Can Peter Robinson please come to the Diary Room..?
The deal was bagged on Saturday night apart from the wrappings. Peter Robinson threw it on the table. But he/it was knocked backed!
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Books: Listening to Van Morrison…
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 »
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“Good Friday. The death of Irish Republicanism” by Anthony McIntyre: a review
This was a book that I first reviewed at the same time as “Unionism Decayed” back in 2008. Like Vance’s work, it is the author’s portrayal of a defeated political movement or ideal and as a Unionist it was instructional to read an interpretation of the immediate post-Agreement period from the other side of the fence. [...] read our review » -
Risk of going beyond either/or…
This is article was first published in Fortnight magazine back in February 2003. Chris Farrington is now a Government of Ireland Postdoctoral Fellow funded by the Irish Research Council for the Humanities and Social Sciences’ in the School of Politics and International Relations, University College Dublin. Although the circumstances it describes has changed radically and [...] read our review »
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Interesting chat on Nolan with Sammy Wilson repeatedly refusing to answer Nolan when asked if it as true that a clutch of senior party members threatened to resign if Peter did the deal.
Sammy got quite rattled though and then told Nolan the discussions on the deal were a private party matter and that the public had no right to know what went on in the DUP
Still, he’s better at finance.
I wonder would Sammy walk? After all, he publicly declared his support for a UDA plan to repartition the country, liquidating or forcefully removing any nationalists east of the Bann…
I never saw him as being as hard-line as Jeffrey or Gregory but you never know…
This could probably should split the Dup.
Its time to find who is at heart with Jim Allister and who wants Unionism to enter the 21st century.
It may lead to the demise of the Dup but well perhaps its day has gone.
Let Jim Allisters rump join him.
Maybe Unionism has stumbled upon the right merger i.e. The Dup members that want to live in the 21st century and mainstream Unionists from the UU.
And the UU party is crying out for leadership.
If Robinson gets the all clear he is certainly better than what the UU have produced.
JohnM,
‘I wonder would Sammy walk? After all, he publicly declared his support for a UDA plan to repartition the country, liquidating or forcefully removing any nationalists east of the Bann…’
‘liquidating nationalists ‘? what exactly does that mean ? Forcing them to drink more guinness ?. Perhaps Sammy’s views have now changed and he may even favour of a ‘fair’ repartition’ of NI minus the forceable removals .
The question remains -who exactly were/are the ‘clutchers’ . Is Robinson’s position as leader in temporary exile no longer tenable or under pressure . Do the ‘clutchers’ want to force an election now that they have the UCUNF on the back pedal ?
There is enough material in the present Unionist shambles to stage a broadway musical comedy satire
Unionism… which looks as if its all over the show.. at the moment, is divided and fracturing as we blog. Perhaps at last we are witnessing the great realignment of Unionism to move into the 21st century to survive, perhaps under a new leader, as the other’s are not much cop…Step forth the “big man”…could he really save Ulster…don’t knock it, he could swing it….who else then..?
Greenflag[5] Or, to quote the psychiatrist from Fawlty Towers, ‘there’s enough material there for an entire conference’ it’s almost gone beyond satire with the DUP now.
Did anyone see a recent Paul Merton jollie round Germany in which he came upon a comedy terrorist group. They were picketing the local nazi HQ.
Makes you think. Has anyone tried satire, ridicule, or just bannerspeak? It could almost be a full time job and with the local habit of manufacturing crises and calling in the cavalry there could be opportunities for night shifts as well. Where’s that arts council number. Drat their budget has been reduced by a mill.
Maybe it could be a satirical comedy opera… the arts council love their operas
Britain is incresingly becoming a multicultural society with increasing numbers of members of other European countries and former colonies immigrating to Britain. This is eventually going to reflect onto the government, whether that be Conservitive or Labour or whoever else comes along. Here in the North that can also be the case, how can Unionism attract or embrace different cultures and religions with their superiority complex. What will Unionist do then, without a sympathetic Government. Being minimalist and procrastinating now is detrimental to their position, as in the future Nationalism will have an even better hand.
16/10 against a deal put on the table by El Robbo supremo master strategist and tactical genius !
This is no longer about P&J, this is about a New Order demonstrating to one and all that Peter can no longer deliver. Looks like Peter is a spent force and will be joining his wife in exile.
Gregory Campbell
Jeffrey D
Jim Shannon
Michelle Mc Ilveen
Alex Easton
Willie Mc Crea
Peter Weir
Mervyn Storey
Wee Ian and Big Ian
David Simpson
Stephen Moutray
Maurice Morrow
Nigel Doods
Nelson Mc Causland
I was trying to make an attempt at picking who I believed would be the naes and I think the above list would be near enough to guarantee short odds off a bookie
I forgot about Jimmy Spratt who has remained as quiet as Ballynafeigh LOL in realtion to the parading issue in these present talks
‘Step forth the “big man”…could he really save Ulster…don’t knock it, he could swing it….who else then..?’
David Vance ? Jim Allister ? Super Mouse ? Father Jack Hackett -drink -feck -arse -girls
And it’s going to run for another week ??
It begins to look as if the proportion of unionism which can put its heart into power sharing is the same as it was in 1973.
A realignment might split the DUP, match half with the UUs and leave the rump to muck in with Jim Allister. but could power sharing survive with such a large section of Unionism on the outside?
