DUP conference: Dose of reality given by Donaldson

Sir Jeffrey Donaldson says his party will be ready if an early election is called

After a week of apologises and bullish predictions of a deal on the Northern Ireland Protocol, we got a dose of DUP reality on Saturday.

No return to power sharing until its protocol demands are met was the blunt message from the leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson at the party conference.

And it was directed at Prime Minister Liz Truss.

Either she delivers through negotiation or legislation or there will be "no basis" for the party to re-enter Stormont.

The protocol effectively keeps Northern Ireland in the EU's single market for goods thus avoiding a hard border on the island of Ireland.

But checks on goods arriving from Great Britain are causing concern among unionists.

The party withdrew Paul Givan as first minister in February in protest over the protocol, triggering the collapse of power sharing.

When she was foreign secretary, Ms Truss introduced legislation to Parliament that sought to give UK ministers powers to unilaterally scrap large parts of the deal.

It passed the House of Commons in July and is expected to go to through scrutiny in the House of Lords in the coming weeks.

Last month when she became prime minister, Ms Truss reiterated that she wants to reach a negotiated outcome with the EU that would avoid use of the protocol bill's powers.

No softening of DUP stance

Chris Heaton-Harris, her appointment as Northern Ireland secretary, has said he is committed to calling an early election for the Stormont assembly if power-sharing is not restored by the end of this month

And on the prospect of an early poll, bring it on was the DUP leader's response.

"We are ready and we will take our case to the people as the lead party of unionism," he said.

"We will campaign as never before to secure a further fresh mandate from the people."

Against the backdrop of a new London Brussels love-in, there was no softening of the DUP's position.

• 'Mood music' changed in protocol talks - Coveney

• Steve Baker sorry to Ireland over Brexit talks

• Irish PM welcomes MP's apology over Brexit talks

But the real test for the party will come if the UK and EU hatch a deal over the protocol.

Two questions will come into play at that point.

Will London sign up to a deal without the DUPs backing and risk deepening the crisis at Stormont?

Or will the DUP be forced to accept a protocol fix which falls short of its seven tests?