Paisley goes
Just heard it on BBC news: Paisley is to resign as first minister after the investment conference. The BBC website reports him as saying that: “I came to this decision a few weeks ago when I was thinking very much about the conference and what was going to come after the conference.”
He also said that it was up to the DUP who replaced him:
“This is not the Church of Rome. This is not Apostolic succession and I have no right to say who will succeed me.
“The person will succeed me when the mark is on the paper and the ballot is cast. “Whoever that will be will have my support and encouragement and if he wants to take my advice, he will get that advice if he asks for it, but I will not be sitting like Putin in Russia saying to the president ‘This is the way you have to go’.
“When I make a break, it is a break.”
Well there you go then.
I’m surprised at how little I actually care. All it means is a more hardline, more able, less tainted Unionist controlling their veto at Stormont. Bad news for SF.
Can he hold on until May. The halo over his mitre might be tarnished when the Westminster authorities have finished with him.Rents for similar properties are approx £12.85- 4500sq ft is a big office for an octogenerian free loader and his compromised son.Surely Sean Woodward should sack junior from the policing board.Reg Empey wants to sort out Billy Armstrong now and show us he is a leader. This province does not deserve such a spineless bunch of leeches with multiple mandates it makes NI look like a banana republic.
Goodbye
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jmS41_JdVLg
I think the Church of Rome is probably more democratic than the DUP is – but they’re both cut from the same cloth. And that’s the rub of it. In the end Paisley became what he professed to hate.
I won’t be sorry to see the back of him but I’m not relishing the passing of the baton to the younger generation of DUPers who will, no doubt, try to out Paisley Paisley to reassure the grass roots…
yes jo
it’d be a right coup to promote jeffrey as deputy, signalling as you say to the UUP; let’s join together. I’m assuming Robbo wants to lead a single unionist party. He should do this sooner than later.
Dodds as Finance Minister may well suffice, is it enough to give him the top job in the Exec.
Anyone see a pan-nationalist front SF/SDLP merger.
Durkan as minister of funny jokes ( Folks on the Hill )
Alternatively:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-0u3NM8rd1U
Who is wearing the sackcloth now
Perci
Yup 100% definate it is the Assembly group that elects the leader and deputy. No going to the UUC for this crowd!
Jo
I don’t think so. I think that all the votes that the DUP are going to get from the DUP have already come. They do not need to change tact to get more and if strong decisive leadership is there then people will follow that as opposed to Reg Emptey’s weakness. The bigger challenge is stopping votes drifting to Jim Allister so by becoming more liberal and becoming some disgusting UUP hybrid you would be simply alienating more traditional DUP types.
So by arguing for Jeffrey etc you are saying that the DUP vote is secure in it’s new surroundings whenever Dromore clearly tells otherwise.
As for the barb at Nigel Dodds I have to say that I have been in this party a while now and I find him an entirely approachable and decent man who works hard and sticks to his guns. I’d have to say far more so than the prospective new leader. The personality bypass is a cheap dig from someone who should know better than to air disputes in public and open up a debate into personal ridicule.
Pardon me but I will stick to the issues and debate and not go down to the level of insults.
“I think that all the votes that the DUP are going to get from the DUP have already come”
Obviously that is meant to be UUP. BAD KEYBOARD!!
Pardon me for repeating how *Insider* in Fortnight described Mr Dodds when a minister last time around.
I would think him entirely decent: however such issues matter not a whit in terms of balancing internal party politics against PR considerations.
I would imagine, to follow the “keep your enemies closer” policy, Gregory might have a chance too. Leader from belfast – deputy from Londonderry (East). Might work.
“however such issues matter not a whit in terms of balancing internal party politics against PR considerations.”
And I entirely agree with you. I have raised my concerns about a UUP-DUP pact above and now I would like your reply.
Also, “keep your enemies closer”?
Far enough but what enemies? Are Dodds and Campbell now Robinsons enemies? I doubt that. In the end I believe it will be a very amicable transition with Robinson as leader and Dodds as DL simply because that is what is exceptable to the majority.
>>I won’t be sorry to see the back of him but I’m not relishing the passing of the baton to the younger generation of DUPers who will, no doubt, try to out Paisley Paisley to reassure the grass roots…<<
OILibhear
It has already begun, the dogs have been unleashed. I just witnessed Gregory Campbell on channel 4, launch a vitriolic attack on murderers and bombers these past 40 years, and how they will no longer get away with it. etc…. I reckon we will have troubled times ahead, still it should plead the bigots on here. Stand by for Dublin/London rule!
