The answer to Fair Deal’s question this morning, is Jim Allister has gone… no indications that he’ll resign the seat… He’s a loss to the party, and by far the most senior (and most talented of their dissenters)… Interesting to see if any others follow his example.
Fair play to Iain, he managed to get over 2,200 people voting in his poll for the top Northern Irish blogs this year… We (just, I imagine) retained our top spot, with Splintered coming straight in at number 2, no doubt his pet subject du jour will have garnered him a lot of fans… I’ve [...] read our review »
This is article was first published in Fortnight magazine back in February 2003. Chris Farrington is now a Government of Ireland Postdoctoral Fellow funded by the Irish Research Council for the Humanities and Social Sciences’ in the School of Politics and International Relations, University College Dublin. Although the circumstances it describes has changed radically and [...] read our review »
And with the President of the European Commission, José Manuel Barroso, having extended an invitation for the parties to meet with him to discuss how the EU can support devolved government 1/3 of our MEPs will be on the outside looking in and not supporting the wishes of everyone else.
I wonder if Jim Nicholson will now be moving to isolate this dissenting voice that can only damage our prospects in Europe?
Though it does free Allister up to join the far-right grouping in Europe where he seems to have a natural home.
Sam Gaston (Glarryford) – a Ballymena DUP councillor has also resigned. Another Ballymena Councillor Roy Gillespie was reportedly in tears at the Council meeting last night but hasn’t yet resigned. William Wilkinson of FAIR and another Ballymena DUP Councillor was on the local radio yesterday evening criticising the party as well.
As far as I’m aware the DUP are to discipline quite a few of their Ballymena councillors sometime this week. Must be something in the water up here…
Does Jimmy Spratt get booted out of 139 Holywood Road?
I myself stood alongside Jim and his principles. I like Jim asked people to vote for DUP – I too feel that the Army Council should have been disbanded before Doc sat down with SF in any press conference.
Jim why only now tell us that there was no plan B? We went on the doors and sold this to the people and now you are telling us this was never on the table – why did you not tell us this the ordinary party members, why not raise your doubts about a plan B to us the ORDINARY DUP members who only hear about the party’s dicssions when it is announced on the news.
I feel let down by all those in the DUP exeutive if this is the case. This disapointment includes all those who should have told us what was happening within the party (MLA’s MP’s & Councillors) – after all WE are the real party – it is the party workers who do the work not the politicians. If it was not for us going on the doors and doing your dirty work you would not have got the vote you did. How can I face the people who I persuaded on the doors to vote DUP? I know that there may have been no alternative but why fed us the party workers a lie and tell us that there was a plan B.
I still believe that the Anti SAA candidates who stood along Bob did not have an alternative – after all they had no manifesto and did not have an alternative and I have no problem in not supporting them and telling others not to support them butI now have a problem – where will I cast my vote come the next election? Will the DUP hold to their manifesto and not enter government with those who are unrepentent or will they continue on the course they are on. I sadly feel that it is lights out for the principled people with in the DUP?
The resignation of Jim Allister is a blow but lets not forget that this is the second time he has quit the DUP. I don’t think it will do the DUP any long term damage, they could run anyone and retain that seat in Europe and probably still top the poll. It does remain to be seen however if this will affect their plan to run two candidates at the next euro election as they are rumoured to be planning in order to wipe out Jim Nicholson.
Allister could of course run as an independant but would he get many votes?
I wonder where this leaves Christopher Stalford, one of Jim Allisters workers? Will he also walk after failing to win a seat in the election?
I see the UUP have problems too. One of their peers, Baron Ballyedmond of Fianna Fail and the Conservatives faces criminal proceedings over his Norbrook Laboratories company.
I’m with Allister on this one he seems to be the only Dup person standing by what they campaigned for.
Is anyone else getting sick of Gavin Robinsons rants in the Newletter, surely his days are numbered.
What a shocking hypocrite – Allister should resign his MEP seat if he is leaving the party.
I don’t know if he is a loss to the party – a quitter twice over. I thought during the last election he was a bit of a fairweather friend, so this is no surprise.
I say Allister deserves a big kick in the arse on the way out the door!
I say Allister deserves a big kick in the arse on the way out the door!
Why for standing by the principles he was elected on?
At least Allister is sticking to his principles, unlike the rest of the DUP.
Jim must have believed the 7 years of rhetoric about being anti-agreement, “burying” the Agreement, “never” going into government with the Provos, etc., etc.
But it was surely obvious from 2003, once they “smashed the UUP”, that the DUP had done a U-turn on this?
What the hell has Paisley been protesting for then for over 30 years?
Why did Donaldson and co leave the UUP and join the DUP, are the all liars and power/money grabbing bastards?
The Allister interview on the beeb was funny, he was being all sanctimonious about the big man being lured by money and power and how he (Allister) would never abandon his principles and do that for money….right before he said he would resign the party but not his seat!!!
He should resign his european seat, he got that solely by running for the DUP and if he dares to argue otherwise then he shouldn’t mind a by-election should he? Bring it on Jim!
