Tuesday, March 27, 2007
And he’s gone…
The answer to Fair Deal’s question this morning, is Jim Allister has gone… no indications that he’ll resign the seat… He’s a loss to the party, and by far the most senior (and most talented of their dissenters)... Interesting to see if any others follow his example.
Mick Fealty @ 01:09 PM
And with the President of the European Commission, José Manuel Barroso, having extended an invitation for the parties to meet with him to discuss how the EU can support devolved government 1/3 of our MEPs will be on the outside looking in and not supporting the wishes of everyone else.
I wonder if Jim Nicholson will now be moving to isolate this dissenting voice that can only damage our prospects in Europe?
Though it does free Allister up to join the far-right grouping in Europe where he seems to have a natural home.
Posted by on Mar 27, 2007 @ 02:47 PMSam Gaston (Glarryford) - a Ballymena DUP councillor has also resigned. Another Ballymena Councillor Roy Gillespie was reportedly in tears at the Council meeting last night but hasn’t yet resigned. William Wilkinson of FAIR and another Ballymena DUP Councillor was on the local radio yesterday evening criticising the party as well.
As far as I’m aware the DUP are to discipline quite a few of their Ballymena councillors sometime this week. Must be something in the water up here…
Posted by on Mar 27, 2007 @ 03:31 PMDoes Jimmy Spratt get booted out of 139 Holywood Road?
Posted by on Mar 27, 2007 @ 03:31 PMI myself stood alongside Jim and his principles. I like Jim asked people to vote for DUP - I too feel that the Army Council should have been disbanded before Doc sat down with SF in any press conference.
Jim why only now tell us that there was no plan B? We went on the doors and sold this to the people and now you are telling us this was never on the table - why did you not tell us this the ordinary party members, why not raise your doubts about a plan B to us the ORDINARY DUP members who only hear about the party’s dicssions when it is announced on the news.
I feel let down by all those in the DUP exeutive if this is the case. This disapointment includes all those who should have told us what was happening within the party (MLA’s MP’s & Councillors) - after all WE are the real party - it is the party workers who do the work not the politicians. If it was not for us going on the doors and doing your dirty work you would not have got the vote you did. How can I face the people who I persuaded on the doors to vote DUP? I know that there may have been no alternative but why fed us the party workers a lie and tell us that there was a plan B.
I still believe that the Anti SAA candidates who stood along Bob did not have an alternative - after all they had no manifesto and did not have an alternative and I have no problem in not supporting them and telling others not to support them butI now have a problem - where will I cast my vote come the next election? Will the DUP hold to their manifesto and not enter government with those who are unrepentent or will they continue on the course they are on. I sadly feel that it is lights out for the principled people with in the DUP?Posted by on Mar 27, 2007 @ 03:32 PMThe resignation of Jim Allister is a blow but lets not forget that this is the second time he has quit the DUP. I don’t think it will do the DUP any long term damage, they could run anyone and retain that seat in Europe and probably still top the poll. It does remain to be seen however if this will affect their plan to run two candidates at the next euro election as they are rumoured to be planning in order to wipe out Jim Nicholson.
Allister could of course run as an independant but would he get many votes?
Posted by on Mar 27, 2007 @ 03:42 PMI wonder where this leaves Christopher Stalford, one of Jim Allisters workers? Will he also walk after failing to win a seat in the election?
Posted by on Mar 27, 2007 @ 03:45 PMI see the UUP have problems too. One of their peers, Baron Ballyedmond of Fianna Fail and the Conservatives faces criminal proceedings over his Norbrook Laboratories company.
Posted by on Mar 27, 2007 @ 04:10 PMI’m with Allister on this one he seems to be the only Dup person standing by what they campaigned for.
Is anyone else getting sick of Gavin Robinsons rants in the Newletter, surely his days are numbered.
Posted by on Mar 27, 2007 @ 05:08 PMWhat a shocking hypocrite - Allister should resign his MEP seat if he is leaving the party.
I don’t know if he is a loss to the party - a quitter twice over. I thought during the last election he was a bit of a fairweather friend, so this is no surprise.
Posted by on Mar 27, 2007 @ 05:08 PMI say Allister deserves a big kick in the arse on the way out the door!
Posted by on Mar 27, 2007 @ 05:29 PMI say Allister deserves a big kick in the arse on the way out the door!
Why for standing by the principles he was elected on?
Posted by on Mar 27, 2007 @ 05:32 PMAt least Allister is sticking to his principles, unlike the rest of the DUP.
Jim must have believed the 7 years of rhetoric about being anti-agreement, “burying” the Agreement, “never” going into government with the Provos, etc., etc.
But it was surely obvious from 2003, once they “smashed the UUP”, that the DUP had done a U-turn on this?
Posted by on Mar 27, 2007 @ 05:34 PMWhat the hell has Paisley been protesting for then for over 30 years?
Why did Donaldson and co leave the UUP and join the DUP, are the all liars and power/money grabbing bastards?