On a pedantic note, these murderers and bombers. Would that be the UVF, and isn’t the correct number closer to 42 years?
Regarding Mr Paisley. History will undoubtedly be kind to him now that he effectively turned his back on the dinosaur/emu approach so favoured by Unionists. Pity he couldn’t take many Unionists with him.
Also please provide a link to *insider* to back this up. In future if that is the case when you are quoting from a different source it is common to spell that out. Have you not been at University? Plagarism in my day was very serious!
Succession: from Ireland.com:
Under DUP rules, candidates for the leadership of the party will first face a ballot of the DUP’s Assembly Group.
The Assembly Group would then make a recommendation to the party executive, which will have to ratify the choice.
“It is unlikely the Executive would reject the Assembly Group’s choice,” a source said.
I wouldnt describe a party which contains Jeffrey Arlene Peter and various other impressive people as “some disgusting UUP hybrid” I would on the other hand describe Jim Allister as a disgusting unprincipled nasty unelectable anti-democratic little man with all the charm of a squashed slug. The “party” that contains him (if the gang of naysaying loopers including Ivan Foster et al deserve such a grandiose title)would truly consign those unionists voting for it to a cul-de-sac. Having just got out of one of those, I and about another 1,500,000 would rather not go back.
In future, I look forward to seeing Jim on TV as much as Ive seen Bob McC since last March. BTW, theres another decent job in Brussels for the also-ran in the deputy leadership comp. Nigel might be good for that one.
Bigger picture.
Maybe in his own back-yard Dodds is more himself.
In Westminster he’s a fright.
Didn’t he say last year, he wanted a generation to pass to test republicans on law and order.
Crazy backward defensive talk.
Unappealing except to DUP/TUV hardliners.
Having watched Jeffrey perform on the Republic’s airwavess and on Hearts and Minds last week; he’s very able to reach out to the other side.
Amiable, friendly,self-effacing.
That’s a requirement in this day and age.
Anyone have an idea of the amount of religious fundamentalists in the Assembly group? Might help working out Dodds’ odds of a coup.
‘This province does not deserve such a spineless bunch of leeches with multiple mandates it makes NI look like a banana republic.’
Eh ? Northern Ireland stopped being a banana republic about a generation ago . Becoming a self respecting banana republic is now an aspiration for the new generation of DUPers to look forward to . What do call a ‘country’ that is dependent on 70% public sector spending to hold it’s head above water ?
Formerly the answer would have been one of the former Eastern European ‘slave’ States of the Russian Communist Empire . Nowadays the answer is Northern Ireland . No wonder SF are so comfortable at Stormont .
Now that that is out of the way it won’t be long before Paddy Power starts shortening the odds on Assembly Collapse prior to the next July 12th Orangeman’s Perpetual Handicap Chase .
Deja vu here we come
I blame half a dozen Sluggerites for his downfall.
For the past year they have attacked him through Junior who was forced to resign then quickly followed by Senior.
Well done to everyone!!!!!!
“the next July 12th Orangeman’s Perpetual Handicap Chase . ”
I like it!
**In 60 seconds, Gary Gibbn has said more of insight on Ch4 News than every talking head of Auntie’s did on Newsline. My God but the gap in talent in depressing.
Posted by Karl Rove on Mar 04, 2008 @ 07:04 PM**
Though Newsline’s material wasn’t the obituary tape re-voiced in a hurry.
David Gordon, Jim Allistair and Dathai Mckay have a lot to answer for! If ian junior had kept his nose clean none of this may have come to pass, an achilles heel as ever i seen one.
This may be bad for SF in the short term assembly wise but think about it, Paisley dynasty brought to an end, pragmatic leader of unionism put in place, unionism split three ways (which could lead to SF becoming biggest political party in next year’s elections) – not bad for a year’s work.
Robinson is far too pragmatic to oversee a collapse of the Assembly. He’s a capricorn FFS
” wouldnt describe a party which contains Jeffrey Arlene Peter and various other impressive people as “some disgusting UUP hybrid”
Nor would I because that is the DUP and I am very happy with how the three above have got on in the last year or so. A hybrid would be the DUP AND the UUP which isn’t what you described above, you just named three members of the DUP. Look Jo just came down a wee bit, I am not attacking who does or who doesn’t become leader or deputy leader but rather it is about the direction that the DUP now needs to take. By saying to the UUP come over we are all the same now I just don’t believe that sends out the best message for those already in the DUP who are not presently content with how things are going. Instead it may turn more of the DUP’s core support, built up through 30 years of UUP let down, to question what really was all that opposition about?
