Will he stay or go?
Jim Allister is to hold a press conference this morning. Is he about to resign or will he state his own opinion but accept the decision of the party? He had previously stated he would accept a decision if there was a full and fair debate within the DUP. Last week, as a party officer and executive member he was included in the internal party discussions of Party Officers and the Executive. Will this have passed his test of full debate? UPDATE It was option A, resignation from the party but not office (as has one DUP Councillor, Sam Gaston). His statement in full. A central objection is the continuing existence of the Army Council:
Now, it seems, the Army Council can stay. Then, I can’t.
Yes, I was wondering how long it would take for Allister to be reinvented as the new Ultra Dinosaur (cue boos and hisses from the usual suspects) to be despised now that the ageing Papa Doc has revealed himself to be a great big Andrex Puppy, rolling over to have Gerry tickle his tum.
Re the resignation thing, for what it is worth Gregory Campbell was clear this morning that in the event of Allister’s resignation, the decision to resign his seat would remain his. A hint perhaps hell be left to see out whats left of his term of office.
Oh, by the way, here’s a simple question for any of the Dundela children who I bet are monitoring Slugger today.
The DUP manifesto of 2003 on page 12 said that “(t)errorist-related politicians will not gain entry to the government of Northern Ireland with their position permanently ensured, as under the Belfast Agreement”.
Dundela children, when did Adams and McGuinness stop being “terrorist-related politicians”?
watchamn I guess when it was felt “armed struggle” was no longer acheiving the desired results. Maybe 1988. Hume/Adams .
Roughly 20 yrs anyway, or a generation.
That’s my rough rule of thumb.
What’s yours?
Who was it said that the man who can’t change his mind, can’t change anything?
Pity poor David Vance, increasingly lonely and marginalised in a jurassic blunderland all the making of his and his ilk.
It’s not hypocrisy to laud someone, like some republicans are praising Paisley, for coming over the line to share power with them.
That’s generosity of spirit – a concept which Mr Vance, the ever astute businessman that is or maybe isn’t, might find strange.
Jim Allister is a most unlikeable fellow from what I’ve seen of him and heard from him. His politics shows that he never advanced beyond B1G0T 101 in the Grammar School cycle.
Perhaps now Dr Paisley deserves a real degree in statesmanship and leadership. Maybe, however, he will need to do some slight corrections on his stance prior to his graduation to government in six weeks time.
One test he should have to pass is this: He should embrace the current Irish Language Act legislation. It’s of more symbolic value than it is real and is not half as painful as he reckons it is. It’s much more so for the Irish language community who believe it’s barely worth the paper it’s written on. This could send a strong signal that the DUP are if not entirely inclusive – they’re not going to allow their genuine – if not justified – loathing of the language stand in the way of allowing it to be part of the future of NI.
Jim is not going to step off the gravey train that is the EU Parliament. Get real! Sure he is a non-attached member in the Parliament – meaning he is next to useless.
Watchman
The point about a manifesto is that it relates to a particular election. I would imagine that the DUP in East Belfast feel pretty pleased with their performance in the 2007 election.
The electorate knew what they were voting for.
Oliver
“Over the line” – what line? The line of decency you mean?
Rewarding the IRA for graciously deciding to stop slaughtering us may be your idea of “generosity” -the word I would use is depravity.
But I do agree with your suggestion re the Irish language and would suggest that all DUP press releases and official correspondence going forward is in this language since it emphasises where the DUP under pragmatic leadership is headed!
The BBC has just said he HAS resigned from the DUP.
David, your one eyed view of history is sooo predictable. Apparently ‘us’ never engaged in violence or any such ‘depravity’.
Sinn Féin didn’t get to the negotiating table, or the Dining Room Table in the Members Room in Stormont, for ‘graciously’ stopping the slaughter. They got there as a result of an ever increasing democratic mandate which, inevitably, had to be recognised by democrats. Then there are those who are not democrats who couldn’t recognised a democratic mandate if it slapped them in the face.
Jim is a QC so he should know when he says the DUP told misleading statements in their manafesto.
I can confirm that. I watched his statement.
Jim as QUIT the party but remains MEP.
Realistically how ? – what can he do ?
Of course these things are all relative John, but remember that it wasn’t that long ago that European cash bankrolled the DUP, and even if the finances are a bit healthier now, it’s still a big office and staff to lose. Plus the influence that an MEP provides. Plus an articulate critic whose consistency cannot be smeared by the Dundela children is always a dangerous foe. Unlike Bob, he has no electoral test to face again-probably ever, but how often in the next 2 years will he be able to say “I told you so”?
David
Your objection to yesterday’s proceedings based on your apparent regard for the victims of the IRA (and no other party to the conflict here) spoke volumes about you.
Were there to any evidence that you have, as you claim, a principled objection to political violence and deals with SF, you would have taken the numerous opportunities that have been presented to you here and elsewhere to condemn the murder of British soldiers by Menahcem Begin.
