Got this notice a few days ago from David Vance who is on the panel of a TUV public meeting in Albertbridge Road Orange Hall tomorrow night (29th January)… Speakers will include the Party President, William Ross, Party Leader Jim Allister and political commentator David Vance. Don’t know about Willie Ross, but Allister and David will no doubt put on good show… Could be good steam.. I am presuming all are welcome..
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Great little review of Listening to Van Morrison by Griel Marcus… It’s a short book, not a biography or a career survey, but an attempt to follow those moments in Morrison’s music, as he’s made it from his first records with Them, from Belfast in 1965 to the present day, when something happens that breaks [...] read our review »
Northern Ireland’s peace process has been promoted as an international success story. The Republic’s Department of Foreign Affairs has its Conflict Resolution Unit, which aims to disseminate the ‘lessons’ of the Northern Ireland peace process. And some of the prominent players in our peace process have travelled abroad to other troubled spots to share their [...] read our review »
Copies of David Vance’s book Unionism Decayed: 1997 – 2007 are still available. Its product description on Amazon is “Unionism Decayed is the book that finally lifts the lid on the catastrophic failure of political unionism over the past decade. The alleged “peace process” which culminated in the Good Friday Agreement has been a monumental fraud and this book shows how unionist participation in it has profoundly weakened the Union, rewarded terrorists and facilitated the corruption of the democratic process.This book also confounds the accepted wisdom of the political establishment that appeasement of terrorists is a price worth paying. It forcefully points out that doing wrong can never be right. From the Ulster Unionist David Trimble’s first faltering steps into the IRA/Sinn Fein boudoir in 1997 to Democratic Unionist Ian Paisley’s full blooded embrace of Martin McGuinness in 2007, this book charts the serial failure of the leadership of Unionism to stand by its principles. It also provides a candid insight into the various major unionist personalities over this ten year period. It laments the shameful betrayal of the RUC, the subversion of the established Churches, the tragic self- defeat of the Orange Order and the elevation of loyalist terrorists as spokesmen for this brave new world.This book is essential reading for anyone who supports the aims of the global war on terror. It clearly demonstrates that an honourable peace cannot be bought by appeasing evil, it must be won by defeating it. The institutionalising of terrorism in Northern Ireland sets a dangerous precedent for the rest of the democratic world. The corrupt template it provides encourages terrorist groups everywhere – from Hamas, to ETA, to FARC.Edmund Burke observed that “The people never give up their liberties but under some delusion”. Unionism Decayed shows how democracy is twisted out of all recognition when the State and its many agencies maintain such delusions”
“Boudoir”? “full blooded [sic] embrace”?” Between Ian Sr and Marty? Is this a political book or a bodice-ripping rollercoaster with good, evil, treachery, violation and the defilement of pure unionism in Sinn Fein’s boudoir? All in 160 pages?
Only in Northern Ireland could you have this rubbish and I am astounded that media savvy parties have not campaigned in Britain to have the activities and behaviour of this party exposed.
I suppose TUV will be deep in discussion with there sister party at the meeting.www.omrlp.co.uk
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I suppose TUV will be deep in discussion with there sister party at the meeting.www.omrlp.com/
Posted by Paul on Jan 28, 2010 @ 07:52 PM
Paul, have you ever considered signing up to a basic adult literacy programme? How many times have you made your little ‘joke’ linking the TUV with the Loonies?
You seem to want the TUV to behave like the Equality Commission and be against discrimination except when it doesn’t feel like it.
It is an Orange party.
Get over it.
Not that the Orange Order has significant influence these days, but it can act as a sort of unionist conscience.
Got a leaflet about this through the door at the weekend, up in Belmont. Keen to go, if only to compare with my other recent outing to the Workers’ Party conference (lol)… and to see the inside of an Orange Hall for the first time. But given it’s being held in PUP territory it could be a very interesting meeting indeed.
‘Unionism Decayed: 1997 – 2007 ‘
I’ve always known that ‘unionism ‘ was rotten but I did’nt think it decayed in 2007 . I see the TUV are trying to resurrect the corpse of ‘unionism’ with traditional anti irish and anti catholic principles ‘
Meanwhile the Tories are trying to resurrect the UUP political corpse via the UCUNF resuscitation method .
It almost makes the DUP seem positively normal ;( Now that’s a scary thought
So is Vance’s book worth a read jaggers? and if not is the book paper of the requisite absorbent quality for rear end emergency use ?
