Stormont: Is Monday moving day for the DUP?

Sir Jeffrey Donaldson would like to see the end of the Irish Sea border

In golf, there is a term called moving day, when players take risks to try and charge up the leader board.

It comes on the day before the final round, so players can position themselves to get over the finishing line first.

Monday feels like moving day for the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP).

It is a day of high risk for Sir Jeffrey Donaldson, as he places his deal on the table.

After months of negotiation, he is expected to reveal all to his MLAs and party executive.

But Monday will not be the final round - that will come later.

The meetings are about positioning the DUP to get over the finishing line when the moment arrives.

A further price to be paid?

By close of play on Monday, Sir Jeffrey will hope to have the full endorsement of his party and he may then turn the focus on London and Brussels.

Don't be surprised if there is a further price to be paid to get his party back into power sharing.

That may involve some upfront delivery of whatever has been promised in a deal.

That could see the government tabling legislation at Westminster which has been promised in the deal.

• Details of deal offered to DUP beginning to emerge

• Stakes high for DUP leader ahead of crunch meeting

Trust between the DUP and the government has eroded to the point where the party can no longer accept pledges from Downing Street.

With a party endorsement in his pocket, expect Sir Jeffrey to ramp up the pressure this week.

He will likely demand action from London and Brussels before the current legal window for Stormont to be restored closes on 8 February.

In a sense, using the government's deadline to put it under pressure.

Northern Ireland's devolved government has not sat since it collapsed in February 2022

But moving day for the DUP leader is also full of hazard.

A paper published by his opponents seeks to dismantle any deal before it is published.

Those behind it - Jim Allister, Kate Hoey, Ben Habib and Jamie Bryson - feel they know enough of the package to strip it apart.

They can't afford to wait for the deal to be published if they are to influence DUP executive members.

They've called on them to put the constitution before "party loyalty".

It feels like a last throw of the dice to block the DUP's path back to power-sharing.

If it works, Sir Jeffrey's leadership will hang in the balance.

If it fails, the DUP leader will feel turbocharged and will face down his critics both internally and externally with more fire.

DUP officers are not due to meet on Monday, but that may come when and if the government responds to any fresh demands.

That could be the final move when it comes.