Mr Begin was responsible for killing at least as many British soldiers as Mr Adams, yet you vilify one and not the other. I do not expect those who regularly contribute to your own site to see the inconsistency and hypocrisy in your position but at least here it may be made clear.
This is just a side thought: Bob and Jim are both QCs… Does that tell us something?
He is gone – and while he may not resign his euroepan seat now , he won’t retain it next time around
Philip
It tells us that both are strangers to principle and scruple.
“Jim is not going to step off the gravey train that is the EU Parliament. Get real! Sure he is a non-attached member in the Parliament – meaning he is next to useless.
Posted by philip on Mar 27, 2007 @ 01:51 PM”
…except he took a substantial pay cut to become an MEP, and could go back to his lucrative legal practice in a matter of months.
And as for the power of one MEP in a group- Jimmy Nick and his predecessor have hopped from group to group at least four times with no discernable benefit to us, nevermind the dubious influence De Brun has in the loony group. Only Saint John had any clout in Brussels.
Very true. He is coming across as a quite honourable man Darth.
“This is just a side thought: Bob and Jim are both QCs… Does that tell us something?”
yes. The most intelligent people have seen through this sham
Will jeffrey jump next … lol (Sorry couldn’t resist)
Parcifal, you may think Adams and McGuinness are no longer terrorist-related politicians but you might be the only one.
Willis, Ian Paisley has always proudly proclaimed that he is a man of his word, who keeps his promises. When someone breaks his word, that makes him a liar. That’s what the old Paisley would have said. That’s why I’m entitled to throw the same charge back at him.
Ego is indeed a wonderful thing Mr Allister!
… Paisley (and Paisleyites) should be throwing the charge of egotism at Jim A for, er, quitting a larger outfit and swanning off to set up one of his own. Big, but not very honest, Ian would never do anything like that, would he?
“Parcifal, you may think Adams and McGuinness are no longer terrorist-related politicians but you might be the only one.”
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/vote2007/nielection/html/main.stm
Computer says no.
He should have had the balls to resign before the election. That might have had a discernible impact on events. As it is, just posturing.
Darth
“yes. The most intelligent people have seen through this sham”
And of course, you wouldnt be in that legal group of course…. Not in Limavady anyway.
Heard Jim Allister speak on a couple of occasions, whilst he was impressive and able I disagreed with almost everything he said.
Like Bob McCartney a wasted talent.
No-one listening to Jim or Bob would be in ANY doubt that they indeed regard themselves as THE most intelligent people. Self-praise, etc etc…
Darth
“The most intelligent people have seen through this sham.”
In my experience, questions of a person’s “intelligence” are more complex than they might initially seem. In truth, there is more than one kind of intelligence. I’ve observed that people of heightened intellectual intelligence (if I can call it that) are often lacking in what I would call emotional intelligence.
And so we have a position where people like Bob McCartney and Jim Allister – men of conspicuous intellectual brilliance in one very narrow sense – are left in the wilderness, screaming with impotent rage as the rest of the population moves on without them. They’re like the old Anti-Partition League nationalists of the 1930s and 40s: people of intelligence who could not reconcile themselves to the fact that, right or wrong, a paradigm shift had taken place.
Allister and McCartney have the intellectual ability to rail against change, but they lack the emotional intelligence (maybe it’s simply maturity) to move on. Perhaps their exalted status as QCs makes it more difficult for them to accept the decision that their lessers (ie the population) have made.
They hate Allister bacause he’s articulate intellegent and has forgotten more than their policians have ever learnt. This will be a real loss to the DUP.
What a lot of nonsense, Jim Allister only came back into the DUP to get into the Euro Parliament, if he is as honourable as he claims he will now resign his seat and trigger a by election.
Jeffrey didn’t resign as MLA when he won it as UUP only to switch to the DUP several weeks later, so why should Jim.
Jeffry has a real political standing of his own, Jim Allister has not, if Jeffry had resigned everyone knew he would be re-elected immediatly.
Jim Allister’s situation is very different.
As I said earlier, note conspicious silence on the “he should resign his seat” from DUP, openly anyway.
That would be too hypocritical, even for some of them.
Billy Pilgrim makes some good points about Allister and McCartney – forensic minds don’t always lend themselves to being political joiners and doers.
Can anyone think of a recent example of somebody resigning/crossing the floor who then immediately resigned their seat and restood for reelection?
I can’t think of anyone, has there been anyone?
“what a distasteful little bigot”
I can only agree with this point as the likes of J.Allister has nothing to offer as a compromise solution and never did !…just listen his acceptance speech on winning his MEP seat in 04…cringe! …he is a dangerous manifestation of a backwoods mentality and elitism which is dying out….starting with Robert McCartney(UKUP)and that other wingnut Cedric Wilson. Then again I could say the say the same thing about the bigman himself though..food for thought…anyways Good Riddance and Good Night Irene!
