OK, so Peter Robinson is going to be confirmed as the new leader of the DUP on Thursday after being selected by the party's MLAs yesterday. Nothing unexpected there. I've been waiting for the day when Paisley would finally step down and I suppose what happens next should, in theory, be interesting. So why am I so bored by it?

Peter Robinson impressed me (a little) at Finance and I've always thought he came across as much more pragmatic and sensible than his former sensei. He has a reputation as a good strategist, and it's his brains that many credit with the DUP's surpassing of the Ulster Unionists as the most popular party among unionist voters (that and keeping Paisley out of the way anyway).

He's also spoken a lot about cutting down on waste and absenteeism and sickness in the civil service (demanding efficiency savings across the board at the latest budget IIRC) and boosting the private sector. As a small c conservative, this all sounds great to me, although it seems to have been painfully slow progress. Which I think is where the boredom comes from. Nothing is likely to change any time soon.

Follow up:

Robinson was also an influential negotiator in the lead up to the Saint Andrews Agreement. This agreement included the stipulation that the largest party chooses the First Minister, which would allow for a nationalist First Minister in the event of a relatively evenly split unionist vote, leading me to suspect that either he's not as canny as his reputation suggests, or he selfishly puts the interests of his own career and the fortunes of his party ahead of the general good of the unionist position. While the former would be good news for a less fundamental party in pole position, neither is particularly reassuring while the DUP is responsible for acting as a check on Sinn Fein.

That said, the only change that's likely to happen in the immediate future is an end to the cringe-worthy Chuckle Brothers routine atop the hill. Robbo's way too smart to keep that up after the very public stick Paisley got for it. Ah well, small mercies, eh?