Greenflag,
You can take a look at the first few pages of the book at
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/1434364712/ref=sib_rdr_dp
and make your own mind up. I found the book to be unengaging and trite, it’s less an exploration of issues, more an articulation of predictable rhetorical questions. I’d wait for the Gaelic version to come out if I were you.
According to Hearts & Minds the TUV may bump into the DUP and UUP who are all playing footsy with the Orange Order.
There hasnt been this much unionist unity since the anglo irish agreement! And we all know what a success that was! NEVER NEVER NEVER…well ok then!
The following is from the TUV website
“Statement by TUV Leader Jim Allister QC
“Devolving policing and justice is a Strand 1 issue, so why is Cowan and his entourage from a foreign government at Hillsborough and involved in talks on this internal UK issue?”
“It is only if devolved policing and justice is to have a north/south dimension that it becomes a Strand 2 issue, but the DUP has long protested that such cannot and will not happen. So, why is Cowan there? Is it, after all, that north/southery will be built onto devolved policing and justice – another sound reason why it should not happen.”
Does anyone know who “Cowan” is? Maybe if there was a Christian name or designation of some sort that would help identify “Cowan”. I wonder what they thought of Taoiseach (Crikey, is that the Irish language) Brian Cowen’s attendance?
jaggers ,
Thanks for that . I can’t fault his initial analysis of ‘Unionist’ leadership and I see where he is coming from at least in those first few pages .
Equating the IRA appeasers to Chamberlain in WW2 is more than a bit of stretch . In so far as I know the IRA never had any intention or interest in the invasion/conquest of Britain ?
But why 1997 ? Surely Unionism had many opportunities prior to that time to do a deal with the non IRA nationalist party the SDLP ? ANd even now Unionism is fluffing it’s chances again ?
If I come across Vance’s tome I may even read it some time . I can’t think of any other ‘unionist ‘ out there who has written anything ‘critical ‘ of the ‘unionist ‘ political establishment . There’s no shortage of critics for the Republic’s establishment in the bookstores:)
Genuine question here, no attempt at smear of any kind. But are all of these books on Amazon by the same David Vance? Some of them wouldn’t seem like fundamental unionism’s cup of tea…
http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/search-handle-url?_encoding=UTF8&search;-type=ss&index=books-uk&field;-author=David Vance
Hilarious John :->
The link didn’t come out too well so I put it into a tiny.cc link – I think they prefer short links on here anyway.
http://tiny.cc/FI9XW
Looks like Vancey is going to announce his candidacy! Can’t wait…to see him whipped out. Again.
Links playing up again. This is the correct link to books published by David Vance on Amazon. Not clear whether there is more than one David Vance.
http://tiny.cc/XPTv3
Could I go in my pyjamas after I get thrown out of tesco?
“David Vance seeks to make his models appear like Greek statues – and succeeds with brilliance. Every picture is a piece of timeless art that you want to blow up and hang on your wall. ”
And you think you know someone.
Stephen Ferguson wrote:
“Perhaps they seen (sic) what happened when the Orange Hall on Whitewell Road opened it’s doors to cross community line dancing once a week.
Petrol bombs, break-ins, stoning, bottles thrown, cars being damaged, sectarian graffiti, pensioners being physically and verbally abused and death threats on a weekly basis from the local population”.
And here’s me thinking that the Free P’s wanted to ban line dancing because it led to ‘Nudge, nudge – wink, wink’. Or was it the other way round?
Jeez, Steve, you can’t be too careful with that there line dancing, boy. It’s the devil’s music!
If I go to the meeting, will David Vance guarantee my safety ?
Is it not fitting for this meeting to be held in an orange hall? As both the OO and the TUV are anti agreement unionist bodies.
The only difference is that the OO claims to be a non political body which bible based and church grounded.
It contradicts itself as it also advised its members to vote No in political referendum in relation to the GFA and hosts political meetings when it takes the notion.
The TUV on the other hand claims to give a voice to Traditional Unionists throughout Northern Ireland who reject unrepentant terrorists at the heart of government and who feel betrayed by those who ushered them into government. In essence we occupy the ground forsaken by those who for the sake of office sacrificed their principles. We hold that “nothing which is morally wrong can be politically right.”
The TUV may be dinasours to most people but atleast it is not in denial unlike the Orange Order.
Re the Amazon link above – Will David attending this meeting with copies of his 2010 calender?
Mite liven up the evening?