Posted by on Mar 27, 2007 @ 05:37 PMThe Allister interview on the beeb was funny, he was being all sanctimonious about the big man being lured by money and power and how he (Allister) would never abandon his principles and do that for money….right before he said he would resign the party but not his seat!!!
He should resign his european seat, he got that solely by running for the DUP and if he dares to argue otherwise then he shouldn’t mind a by-election should he? Bring it on Jim!
Posted by on Mar 27, 2007 @ 05:43 PMJim Allister is a man of principle. Unfortunately, the majority of the Roman Catholic population in NI continue to vote for a bunch of sectarian murderers and criminals who have never said sorry to the families of the innocent UDR and RUC members they killed. Gerry Adams and the rest of the Sinn Fein IRA terrorist group need to start making peace instead of just talking peace. All we hear from SF IRA is about working the system to bring about change. They have blood on their hands and they refuse to humble themselves.
Posted by on Mar 27, 2007 @ 06:37 PMJim Allister is one of the few poeple who stand by what they say, after the shouting of his fellow menbers he has stood by his word good on him and I am sure he will work hard for ever one in Northern Ireland as a MEP
Posted by on Mar 27, 2007 @ 06:58 PMwho let Jim Allister on here!
Posted by on Mar 27, 2007 @ 06:59 PMSlugger editors : is there any way you could publish the IP address of posters next to each contribution ? I’ve a sneaking suspicion that several of the posts here are the same person.
PeaceandJustice :
Jim Allister is a man of principle. Unfortunately, the majority of the Roman Catholic population in NI continue to vote for a bunch of sectarian murderers and criminals who have never said sorry to the families of the innocent UDR and RUC members they killed.
If Jim Allister is a man of principle, why did he join a party that refused to discipline one of it’s most senior MPs for taking to a podium with Billy Wright ? Should the electorate who consistently vote DUP despite their flirtations with loyalist paramilitaries be blamed every time the UDA/UVF/etc shoot someone ?
Posted by on Mar 27, 2007 @ 07:14 PM“What the hell has Paisley been protesting for then for over 30 years?
Why did Donaldson and co leave the UUP and join the DUP, are the all liars and power/money grabbing bastards?
Posted by Ian on Mar 27, 2007 @ 07:37 PM”
Yes, but sure all of the parties here except Alliance and SDLP have more or less surrendered their principles or are now wearing other peoples clothesPosted by on Mar 27, 2007 @ 07:17 PM“He should resign his european seat, he got that solely by running for the DUP and if he dares to argue otherwise then he shouldn’t mind a by-election should he?”
Definatley, he is already yesterdays man with yesterdays opinions, I don’t even think he’ll have the minerals to stand in the next european election. Next week he’ll be as relevant as Bob McCartney.
Posted by on Mar 27, 2007 @ 07:22 PMI’m sure the DUPers regret supporting Allister as their European candidate! Hard to believe the guy who took over Paisleys seat of 25 years has betrayed the Rev and is now an independent.
Or has the Rev betrayed Jim…
Posted by on Mar 27, 2007 @ 08:23 PMComrade Stalin
Slugger editors : is there any way you could publish the IP address of posters next to each contribution
They could block the IP address of multiple posters. It’s been a problem for quite a while.
Posted by on Mar 27, 2007 @ 08:34 PMThank You Comrade and Gav
Paisley’s principle is simply
“I will only accede to a deal with Sinn Fein when it has been done by someone I trust”
And finally it has.
Posted by on Mar 27, 2007 @ 08:37 PMPerhaps an intelligent man but a thoroughly obnoxious , arrogant and offensively prejudiced man that I have ever had the misfortune to meet.
I am glad he is gone from the DUP but would be happier still when he is gone as an MEP as he will surely be whether in a by election or in the next European elections unless he stands down first. What now for the young men modelling themselves on him - yesterdays men all.
For all that it is clear a la Bob McCartney is that JIm Allister is also not really suited to a political party unless he has some control over it—too big of an ego.
Posted by on Mar 27, 2007 @ 08:40 PM“Comrade Stalin - I’ve a sneaking suspicion that several of the posts here are the same person”
I’ve a sneaking suspicion that several of the posters on here are paid to do so by the SF-IRA terrorist group.
“Comrade Stalin - why did he join a party that refused to discipline one of it’s most senior MPs for taking to a podium with Billy Wright?”
Pan-Nationalists are very good at taking one incident and constantly repeating it. OK, so one DUP politican shared a platform with Billy Wright. Yet, Martin McGuinness admits to being a member of the IRA whose death squads murdered the innocent in front of their families. And Unionists are expected to share more than a platform with him.
Republicans really need to get serious about MAKING peace. Jim Allister is right to be suspicious about them. What happens if they rob another bank in a couple of months time? Where is the promised exclusion mechanism?
Posted by on Mar 27, 2007 @ 08:40 PM
