THIS week saw a new leader elected for the Conservative Party in the UK. And a new prime minister for Britain. As Liz Truss takes the reigns after a very turbulent few years with her predecessor in charge, there is a lot resting on her relatively young shoulders.
She has already been likened to Margaret Thatcher in both her mannerisms and outlook. But that will send a shiver down many spines, not least of all on the northern part of this island.
She has already voiced her strong opposition to the Northern Ireland Protocol. But then she has changed her mind on Brexit, her political party (she is a former Liberal Democrat), and so seems to be quite happy to do u-turns when it suits.
There are many on this side of the Irish Sea who would have no difficulty in watching her manoeuvre a u-turn on her Protocol views. In fact, they will be hoping, for the future of stability on this island, that she does. But her appointment of staunch Brexiteer Chris Heaton-Harris to the role of Northern Ireland secretary does not augur well for hopes of long-term stability. It looks like the Protocol will be back in the news again very soon.