Check out the July Picture of the Two David’s, Vance and Calvert, marching up the Garvaghy Road wearing only their sashes. Truly inspiring!!
Jeez, Steve, you can’t be too careful with that there line dancing, boy. It’s the devil’s music!
Posted by Banjaxed on Jan 28, 2010 @ 10:23 PM
Wee bitta Dolly Parton never hurt anyone!
Down, Stephen, down boy! Easy does it. Take another drop of that non-devil’s buttermilk. The very mention of thon line dancing is bringing out the baste in ye!
ah the wit and wisdom of Slugger’s cognoscenti. An inspiration to behold.
The Ballymacarrett District 6 Orange Lodge which is based in this hall encompasses all the local lodges in East Belfast and a little bit beyond.
Therefore Jim Allister will be holding court in the District Lodge which has politicians such as Peter Weir DUP MLA, Reg Empey UUP leader and MLA,Michael Copeland ex UUP MLA, Jim Rodgers UUP Councillor, as leading members.
Will the above mentioned be attending this meeting, in a show of unionist unity in their local district lodge.
Framer, Page one #18; guilty-feeling racists?
Is there an Orange race? I can only find this
http://www.thisissouthdevon.co.uk/news/roll-town-s-orange-race/article-282005-detail/article.html
It doesn’t make me feel guilty.
Perhaps there is a people related to the fellows ‘Uncle Jeffrey’ has reportedly spotted in New England
http://boards.history.com/topic/Conspiracy-Theories/Has-Anyone-Else/520023316
I have nothing against these visitors.
I don’t quite take your point.
David Vance ,
‘ah the wit and wisdom of Slugger’s cognoscenti. An inspiration to behold.’
How does Mr Vance propose to deal with the opposition of some 750,000 or almost half the population of Northern Ireland to the TUV and what it stands for ?
I guess we know already -by retreating to an Orange hall in deepest East Belfast .
You’ve picked the wrong party again Vance . At least you’re consistent in that respect
! Not that any other Unionist party is much better as you’ve pointed out in your epistle to the lost tribe of Israel 
Greenflag
Using your words, if half the population opposes us, half must support us.
Unionists do not “retreat” into East Belfast – we advance into it. East Belfast is Mr Robinson’s electoral heartland – tonight, we claim it back for unionist voters who expect more than part-time third rate MP.
David Vance ,
‘Using your words, if half the population opposes us, half must support us.’
Eh They were not my words . I’d rephrase your soundbite as follows
‘if half the population opposes us, half MAY support us.”
I take it you haven’t yet reached the point of forcing people to vote TUV or else ?
Whether you remove Mr Robinson or not will make little difference to the overall issues at stake in NI . And those issues will NOT be resolved by the TUV not from what I’ve seen of their platform anyway .Nor will they be resolved by the UCUNF crowd -nor by the DUP alone . NO matter which way ‘Unionists ‘ face the political future they will have to share power with their political opposites in SF . Any unionist who believes anything else is possible at this stage is as you’d say ‘wired to the moon ‘
I guess if you’re advancing into East Belfast then the ‘greening ‘ of Northern Ireland must be further advanced than I would have thought .
Of course if by some ‘miracle’ the TUV oust the DUP from their top spot within ‘unionism ‘ we can all look forward to another 10 years of weasel wording from the new DUP-sorry TUV as they try to find a formula of words which will enable them to share power with the elected representatives of the Irish people of Northern Ireland .
Anyway it’s Friday so here’s a joke to cheer you up on your road to mission impossible .
version 1
Goldberg from Belfast was being recruited to the UDA .
The brigadier comes for inspection and when he sees Goldberg he asks him:
‘Tell me , why should a soldier of the UDA sacrifice his life for Ulster ‘
Goldberg : ‘ You are quite right brigadier , why should he ‘?
version 2
Goldberg’s cousin was being recruited into the IRA .
The ASU commander comes for inspection and when he sees Goldberg he asks him :
‘Tell me , why should a soldier of the IRA sacrifice his life for Ireland ?’
Goldberg :
‘You are quite right , officer , why should he? ‘
14.Looks like Vancey is going to announce his candidacy! Can’t wait…to see him whipped out. Again.
Posted by LabourNIman on Jan 28, 2010 @ 09:59 PM
Well, if he does, good on him for doing so. Who exactly will LabourNIman be voting for given his party wont stand candidates in Northern Ireland?
iluvni – you make it sound like we never will. Shows how little you know..
