“it’s for them, the parties, to work out.”
With Sinn Féin’s latest artificial “deadline” behind us approaching anew, there’s an interesting quote in the Belfast Telegraph report following the meeting between Northern Ireland Secretary of State, Shaun Woodward, and Irish Foreign Minister Micheal Martin. From the Belfast Telegraph report.
Mr Woodward said he and Mr Martin were sure the parties could find a way forward. “We are both confident that there is no issue on the table that the political parties and political leaders can’t find a way of resolving and we won’t give them artificial deadlines, it’s for them, the parties, to work out.”He added: “We remain optimistic that the problems that there are, the challenges there are, can be overcome and we believe the political parties have made progress on the issues and will continue to do so in the weeks ahead.”
And here’s some background on Sinn Féin’s “crisis”. [They'll have to put someone in front of cameras and microphones eventually - Ed] Indeed.
Robinson has played his hand very well, but needs to make a deal given that if SF collapse the Assembly the main beneficary electorally will be the TUV and that will be at the DUPs expense.
He should let SF suffer for a few more weeks and ideally help them to miss a few more of their own deadlines and hopefully the rumours of his own impending demise are just that, otherwise we may well be looking at a period of direct rule, albeit, probably Unionist friendly direct rule when the Tories assume power.
Pete,
You have had very few comments on your last few blogs on P&J.
Do you think that means that most people couldn’t care less?