel at home and where they feel comfortable living and working regardless of their background”. The spokesman said she would also stress that “there is no place in 2018 for sectarianism or prejudice against any section of our community – that includes the Orange Order”. However her unwillingness to meet the religious leader of 40% of the population of Northern Ireland, let alone some 1.2 Billion people across the earth shows that her own prejudice and sectarianism is clear and uncomplicated.

At a time when the UK’s departure from the EU is putting the Good Friday agreement at risk, this behaviour will heighten the tension and make matters worse, not better.