Jim Allister is a man of principle. Unfortunately, the majority of the Roman Catholic population in NI continue to vote for a bunch of sectarian murderers and criminals who have never said sorry to the families of the innocent UDR and RUC members they killed. Gerry Adams and the rest of the Sinn Fein IRA terrorist group need to start making peace instead of just talking peace. All we hear from SF IRA is about working the system to bring about change. They have blood on their hands and they refuse to humble themselves.
Jim Allister is one of the few poeple who stand by what they say, after the shouting of his fellow menbers he has stood by his word good on him and I am sure he will work hard for ever one in Northern Ireland as a MEP
who let Jim Allister on here!
Slugger editors : is there any way you could publish the IP address of posters next to each contribution ? I’ve a sneaking suspicion that several of the posts here are the same person.
PeaceandJustice :
Jim Allister is a man of principle. Unfortunately, the majority of the Roman Catholic population in NI continue to vote for a bunch of sectarian murderers and criminals who have never said sorry to the families of the innocent UDR and RUC members they killed.
If Jim Allister is a man of principle, why did he join a party that refused to discipline one of it’s most senior MPs for taking to a podium with Billy Wright ? Should the electorate who consistently vote DUP despite their flirtations with loyalist paramilitaries be blamed every time the UDA/UVF/etc shoot someone ?
“What the hell has Paisley been protesting for then for over 30 years?
Why did Donaldson and co leave the UUP and join the DUP, are the all liars and power/money grabbing bastards?
Posted by Ian on Mar 27, 2007 @ 07:37 PM”
Yes, but sure all of the parties here except Alliance and SDLP have more or less surrendered their principles or are now wearing other peoples clothes
“He should resign his european seat, he got that solely by running for the DUP and if he dares to argue otherwise then he shouldn’t mind a by-election should he?”
Definatley, he is already yesterdays man with yesterdays opinions, I don’t even think he’ll have the minerals to stand in the next european election. Next week he’ll be as relevant as Bob McCartney.
I’m sure the DUPers regret supporting Allister as their European candidate! Hard to believe the guy who took over Paisleys seat of 25 years has betrayed the Rev and is now an independent.
Or has the Rev betrayed Jim…
Comrade Stalin
Slugger editors : is there any way you could publish the IP address of posters next to each contribution
They could block the IP address of multiple posters. It’s been a problem for quite a while.
Thank You Comrade and Gav
Paisley’s principle is simply
“I will only accede to a deal with Sinn Fein when it has been done by someone I trust”
And finally it has.
Perhaps an intelligent man but a thoroughly obnoxious , arrogant and offensively prejudiced man that I have ever had the misfortune to meet.
I am glad he is gone from the DUP but would be happier still when he is gone as an MEP as he will surely be whether in a by election or in the next European elections unless he stands down first. What now for the young men modelling themselves on him – yesterdays men all.
For all that it is clear a la Bob McCartney is that JIm Allister is also not really suited to a political party unless he has some control over it– too big of an ego.
“Comrade Stalin – I’ve a sneaking suspicion that several of the posts here are the same person”
I’ve a sneaking suspicion that several of the posters on here are paid to do so by the SF-IRA terrorist group.
“Comrade Stalin – why did he join a party that refused to discipline one of it’s most senior MPs for taking to a podium with Billy Wright?”
Pan-Nationalists are very good at taking one incident and constantly repeating it. OK, so one DUP politican shared a platform with Billy Wright. Yet, Martin McGuinness admits to being a member of the IRA whose death squads murdered the innocent in front of their families. And Unionists are expected to share more than a platform with him.
Republicans really need to get serious about MAKING peace. Jim Allister is right to be suspicious about them. What happens if they rob another bank in a couple of months time? Where is the promised exclusion mechanism?
P&J:
I’ve a sneaking suspicion that several of the posters on here are paid to do so by the SF-IRA terrorist group.
Bah, foiled again. But, what you probably don’t know is that the bastards still pay out in punts.
Pan-Nationalists are very good at taking one incident and constantly repeating it.
You are a hypocrite. If hanging about with terrorists is wrong, then why did Alistair rejoin the DUP despite their flirtations with loyalists ? It’s not as if it is an isolated incident. The DUP’s history is replete with incidents where they were found to be standing around close to leading active terrorists who they have subsequently had to disassociate themselves from.
Doesn’t Mick allow the use of sockpuppets? I didn’t think they were banned. As for the DUP and loyalists paramilitaries, how anyone can call the Billy Wright thing an isolated incident with a straight face is beyond me.
Allister should resign.
Allister should not resign. He was elected and hasn’t gone back on what he was elected on. In the same way that Jeffrey was right not to resign.
I can’t remember the DUP manifesto for the European elections. Did it talk about this situation? I do know he was elected as a member of a party and has left it so he should resign.
Garibaldy
Actually, I disagree.
Unless an election is run on a list system, any successfully elected candidate is perfectly entitled to disassociate themselves from any party and retain their seat on the basis of their election result.
In fact, it’s a welcome corrective to the otherwise prevalent notion that, in NI, people vote for tribal blocks and the actual candidate is relevant.
