Thursday, January 04, 2007
On the quality of dissenting voices and the difficulties they pose
There’s no doubt that Sinn Fein’s hardballing over the past week has got Blair to endorse the need for a firmer, public commitment from the DUP over the timetable for devolution of policing and justice, and nationalists will clearly view this as a successful move on the part of the Sinn Fein leadership.
Gerry Adams’ quickly released public endorsement of Blair’s stance- backed up within hours by Gerry Kelly, the party’s Policing spokesman, has cleared the republican side of the fence.
However, the rash rejection issued live on Talkback by DUP MP, Gregory Campbell, indicates that it is now the DUP who will be faced with either supporting the new position of Tony Blair or taking the flak for the postponement of the election.
In this regard, Campbell’s hard line response (listen out for his reference to Herod and Child Care!) illustrates that Paisley may have a hard sell on his hand, before he even gets to the grassroots.
UPDATE: In fairly strident tones, Foreign Minister, Dermot Ahern, has stated that the ball is firmly in the DUP’s court to provide “absolute” clarity over their commitment to devolution of justice and policing. Interestingly, Ahern comments that it would be ‘preferable’ if this was to occur before May 2008 (interview approx. 40 minutes into ‘Evening Extra’ programme.)
Chris Donnelly @ 04:10 PM
“Off the top of my head and based on the assumption the 10% drop from 2005 levels is evenly spread across all the constituencies and the other parties do not experience similar problems with turnout.”
Funnily enough the NIO had another of its private opinion polls before Christmas to establish the possible fallout in just such a scenario. My mole beneath the SoS’s sunlounger tells me that it predicted the UUP as still flatlining in disaster central and the DUP at risk in possibly five constituencies to Continuity Unionists behind Bob’s banner i.e. losing the splintered votes of 1998 that they picked up in 2001. No UUP gain from the DUP is predicted
The Bob brigade are targetting East, North and South Antrim, E Londonderry, and North Down, and have popular names available for some of those seats, as well as an adequate warchest
If even I know this, and the DUP’s moles are notoriously wellinformed, who thinks that the rash of tough statements yesterday is pure coincidence?
Posted by on Jan 05, 2007 @ 09:36 AMIn this post Chris Donnelly demonstrated admirably the forked-tongue approach of Sinn Fein - which can be summed up as thus - we don’t have the guts to do the deed on policing and we’ll scramble around blaming anyone and everyone for our shortcomings.
Mr. Donnelly is to be in one respect admired for his sheer brass-neck, but the truth is that no-one will buy his latest Goebbels-esque propaganda.
It is the Shinners who are holding the whole thing up, and they alone who are risking de-railing the process, because their leadership can’t adequately face down a bunch of hicks like Geraldine Dougan and Davy Hyland.
Posted by on Jan 05, 2007 @ 10:13 AMMr. Donnelly is to be in one respect admired for his sheer brass-neck, but the truth is that no-one will buy his latest Goebbels-esque propaganda.
Oh drat, snared again by one of those pesky kids..
Seriously, though, do you actually believe your own drivel, ‘Percy’? In which case, why don’t you have the ‘guts’ to stand over it using your own identity?
Posted by on Jan 05, 2007 @ 10:16 AMT.Ruth
“all have jobs to go to”
Sorry that doesn’t stand up to any particular examination.
1. The same is true of all the DUP’s MPs.
2. The Dodds family would take a hit. Morrow’s peerage isn’t the basis of a great life either. I assume McCrea Jnr runs in Mid-Ulster so that family would take a hit too.
3. DUP domination of constituencies has been partially built upon the assembly offices supplementing westminster offices, so they take a partial hit that way too.
4. The new DUP was built on the appeal of all of these people not Paisley (who was a barrier to its expansion), to continue to succeed all are still needed.“Whats the diisident solution to the problems faced by the people of Northern Ireland?.”
As for the TINA ending:
1. The DUP won’t succeed in selling this to doubters if they adopt UUP rhetoric.
2. I take it from a comment like that the ‘outstanding issues’ stuff was a fig leaf after all.Posted by on Jan 05, 2007 @ 10:20 AMYou handled that well Mr. Donnelly. I think it is offensive and insulting to readers for you to come on here and attempt to blatantly spin a situation because you are so blinded by your devotion to the Sinn Fein line.
The truth of the matter is that Sinn Fein appear to all intents and purposes to have bottled it on this issue. Blair statement endorsed the DUP position wholeheartedly and now to hide Sinn Fein’s blushes you come on here and try to talk up DUP divisions.
It’s a tactic which you have used before and demonstrates your Goebbels-esque nature.
BTW. Slugger allows for anonymity, attacking someones argument because you cannot identify them is childish and infantile.
Posted by on Jan 05, 2007 @ 10:32 AMGoebbels-esque nature.
Ahh, two references to Nazi Germany in one 24-hour setting.
A sure sign of an argument lost…
“BTW. Slugger allows for anonymity, attacking someones argument because you cannot identify them is childish and infantile.”
Ouch! In that case, care to reveal you own political preferences, and perhaps capacity within any political parties then???
Posted by on Jan 05, 2007 @ 11:13 AMDisappointed to see Gregory Campbell with these kinds of statements - think we’ve allowed SF too many easy grabs at evading the blame before.
No need to hand them an opportunity to move the spotlight away from their failure to support the police.
I dont think he wants another ‘sackcloth and ashes’ moment but the way some are talking you would nearly think they did!
Posted by on Jan 05, 2007 @ 11:24 AMWere all speculating at this stage and there is alot of smoke which won’t clear until the end of Jan. SF shouldn’t expect anything more off the DUP, they have been consistent and are no longer just saying NO which is progress.
The British Gov have the responsibility now and could make this potential deal happen by stating clearly that “Policing / justice powers and responsibility’s will be transferred to a Northern Ireland devolved government by a particular date in 2008 with no veto by anyone and the removal of any involvement by MI5’s in policing in Northern Ireland”. Then passing any necessary bills or laws that copper fastens this.
They are the only ones with the power to make that happen and I don’t think its alot to ask. Let’s see some vision from them for our future.They needed sit back and play the honest broker as they have the key role here. The Irish government also have a big role and responsibility to use their influence. So they both need to be clear on this issue to make the deal happen.
I don’t think ordinary people (majority) in Northern Ireland will have a problem with that and our own wee justice minister responsible to the people who voted for him/her.
Come on Britain, divide and conquer is so last century or the one before.
Posted by on Jan 05, 2007 @ 01:23 PMT.ruth
On reflection, two additional points:
1. You also overlook that 8 of the 12 would lose their jobs.
2. There is also an implication in your remarks that others back it simply because it keeps them in a job. Hardly a belief the DUP should be promoting.Posted by on Jan 05, 2007 @ 03:18 PM