Sad to see Jim go he was a hard worker in Europe for the DUP however despite this he said he would except the desision of the DUP if there was a frank debate and he lost that debate, 90% plus is a large majority and it is disapointing that he could not except that, he off course wont be giving up the gravy train and perks from Europe, and sadly for him he had no alternative to the ST Andrews Agreement.I wonder what his staff will do with Chris Stalford being very much for the St Andrews Agreement and stood on that ticket for the DUP in South Belfast?
Nobody has mentioned the true winner in all this – Peter Robinson.
I think he has played a blinder. You can see his hand in almost every move made over the last few weeks, bringing his strategy to a successful conclusion.
And now one of his main rivals has been faced down and ousted (of his own accord!) from the party. Shurely Robbo is unassailable as the next DUP leader once the Big Man goes. Of course, as long as things don’t go tits up in the meantime.
Control freak maybe, but he has shown real grit in the last while. Fair play to him.
Also, does anybody know who would have written the DUP statement or the SF statement?
I hope that Jim Allister finds a role for his talents as an independent in Europe.
“I wonder what his staff will do with Chris Stalford”
….better vote management and maths classes if he can… and relize there ain’t a second DUP MLA seat in South Belfast either…go east young man!.
Until the photo of him in the red beret reappears. Peter is damaged goods too. His fiefdom in Castlereigh is a case study in itself.
Jim is at least REAL DUP and not the UUP doppleganger of the last several years.
Jo,
You’re not related to “Menahcem Begin”?
Well done Jim – best to leave the hypocrites, the appeasers to the plaudits from the sluggercenti.
Jim Allister only came back into the DUP to get into the Euro Parliament…
except he was headhunted by Robinson to stop Willie Mccrea. Oooops!
And of course the DUP daren’t have a by election as if Allister took 25,000 votes-even mischievious UUP voters- then another SF MEP looms large.
As for never contributing to a compromise solution, that’s just tosh. Jim ain’t a touchy feely type, but he stayed on board throughout the DUP metamorphosis until St Andrews, knowing full well that powersharing was now the preferred policy.And perhaps even the naysayers will recognise that it’s profoundly unhealthy to have noone cast a sceptical eye on received wisdom.
David
My only connection is when I begin the beguine…
Two Nations:
A good point re. the slimming down of Robbo’s opponents.
Though the prize of the DUP Euro rep. is now available as a consolation prize for an unsuccessful leadership candidate. But who shall that be?
Hey Jo – I’ve been resisting that one all day!!
I watched Newsline at half 1 and Devenport said there was a news conference scheduled for half an hour later in the East at Allister’s MEP office but I’d left the house by that stage. Is he staying in the DUP or has he resigned? It would be a loss to the wider family of Unionism, let alone the DUP, if he were to resign. He was articulate, straightforward and honest and was an independent voice within the DUP who wasn’t afraid to voice concerns at party policy if he didn’t agree with it.
However, unlike Jim, I feel the time is right to share power, but then I’ve always advocated power-sharing in some shape or form even though to be honest I hoped it would be with the SDLP.
I’m greatly influenced by the late John McMichael and others involved with the creation of the then “radical” “Beyond The Religious Divide” and “Common Sense” UDA policy documents. Having said I agree with most of his/their politics (Andy Tyrie, Glen Barr, Harry Chicken et al also) I’d like to point out I’m not a UDI supporter, which they supported, half-heartedly I’d have to say. My head and heart dictates that I can’t support it constitutionally (heart) as I’m a staunch unionist and believe we should remain an integral part of the United Kingdom, but leaving that to the side, I don’t feel Ulster can be economically self-sufficient for a long time to come (head). I do realise where they were coming from however when you take into account the socio-political climate in 1979 when “Beyond…” was published advocating Ulster independence – the loyalist community were at odds with the British government, RUC etc and they felt they were being sold out and had to explore other avenues to maintain their independence from a 32-county Marxist Republic).
David
Duly grateful for that self-denial, as we jointly witness the end of the “begin”ning of conflict.
Robinson will take the leadership of the DUP..no doubt about that …he is perhaps the only one in the DUP who can get anywhere near the slick tactician and strategist that is Gerry Adams…anyway they can swap their berets and rant on about the border ….or is that incursions?
Aldamir: “I hope that Jim Allister finds a role for his talents as an independent in Europe.”
He’s been three years looking so far. Let’s hope he finds it soon.
Concerned Loyalist
“He was articulate, straightforward and honest and was an independent voice within the DUP who wasn’t afraid to voice concerns at party policy if he didn’t agree with it.”
All these qualities are good, Concerned, but when they are coming from a base of bigotry, how can anyone take him seriously? Sure, it all sounds good and decent if you espouse his beliefs, but this is 2007 and his brand of bigotry in a modern/forward-looking NI is for the dust bin.