REACTION to the news that Peter Robinson plans to (officially) meet the UVF has been uniformly positive so far. Barney Rowan highlights the issues that the new First Minister will face when he finally sits down to talk to terrorists from his own side of the community. While I suspect that most of us simply hope for speedy decommissioning and this purposeless group standing down, one suspects that the process will be rather more drawn out.
The words of Brian O’Nolan, variously Brian Ó Nualláin, Myles na gCopaleen, Myles na Gopaleen and, of course, Flann O’Brien. That O’Nolan was referencing his own dissolute student days at UCD only mildly distracts from the prophetic undertone of his words: I paid no attention whatsoever to books or study and regarded lectures as a [...] read our review »
More as a trailer than a review – as it’s out on Thursday– I draw attention to Fintan O’Toole’s latest polemic “Enough is Enough – how to build a new Republic“. Fintan has been promoting the book vigorously on this side of the water, on Radio 4’s Start the Week and here at greater length [...] read our review »
suspects that the process will be rather more drawn out.
But of course. There’s all those “D” words to go through.
I wonder if the Punt will be sans the red beret?
Uniformly positive from the Belfast Telegraph.. which runs with its usual anonymous sources.
The only named source I’ve seen commenting on the news is Tommy Kirkham..
He’s all for it, it case you were wondering..
Not really.
“when he finally sits down to talk to terrorists from his own side of the community”
You make it sound like a novel experience, BG. Perhaps he’s just doing it in a spirit of ‘equality’ …
“Can Robbo lead UVF down the political route..?”
What about the, er, PUP?
Good news. I doubt it is the first time the DUP have met with loyalist paramilitaries but it is to be welcomed. Lets just hope that the hypocrasy which marked their refusal to meet with SF, the elected representitives of over 100,000 people, will be gone for good.
Almost feel sorry for Robinson in anticipation of what Dinosaur Jim will surely come out with later!
Maybe he’ll offer one of the academics at the Ulster Political Research Group a visiting professorship at the new British Unionist Academy.
a bit of jaw jaw is always better than war war……
I hope he also brings enough money for redevelopment in loyalist areas.
They have been neglected for years.
Decommission the guns and in return money for good quality housing etc.
I hope he also brings enough money for redevelopment in loyalist areas.
Money has been thrown at these places for years to no avail.
Devolve police and justice powers and enforce the law against these gangsters – as the NIO is clearly incapable of doing it.
Picador, London and Dublin have appeased their ‘chosen’ loyalist and republican godfathers for quite a long time. The police and, presumably, other parts of the justice system couldn’t proceed against these hoodlums without political clearance.
I should imagine that the Brothers Grim/Grin would take a similar line to the London-Dublin one. There would still be photographs of police officers and the ‘chosen’ working together on ‘community’ projects. It’s a stark prospect.
Let them Rob a bank sure like the IRA did a short time before their “decomissioning”. Then bring them into stormont hand in hand. Turn the blind eye to the odd murder aswell.
They are perfect a perfect match for government here and the current DUP.
Picador
When the Authorities enforce the law against loyalist gangsters I hope for the sake of parity they do not forget republican gangsters.
Lets decide to prosecute all gangsters
Traditional Unionist, Please don’t get all holier-than-thou about terrorists. Some of the laddies associated with your lot aren’t exactly squeaky clean. Indeed, there seems to be a faction within anti-agreement unionism that feels its ok to be a loyalist godfather, but not a republican one. All terrorists are bad but some are more bad than others seems to be the mantra.
As I recall the reason Dinosaur Jim didn’t form his party at Moygashel was because so many hooded types turned up at his wee shindig