No matter what your opinions are of Jim Allister, which I agree with, there is no mistaking that there is a larg enough section of the unionist vote in NI who are not happy with the DUP, 22% in a Dromore by-election speaks for itself, and to simply carry on down that road, dismissing the TUV is simply repeating Trimble’s mistakes. I do not care mch for the brand of politics that Jim Allister represents because I support what the DUP has being doing, so I have been pragmatic in that sense, but it is also important to realise that the issues that Jim and the TUV represent are getting electoral backing and it would be complete folly to ignore that.
So before you write back thinking I am attacking you, just think about where the DUP is at. I agree that it would be desirable to have a one unionist party system, but I also strongly believe that the DUP is nowhere near that stage yet and if it goes down that road too soon then I fear that the TUV will be the only party in NI to gain.
Perci
I do not agree for the simple reason that the crazy backwards defensive talk that you speak of was being spouted by both Paisley and Robinson at the same time. I do not think that statements like that have been uttered from his mouth since devolution. Again I have no problem with Jeffrey but I have alrady set out my fears of going down that path too soon. I think it far better to stand the DUP ground now, shore it up, deal with the TUV and then tackle the rump of the UUP which by that stage should be easy pickings.
Mark McGregor
Paisley Snr, Paisley Jnr, Dodds, Lord Morrow, McCrea,McCrea, Storey, Poots, Simpson, Moutray, Irwin, Buchannen, Bresland, Campbell are all free p’s. Other “hardliners” i suppose would be McCausland and Wells. But that is all open to interpretation and debate. Personally I don’t think there will even be a leadership,Deputy contest.
LLamedos:
This province does not deserve such a spineless bunch of leeches with multiple mandates it makes NI look like a banana republic.
You mean, this province does not deserve the people that they actually voted in ? I completely agree. Instead, the province clearly deserves to have the election results ignored and appropriate people appointed. We should cancel democratic elections and have an appointed dictator – I nominate myself – with a sham governing committee, to run things and give it the outward appearance of collective government. Best idea posted on Slugger so far.
Nosters, I wouldn’t clutch too tightly at that straw. But if it gets you to sleep tonight, grab, grab away.
Meanwhile, on his return here, Mick – ‘Henry Chadwick de nos, uh, wesbite’ – Fealty will have to tell us more about the ‘Apostolic progression’ he mentioned on More 4 News. Eager minds thirst for knowledge.
Oh, and Lee Jasper aced as well! Carlsberg don’t do, ‘best right wing political day ever’, but if they did, it would taste a lot like this. Actually, as Carlsberg is pish, it would taste a lot like that Framboise drunk earlier. And now, because real men *do mix, lets throw in a goodly dollop of Côtes du Rhône too. (I wouldn’t want the upstairs maid’s job tomorrow morning for love nor money).
BP,
Craig? 17 in the bag if Dodds does go for it? Play to a couple of egos and……
Don’t see a contest myself, wouldn’t do for democracy to come into play. A Blair/Brown carve up and the slow death of a thousand cuts for Robbo?
Framboise? My wife would drink that and even then only at the height of summer. Can’t big house Unionism do better than a fruit beer to celebrate Paisley’s demise?
as hard as this may be to believe…but i now fear for the future of ireland..north and south..ironically PAISLEY actually became the voice of moderation..and his complete about-turn in regards to linking up with mc’guinness was such a shock…even though he had no choice really…but the question is now,who will take over…i cannot see jeffrey donaldson being as cosy and pally with mc’guinness..i fear a sharp intake of breath is upon us
Jim Allister takes the crown…………… as the most negative person in norn iron, prick.
Mark
Yes I would say your about right. Say Dodds did go for it and beat Robbo to the top job. I couldn’t imagine that being a happy place for Robinson to be in and I would say he would the go out of his way to make Dodds’ life a living nightmare. As much as I think Robinson is a good leader for the DUP he is much to vain to even contemplate anyone else having a go at the top job before him, therefore I think it would be wise for Dodds just to take the hit now and build up his “brownite” faction I suppose.