Would we be left with ‘an untenable political entity’?
ardmaj55,
to quote the psychiatrist from Fawlty Towers, ‘there’s enough material there for an entire conference’ ‘
Another week of negotiations on this issue and NI psychiatrists will have a major spike in demand for their services . There was always a thin line between some aspects of ‘unionism’ and a certifiable need for psychiatric counselling anyway ;(
The current DUP navel gazing makes the 1920′s Free State angst over the ‘Oath’ almost rational .
Next up a DUP civil war -oops sorry – uncivil war ?
Ucunfen believe it if was fiction !
malachi,
‘but could power sharing survive with such a large section of Unionism on the outside?’
Good question . But why not ?I’m sure SF , UUP, AP , and SDLP can get by without a rump DUP/TUV . It’ll have to be faced down sometime anyway .
‘Would we be left with ‘an untenable political entity’?’
That’s what you have . It’s just nobody wants to admit it yet, or in some cases ever
The peace industry with its high wages and lucrative salaries could be coming to an end.
That will get a lot of sympathy from the thousands signing on at the dole offices aahhh whhhaaattt I dont believe it.
Would a 32 county ROI with a million unionists in the northern bit be a tenable political entity?
If the Unionists used their heads in such a state, unionism would be a political force that would need to be respected.
“Would we be left with ‘an untenable political entity’?”
The UUP appears to want to make the institutions work and would like to add some Catholics to their numbers.
The SDLP wants the institutions to work, but is rudderless and unable to lead their own politicians let alone their electorate.
Sinn Fein wants the institutions to work, but is unable to prove their bona fides to the greater number of unionists.
DUP appears to back the institutions by 50% or so and is heading for a leadership crisis and split.
TUV will never be in government in Northern Ireland.
At the moment, I would submit Northern Ireland is “an untenable political entity”
And that is a damn shame, because I think there are good people in each one of those parties who have worked very hard to get a grab the bull by the horns and make the thing work (with the exception of TUV).
Greenflag [17] Robinson isn’t even playing the hand he has, because he must know the ‘dirty dozen’ who have added three, couyld have joined the TUV before now and haven’t. He should call their bluff and see how many would actually jump ship. To judge from Campbell constant radio and tv clips, he knows his earlier statements are looking thin , so he’s repositioning himself, so isn’t likely to jump, and he’s one of those whose knuckles are nearest the ground in that lot.
Imagine the political clout unionists would have in a nine county parliament which would be an integral part of a 32 county federal reublic
federal republic (even)
A decade ago Unionism (with the UUP in the driving seat and DUP in the back seat) split over the Future and the Past.
No surprise therefore that in 2010 Unionism with the DUP driving and two unionis passengers will do the same thing.
As anyone interested in military history knows the rule is to travel at the speed of the slowest horse in the troop. (Naval men put it slightly different).
In a decades time with Jim Allister driving….the same thing happens.
Not that Republicans/nationalists should overly concern themselves. Throwing in more cliches and metaphors. All the unionists are doing is painting themselves into a corner,
There really is no hope for them.
Plan A, Plan B, Plan C, Plan X, Plan Y, Plan Z.
With a reported 60/40 split over the ‘big deal’ it is becoming clear why the hapless Peter Robinson was allowed to hang on to the FM and Leadership roles…
Just long enough for him to scrape through or go down with a deal the party cannot swallow, and make room for a transition at the top.
Adams, meanwhile, is turning into a real liability with his badly timed comments on ‘staging post’….what a gift to the nay sayers!
If unionism wants to prove Northern Ireland is a failed political entity, it’s certainly going the right way about it.
koan….actually Adams throwing a spanner in the works is a very calculated thing to do. It is NOT (in his view) a faux pas.
The whole point is to keep unionism divided. Building unionist confidence should be no part of a Republican agenda. I cant see anyone in DUP rushing to boost Republican confidence.
“cut the bull”
Nigel Doods is MP for Belfast North?
I understood it was Nigel Dodds
“cut the bull”
Nigel Doods is MP for Belfast North?
I understood it was Nigel Dodds
“cut the bull”
Nigel Doods is MP for Belfast North?
I understood it was Nigel Dodds
ardmaj55,
‘and he’s one of those whose knuckles are nearest the ground in that lot.’
It’s the fallacy of composition again . When everybody’s knuckles are close to the ground nobody’s knuckles are nearest to the ground .
I think Mr Robinson is staring into the political abyss but can neither jump nor retreat without bringing down the house (Assembly) .
Sammy Morse’s comment above is on the ball
‘ If unionism wants to prove Northern Ireland is a failed political entity, it’s certainly going the right way about it.’
Keep going lads -the cliff edge coming up .
Greenflag [8] To listen to Nolan Show with his unholiness Gregory, you can only come to the conclusion that Nolan is trying to outdo Jeremy Paxman’s question asked 14 times, and Gregory, trying to outdo |Michael Howard’s answers failing to answer 14 times that question. In the end though GC gave an answer realising his voters would be listening in and none too impressed.
The BBC producers of Spotlight have obviously given in to DUP blackm ail yet again to get Wilson on the debate show last night. It’s two months since the last one and not a single mention of Irisgate scandal. Who do they think is fooled?
Iris is fast disappearing over the Bishop Casey horizon . The horse sorry dam has been flogged to death . The hypocrisy has been outed .
The new upcoming scandal is planning irregularities in East Belfast and the DUP dissident 14 .
I’m sure Nolan’s digger’s are busy tunneling for ‘gold’ as the latest ‘scandal’ for ‘godly and righteous ‘unionism’ is revealed for all to see-well maybe all ?