Political train wreck or genuine Ulster fudge?
Mark Devenport succinctly pulls together the apparently irreconcilable ends of our Gordian Knot. Peter Robinson: “It does not matter what timetable is in existence because, when it comes to an end, the question for us will be exactly the same – have our criteria been met? “If they have not, we will not go into government, no matter what the timetable might dictate.” Gerry Adams: “…there is no point in the governments withdrawing proposals [shadow Assembly] a month ago and then repackaging the same proposals and trying to represent them as something else.” Devenport notes wryly, ‘it could be a political train wreck’. Or it could be a nice little fudge, with much fuss at the beginning, and a lot more at the end of an initial trial period. Anyone for council elections in 2008?
The governments appear to want to ‘test to destruction’ the current arrangements.. they may well get that.. destruction of the current arrangements.
As I mentioned in the comments on an earlier thread.. it’s still a game of political chicken, Mick.. with Hain eagerly jumping into one of the extra seats – perhaps there is something in the rumours of his hankering after the Deputy Prime Minister position.. perhaps he’s thinking he could go even higher than that?..
ANYway.. the hope appears to be that the ‘avoid the blame’ imperative will dominate the parties’ decisions.
And as I said before.. hope and history once again.
The governments need to lower the bar on what constitutes an inclusive executive, and have a plan B. Having nationalist and unionist centre parties as half the government and appointing commissioners for the other half for a time should teach the DUP and Shinner absolutists that they are not indispensible. The governments are accountable to the people in implementing the agreement as best they can, not to political parties whose obstructivism is rewarded electorally by deepened division.
How often does one need to point it out? Both republican parties are ready and willing to take their places in an inclusive Executive. It’s the unionists who took their ball and ran away, with HM’s Government giving them political cover.