I think as Jim Allister said on newsline that if Dodds did stand it would become an open race. I have the utmost respect for Robinson but he was disliked especially in rural areas long before people lost faith in Paisley and I think Dodds could exploit this in the Assembly group. I doubt however that this will be what the DUP are looking to achieve. At the end of the day Robbo is an astute politician and he know’s why the DUP is not getting the reaction he wants and he will change his course to achieve that. Therefore another Chuckle photo will not occur after Paisley.
To be more abstract I think this could be the DUP at a bit of a cross roads. I still think that many people stayed in the DUP and voted for them on the basis of Paisley being in power and the auhority he brought. With Paisley gone if the parties fortunes do not get better i think there will be a bigger and more open split in the DUP with the enivatble UUP style consequences. However the DUP should see this route. However in the summer I also the dangers in the chuckle bros routine and that continued unabated until it all came crashing down in Dromore…
‘I agree that it would be desirable to have a one unionist party system’
Brilliant idea . Sort of a rerun of 1920 to 1969 then ? You won’t be surprised if the One Party delivers the same results as the original of the species ?
‘there is no mistaking that there is a large enough section of the unionist vote in NI who are not happy ‘
And never will be when it comes to that . Born whining , live complaining and all destined to die disappointed no doubt. These people don’t know what they want except not to have a Taig in a power sharing government in Northern Ireland . The answer is simple then . It’s called Repartition . They should get on with it then assuming they have the balls !
Unionists of Fermanagh, Tyrone , South Down , Armagh and Derry your ‘betrayal’ time is coming – again
BP,
Thanks for that.
How does a secular take-over play out in the long run, I wonder? The Free P’s in particular managed to have influence way beyond their demographic through Paisley and the DUP. It might be difficult for them to ever reattain the ascendancy if they lose it. I’d think Robbo would try to expand the membership and dilute fundamentalist strength in the interests of longterm self-preservation.
Interesting times ahead for Unionism. Has Henry called it right or will the DUP project fracture without the figurehead and pretty equal juniors?
I have had a quick read through the thread and seen the partying, but no one seems to have said why IP has decided to go now, any thoughts? and with Paisley out of the way, might SF benefit from a reshuffle to, for MM is not likely to be shown the same familiarity from Dodds or Robinson as they will wish to portray themselves as the tough guy, surly?
The last time I was in Brussels (not, as it happens, to speak to middle sized Jim), I let rip on the sweet stuff having previously dimissed it as a training drink for wimmin and children. Really, one of the best things about growing older is just how liberating it is to set aside the prejudices of long gone youth. Which, ahem, brings me back to the demon non-doc: a bigot, a fool, who lied and lied, and then lied again. And, from my point of view, worst of all, he did Unionism more damage than everyone and everything else added together. But what a sense of relief it is tonight to finally start to see his dread grip being released. There goes an attractively cheap 2004 Domaine Jaume. What next? Ahhhh yes, let’s head south-westerly – that is a subtle song the Château Thenac’s singing. Here’s to a Paisley-free rest of forever. Raise your glasses: the Captain.
Mick Hall
I’ve asked that on peteb’s thread.
I’d really like to know, and have posed a few questions.
Yes the secular take over idea. You see I do not really buy the dea that there is a wing of the DUP that are religious zealots and others that are determined to sell them down the river. I view it simply that you have a conservative element in the DUP who are looking for change and a neo-conservative Cameron style wing who are looking to press on full steam ahead. The problem is however that not all the one’s who are strongly conservative in their approach are religious fundy’s. In fact the majority of people that I have talked who are now ex-DUP voters are more likely to be at home sleeping off a hangover on a sunday rather than being in attendance at the Martyr’s.
In many ways that is why Keith Harbinson worked so well for the TUV in Dromore. He couldn’t be labelled as a reptile, fundy bible basher who would lock up the swings on a sunday and close the public houses. He was an ordinary member of the secular community who was unhappy with the DUP and Paisley.
Therefore the religious fundamentalists do hold some sway but I do not think they hold as much power as we would like to believe. We have to remember that even though they are free p’s not everybody who voted for them throughout the years also thought along those lines. Instead they wanted strong leadership and action to fight republicanism (please leave that debate for another time).
Robinson therefore has a job on his hands. I believe discontent has risen beyond free p circles and therefore real actions and policy needs to change before he can think about bringing any new people in around him.
Anyway Turgon what are your thoughts on this from a TUV prospective??
Here’s to a Paisley-free rest of forever. Raise your glasses: the Captain.
I back O’Neill??