Who will I be voting for in the general? I’ll need to know what parties will be standing first. Last time it was the vote for yourself party. Was almost spoiling my vote until I figured a protest vote is just as good.
I notice Vancey hasn’t denied it either..
Unionists do not “retreat” into East Belfast – we advance into it. East Belfast is Mr Robinson’s electoral heartland – tonight, we claim it back for unionist voters who expect more than part-time third rate MP.
Posted by David Vance on Jan 29, 2010 @ 12:48 PM
all 150 of you.
Radio report said 100.
40 of those where waiting for band practice after the meeting
Radio report said 100….
probably more accurate.
With the DUP on the ropes over Iris and doing a deal with the shinner, Jim Allister and David Vance couldnt muster up more than a hundred odd people
150, 100, DUP claim a few dozen! lol.
Ask the media who were there!
250 – standing room only, but hey, deny away. I’m sure you will bring comfort to poor Peter.
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150, 100, DUP claim a few dozen! lol.
Ask the media who were there!
250 – standing room only, but hey, deny away. I’m sure you will bring comfort to poor Peter.
Posted by David Vance on Jan 30, 2010 @ 12:12 PM
David hold a meeting in a broom cupboard and you can claim standing room only.
I wonder how many travelled from outside east belfast
The truth is this was very Under attended given current DUP difficulties. Once again David Vance brings the touch of political death to another political party. UKUP MkII
Cheers Harry J- it’s that sort of erudite contribution that makes Slugger so worth reading.
Seriously david, less thatn 150 people many of them from outside east belfast – TUV groupies..
Looks like your gonna do to Jim what you did to Bob – political oblivion awaits.
I hear cedric and norman boyd and being brought in as well, just like old times eh david, all the political heavyweights together
David are we going to see your face on telegraph poles in the near future?
Harry J
Maybe you hear too much but don’t listen?
RS
Well, we shall see but hanging from a telegraph pole is a daunting prospect!!
so david are you saying Cedric wilson and norman boyd will not be joining the TUV?
The Orange Hall, on the Albertbridge Road, has been the venue for the monthly meetings of the Belfast Branch(approximatley 20 members) TUV for the past year-and-a-half, presided over, by would-be-nominee-candidate for the upcoming Westminster elections for Belfast East, Harry Toan.
It was a former member of the party, and also a member of the said lodge, that arranged for the meetings of the TUV to be held there despite grumblings from that Lodges’ members.
its quite clear that the people of east belfast avoided this meeting in their droves
Whether 100 or 150 or 250 it must be a disappointment to messrs Vance , Allister & Ross and the rest of the cabal
They have a mountain to climb. Which reminds me did not their former fuhrer climb a mountain in the early 1980′s in the middle of the night along with 500 men brandishing ‘fire arm ‘ certificates ? Ah yes those were the days when Unionist politicians stood by their principles if they had any and found new principles if they had to
So where to now for the TUV ?
First find a mountain
But do remember old Chinese saying .
‘If you hunt for fish you won’t find them in a tree ‘
250 – standing room only, but hey, deny away. I’m sure you will bring comfort to poor Peter.
Posted by David Vance on Jan 30, 2010 @ 11:12 AM
With modern age technology being available, even to Dinasours such as TUV, and with wanting I’m sure to document this historic meeting, the party did bring along a camera etc, and welcome along the media(oh wait, there where more pressing issues elsewhere).
Greenflag
Yes, we were devastated to only fill the hall.
Thanks for that acute analysis, you and Harry J bring so much profound insight.
All decent unionists are welcome in TUV.
‘All decent unionists are welcome in TUV.’
So Mrs Robinson will be welcome
‘ also we were devastated to only fill the hall.’
Well then you should have rented a larger venue no ?
There your 250 would have looked ominous spread out among 3,000 empty seats . Obviously the TUV have read their Goebbels and his propagandistic maxims .
Damp squib Vance and you know it . We look forward to your mug perched high up on a telegraph pole and to your 500 votes . But good luck anyway . I have a certain sympathy for any individual who is trying to make some kind of sense out of the ‘unionist ‘political quagmire of idiocy built upon idiocy and a complete and utter failure to come to terms with the modern world ! It can’t be fun thinking you are the only person with half a brain inside the political lunatic asylum that is unionism and it’s camp followers.
Most people who were there were from outside east belfast, the usual TUV suspects… East Belfast will vote Robinson without a doubt
Harry J ,
That they will .