As usual, the Pan-Nationalists on here keep trying to focus on isolated incidents in order to divert attention away from the blood stained hands of the Sinn Fein IRA leadership.
“Comrade Stalin – The DUP’s history is replete with incidents where they were found to be standing around close to leading active terrorists who they have subsequently had to disassociate themselves from.” Are you talking about Adams and McGuinness now? Paisley seemed to be sitting close to them yesterday. I share your concern.
Garibaldy,
This is what the European Election Manifesto has to say on the issue:
“A mandatory coalition to include Sinn Fein
is only possible when they are demonstrably
committed to exclusively peaceful and
democratic means.
This requirement must be rigorously judged against the words of Prime Minister Tony Blair. For example on 15th January this year he said,“We cannot have a situation where people are expected
to sit in Government with political parties
attached to active paramilitary
organisations.â€
We believe that only when the ‘Blair
Necessities’have been met can Sinn Fein be entitled to a place in Government. The political process must not however be put on hold to await the IRA.
As the IMC report confirms Sinn Fein/IRA
continues to be mired in violence. Accordingly, the political process should now move on without them. Only such action will give meaning to the
Government’s words of condemnation.”
Hehehe Peace&Justice – but I was just wondering if yonever get short of breath when you have your head stuck in the sand?
George,
Thasnks for that. Just fginished looking it up myself. It seems to be, by the criteria of activity and IMC reports, that Big Ian hasn’t violated this manifesto.
Pete,
I think realistically in the European Elections in particular people vote for blocs. The representative of the bloc can change – i.e. from Hume to de Brun. But if anyone anywhere is elected for a party and they leave it they should resign is my opinion.
Garibaldy
No. No. No.
If people think they vote for blocks then they should understand that they actually vote for individuals.
And an individual can decide to disassociate themselves from a party if they decide that the party no longer stands for the platform they were elected on.
Garibaldy,
I agree and was very surprised to see that these were the only criteria mentioned back then.
That said, I find it hard to believe that at that time (4 years ago) the overwhelming majority of the DUP were of the opinion that lack of IRA activity and IMC reports would suffice.
PeaceandJustice, people like yourself and David Vance are just bigoted shitstirrers upset that peace has finally arrived and people might stop listening to their crazed rantings.
Three years ago even.
Pete,
I understand that you are describing the situation regarding the rights of elected individuals to resign as it is. I am saying what I think the situation should be, not that that is how it is. Because, unfortunately, you are right that individuals can do as they please.
As for the DUP in 2004 George I think the manifesto shows just how inevitable the situation that developed yesterday has been for years. Mangerialism rules ok. As long as it’s my party doing the managing.
Garibaldy
“Mangerialism rules ok.”
I think you’ve missed my point somewhat.
Namely that not only does managerialism NOT rule… but it’s a good thing that the electorate, and perhaps candidates, are reminded that that is the case.
P&J:
As usual, the Pan-Nationalists on here keep trying to focus on isolated incidents in order to divert attention away from the blood stained hands of the Sinn Fein IRA leadership.
Was it right or was it wrong, for McCrea to appear on a podium with Billy Wright ? Can you explain why Jim Allister overlooked this incident when he decided to rejoin the DUP ?
Stop running away from the question. It only shows that you’re cornered.
Pete:
In fact, it’s a welcome corrective to the otherwise prevalent notion that, in NI, people vote for tribal blocks and the actual candidate is relevant.
Unless you’ve recently been caught having a sports massage.
So Pete if managerialism doesn’t rule ok what else is happening to politics not only in NI and the Uk but right across the western world?
Actually, Comrade, that’s a good example of when a personal vote for an individual candidate, or lack of it, comes into play.
Whether it’s a good example or not is a different argument – dependent, as it is, on the candidate.
Garibaldy
A “welcome corrective” to managerialism.
Pete,
Fair enough.
While I agree with Pete that there is no obligation to resign – the issue Garibaldy raises about managerialism is relevant (though not to the European Parliament).
If a DUP Assembly Member was to break ranks like Allister has done, DUP party strength (for d’Hondt nominations) would remain unaffected. In this context the legal position is that people vote for parties and not individuals.
Why should Allister rsign? No politician in NI has ever resigned after changing party, nor has any significant UK politician- not Chamberlain, Churchill..er Shaun Woodward.
People who parrot this cant merely show their own prejudices, and as for all the personal attacks-well, we know the republicans on slugger don’t like traditional Unionists and now they think Ian is a big ol’ Buddha of love because he’s rolled over whereas a month ago he was the great Satan.
Allister is-like Bob or Punt- an uncomfortable personality to like , but then we’ve done the “I feel your pain” schmooze of Blair and Cameron, and I’d go for straight talking conviction politicians in preference to the jelly that leads the UK.
The vote for the party or the candidate depends o the person. No doubt a Paisley or a Hume could have held their seats in an election even if they had left their parties.
I don’t think the same could be said of any of the current crop.
One less begrudger, who cares? (ps moderator, its not a personal attack, thousands around here have the affliction)