For anyone looking for answers to the question why now? I would suggest having a look at his performance at OFMDFM questions. Without jnr it was clear that he was floundering and wee jeffrey was not as supportive as he might have been.
The investigation at westminster may also hold a clue.
Time, I think, to ring Henry Clark. The numbers are already beginning to look suspiciously disjointed on the ‘phone. Tricky devils, never trusted ‘em. Numbers, not Clarks, they’re alright.
Karl,
Since you are on a gloat-fest, I’ll give you a bedtime brandy thought…what is any man’s real legacy…….living on through his son……spending your twilight years robbed of your glory moment knowing it was quite a bit caused by your increasingly sidelined, ridiculed and useless son….your heart is bleeding just a bit for Big Ian as he faces that…isn’t it?
Absolutely. Spot on even. Hic even. And what was the instinctive Vichy line the Beeb took? That of course Paisley was going out at a time of his own choosing [sic], career ‘disproving Powell’s dictum’ [super-sic]. The devil’s buttermilk has never tasted sweeter (for which read, a daring, at this stage of the game, switch to Adnam’s Broadside of all things)>
Someone should give Seymour Sweeney a Knighthood for his good work!
This is a song that may be fittng in these present circumstances,
The clown of the county
Everyone considered him the clown of the county.
He never stood one single time to prove the county wrong.
His mama named him Ian Óg, the folks just called him a lying fellow,
But something always told me they were’nt reading Ian Óg wrong.
Now He was only ten years old when his daddy went to prison.
We looked after Ian Óg cos he was our leaders son.
I still recall the final words big Ian said to Ian Óg:
Son, “my leadership’s over, but your troubles just begun”.
I’m so glad, son, I haven’t the things you’ve done.
Walk away from lies if you can.
Now it dont mean you’re weak, if you don’t lie when you move your cheeks.
I hope you’re old enough to understand:
Son, you dont have to lie to be a man.
There’s a weakness in everyone and Ian Ógs weakness was spoofing.
In his mind he did’nt have to prove he was a man.
One day while he was workin the Shinners came callin.
They took turns at reading his spoofs…. there were three of them!
Ian ÓG opened up his mouth and started lying.
The Shinners had him in a mess, the shattered look was more than he could stand.
He reached above the fireplace and took down his daddy’s picture.
As the tears fell on his daddy’s face, I heard these words again:
I’m so glad, son, I haven’t the things you’ve done.
Walk away from lies if you can.
Now it dont mean you’re weak, if you don’t lie when you move your cheeks.
I hope you’re old enough to understand:
Son, you dont have to lie to be a man.
The Shinners just laughed at him, when he walked into the Assembly.
One of them Daithí, got up and met him halfway cross the floor.
When Ian Óg turned around they said, hey look! Ian Óg’s Spoofing.
But you coulda heard a pin drop when Ian Óg stopped and stood upon the floor.
Twenty years of crawlin was bottled up inside him.
He wasn’t holdin nothin back; he let em have it all.
When Ian Óg left the Assembly not a Shinner was standin.
He said, what are you’s laughing at, as he watched them rolling about having a ball.
And I heard him say,
I promised you, dad, I wish hadn’t done the things I done.
I’ll walk away from lies now, when I can.
Now please dont think Im weak, cos my career and your leadership’s up shit creek,
papa, I sure hope you understand:
Sometimes you gotta lie when you’re a fly man.
Everyone considered him the clown of the county.
Now that the DUP’s have sorted out the Paisleys lets see if Reg has the balls to sort out Billy Armstrong. Come on Reg show some backbone
Drumcairn,
Should Alliance’s Kieran McCarthy be on that list for pay three times the going rate to his wife for rental? Time for Ford to step up to the plate?
Someone should give Seymour Sweeney a Knighthood for his good work!
Posted by Andrew Muir on Mar 04, 2008 @ 09:54 Pm
Is beyond the realms of possibility that Seymour may be an undercover Shinner? Wellis it?
Paisley: out; Australia beaten (by the most stylish team on the planet); Hillary awaiting the stake; and now what’s that? A psychic flash reaches me from … from … is it Ballykelly? is it Coleraine? No, it appears to be from Limavady of all places. And what news from the rialto (well, Packies)? Some football team has beaten some other football team in some deathly dull soccer competition? Well, I don’t exactly know why that’s of interest to anyone, but if you insist it’s yet one more aspect of The Best Right Wing Day Ever, I’m in no position to argue. The Adnams may well have been a mistake in that regard.