Sunday, March 25, 2007
The DUP Executive Motion
The resolution of the DUP executive passed yesterday by a reported 90%.
“The DUP is always anxious to make progress on a basis that is stable and which can command community confidence. Very significant advances have been made over the years since the DUP was mandated as the voice of unionism and our strategy is still working. We acknowledge that a significant opportunity exists to have devolution returned in a context which can make a real and meaningful improvement in the lives of all the people of Northern Ireland. We wish to advance that prospect consistent with our renewed and strengthened electoral mandate and based on our manifesto pledges.
The Party Officers having consulted widely, weighed up all the relevant matters and reviewed progress on outstanding matters recommend to the Party’s Central Executive Committee that the DUP would support and participate fully in a Northern Ireland Executive if powers were devolved to it on an agreed date in May of this year. Moreover, we are willing to bridge the short gap between now and then with preparatory work including departmental pre-briefings and finalising a Programme for Government.
This firm commitment is offered within an environment where no one, including the government, goes back on any of the advances and commitments made.
It is essential, in order to bring the overwhelming majority of unionists forward with us that all parties - ourselves included - use this short period to raise the level of confidence in the community and instil a positive attitude towards devolution and local control.
While this timetable may not dovetail with the arbitrary one set out by the government everyone will understand that throughout recent years many months have been set aside while republicans were allowed to prepare their support base and adjust to one set of circumstances or another. Unionists are entitled to the same breathing space.”
Fair Deal @ 10:06 AM
mchinadog,
they made the deal with Tony Blair at NO10, he agreed to it no matter what other people including Hain says. Hain has egg on his face and does not like it that is why he is trying to force the DUP to go cap and hand to Sinn Fein/IRA to plead with them for the delay, well he can think again.
Can you think of one good reason why Tony Blair would feck his SoS over for a DUP fudge that would only result in another DUP fudge six weeks later, and another fudge however many weeks after that? Could be so, but I can’t think of why he’d want to do that.
Posted by on Mar 25, 2007 @ 05:35 PMYokel
“Quite simply IF THERE ARE NO UNEXPECTED UPSETS, the DUP have to deliver or else they’ll be in some diffs with their voter base.” (My emphasis)
But this is my point: if there is to be a six week delay, I would fully expect an “unexpected upset”.Then we’ll see claims and counterclaims, media hysteria and, very quickly, media and establishment consensus that whatever it is, it’s all the fault of republicans. Evidence either way will be unnecessary as everyone will believe what they wish to believe anyway.
End result: the executive will never meet in May, or May ‘08 or May ‘10 for that matter.
Perhaps I’m being too pessimistic, but then I’ve been paying attention to the way the NI state has been conducting its affairs, from partition right through to the Stormontgate coup.
My prediction will still be in the Slugger archives come May - hopefully I’ll be proved wrong, but mark my words: if there is to be a delay, “events” will intervene and save the status quo for another few years.
And most people will blame “the republican movement” - the ever-available Emmanuel Goldstein of the Northern Ireland state.
Posted by on Mar 25, 2007 @ 05:38 PMOut of interest who are the party officers in the DUP?
Posted by on Mar 25, 2007 @ 06:01 PMGreenflag
The average voter isn’t exactly mean’t to know everything. Thats just how it goes.
Posted by on Mar 25, 2007 @ 06:02 PMBlair is too shrewd and devious to allow the 6 weeks to be conditional as stated in the DUP motion.
He will not leave them any wriggle room this time. He will insist they are either in or they aren’t no pre conditions.
I think the DUP are between a rock and a hard place, maybe just maybe they are not the negotiators they thought themselves to be - tomorrow will tell a major tale!
Posted by on Mar 25, 2007 @ 06:22 PMIt is not clear if a deal was done with NO 10 but even if one was not done Blair is not going to drop Paisley into it by making a convincing denial.
He will go along with the illusion of an agreement for the sake of “the process” and no one else can do anything about it. Perhaps a very cunning move by DUP.
There may be a few banana skins lying around and SF will have to look where walking.Posted by on Mar 25, 2007 @ 06:26 PMListen guys, there is no point in propagandising about how this is a great victory for the DUP/SF (delete as appropriate).
The parameters are set. There’ll be powersharing in May. Its all arranged bar the choreography.
Posted by on Mar 25, 2007 @ 06:33 PMYokel,
‘The average voter isn’t exactly mean’t to know everything. Thats just how it goes. ‘
This is true but then I was’nt sugeesting you should know every nuance of policy as between the parties or even the policies of one party .
Whoever that it doesn’t matter who you vote for the Government always gets in -obviously was not referring to Northern Ireland :)Anyway till high noon
And now folks for the really final, final, truly final absolutely definitively final deadline of all deadlines I give you for the last time and last possible chance you know I mean it as I’ve meant it before or my name is not Peter Hain/Tony Blair /Bert Ahern (delete as appropriate) .Deja vu has never seemed so deja vu :(
But look on the bright side . No Assembly means probably the end of Paisley’s political career . In a way it would be a supreme irony if having dispatched all other ‘pretenders’ to the Unionist throne and having set himself up for ‘history’ the oul fella shoots himself in the head (not literally) just as he is about to achieve his ambition !
But seriously and we should treat this matter more seriously:) ! I’m sure we would if it wasn’t the 25th time this kind of last minute insanity is foisted on the political process by a bunch of political amateurs !
Anyway before Paisley is ‘fired’ I would like to extend a thanks to him for his sterling work in achieving what no Irish Government and no Sinn Fein or Republican or Nationalist party ever could and that is the almost single handed ‘destruction’ of the Ulster Unionist Party and for making politics in Northern Ireland a far more ‘exciting’ and interesting ‘phenomenon ’ than it really should ever have been . When the oul lad is gone what will the media do ? The Pope himself will be at a loss . Just imagine the missing headlines in fundamentalist Islamic newspapers .
‘First Minister of Northern Ireland condemns Pope Benedict as Anti Christ’
Allah akbar Paisley inshallah Akbar !
Posted by on Mar 25, 2007 @ 08:24 PMLooks like the Grand Old Duke has marched his loyal men up to the top of another big hill.
Will he march them down again (for only 6 weeks)!
Or will Peter Hain easter-egg them down for good!Posted by on Mar 25, 2007 @ 10:19 PMIreland has elections soon so SF can just flag up that the DUP has had time to play ball prior to the MLA elections and that was in effect what it was for.
If SF walks away they go direct rule becomes joint authority and if so they would have a bigger say in the Dail if they become part of the rainbow Government down their.Posted by on Mar 26, 2007 @ 06:23 AM
