DUP – Page 47 – Slugger O'Toole

Unionists! “Surprise us with original thinking and sensible strategies: and surprise Sinn Fein, too, while you’re at it!”

Mick Fealty on June 19, 2014, 3:01 pm

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I’m not sure there is much that anyone else (in any other political party I mean) can learn from Sinn Fein. Their sheer corporate autocracy is something even a party with the DUP’s history of demagogic leadership cannot match (and, as Chris Dillow notes, history really does matter) can match. But Alex Kane has a point in one particular regard with respect to unionism’s abysmally poor pitching of its own project… There is a pro-Union majority in Northern Ireland – a …

The Democratic Unionist Party: From Protest to Power #dupbook launch

Alan Meban (Alan in Belfast) on June 18, 2014, 12:31 am

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After much trailing in the Belfast Telegraph, five academics launched their book based around two years of research with DUP members and interviews with DUP elected representatives and staff. The Democratic Unionist Party: From Protest to Power looks at the origins of the DUP and its rise to power, the changing discourses that shifted the party from being anti-agreement to in government post St Andrews, as well as slicing and dicing the membership, the role of religion, faith and women …

Election results 2014: Unionism’s natural internal level

Turgon on June 7, 2014, 3:25 pm

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The dust is beginning to settle on the election. In actual fact the dust settled fairly quickly as there was not much created. On the nationalist / republican side there seemed remarkably little though I will leave discussion of that to those better qualified. On the unionist side there was slightly more but only slightly and if the results were compared say to the mainland GB elections one would say business as usual. Diane Dodds gained a small percentage at …

After the election… the DUP…

Mick Fealty on June 6, 2014, 7:29 am

| Readers 142

In putting together these post election profiles it is obvious the degree to which we arriving at a common Irish political culture based on the use of the Single Transferable Vote system of PR north and south. It concentrates the mind of political parties on the precise needs of their own voters (almost to the exclusion of all else) to a much greater degree than under systems elsewhere. It also makes matters difficult for external pundits to figure out what’s going on with …

And then, the marching season was back upon us…

John Ó Néill on June 4, 2014, 1:08 pm

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The Parades Commission has given its determination on the latest application by the ‘Ligoniel Combine’ to stage a parade along the section of the route that the Commission has specifically ruled out since 12th July last year. The reaction to this will, to some extent, colour the atmosphere as those summer parades that are usually contentious approach. Significantly, yesterday, First Minister Peter Robinson chose to avoid the debate on racism in the Assembly that his own comments sparked. Instead, he went with a …

#800babies, racism, homophobia: the cancer of absolutism

John Ó Néill on June 3, 2014, 5:42 pm

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This morning on Nolan, we had an insight into Peter Robinson’s worldview as the DUP, as a whole, seems to be accepting corporate responsibility for what he alone said: Breaking : DUP issue a public apology over racism row . Jonathan Bell tells Nolan show “we are sorry for the offence caused” — Stephen Nolan (@StephenNolan) June 3, 2014 Clearly, racism in the DUP isn’t confined to Robinson, as the words of Dineen Walker demonstrate. Paradoxically, though, while the DUP decided that, due to …

Kyle Paisley, Pastor McConnell & Peter Robinson

Kilsally on May 30, 2014, 9:50 pm

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Kyle Paisley has commented on the recent McConnell / Robinson Islam debate over on the Eamonn Mallie blog. While there are irreconcilable differences between the theology of Biblical Protestantism and the theology of traditional Islam, this is no reason for any man to go out of his way in order to insult another. One has to wonder what Kyle Paisley therefore thinks of Rev Ian Paisley protesting the Pope or Ian Paisley Jnr being ‘repulsed’ by gay people. All Free …

The next Chief Constable… is George Hamilton

Pete Baker on May 29, 2014, 3:46 pm

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Meanwhile, back at the ranch… Having “unanimously” agreed to appoint Matt Baggott as PSNI Chief Constable in 2009 for his strong advocacy of “community-style policing”, the Northern Ireland Policing Board, or its party political members, might be said to be experiencing buyer’s regret. Alternatively, those same political parties have undermined the outgoing Chief Constable throughout his tenure by putting their own party political concerns ahead of the ‘greater good’ – by word, and by deed. [“ahem* – Ed]. ANYhoo… with Matt Baggott announcing his …

That “Islam is a doctrine spawned in hell” sermon

John Ó Néill on May 28, 2014, 6:02 pm

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As the DUP have now entered the fray over the publicity around the anti-Islam sermon preached by Pastor McConnell, here’s a transcript of the extract that is under discussion: I know the time will come in this land, in this land, Protestant Ulster, so-called Protestant Ulster, so-called evangelical Ulster, even Billy Graham said that Northern Ireland was the last bastion of the Gospel … but … I know the time will come in this land and in this nation, to …

Robinson: Pastor McConnell ‘there isn’t an ounce of hatred in his bones’

David McCann on May 28, 2014, 10:00 am

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John Manley has an interesting interview with First Minister, Peter Robinson in todays Irish News. Over the last week a number of DUP representatives have voiced their support for Pastor McConnell and now Robinson has added himself to that list. Speaking to Manley he said; “This is somebody who has lived his life for Christ.” Questioned about Pastor McConnell’s attack on Islam, Mr Robinson said it was the duty of any Christian preacher to “denounce false doctrine”. “He’s …

McCann meets….Cllr Lee Reynolds @duponline

David McCann on May 21, 2014, 5:35 pm

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The DUP launched their local government manifesto for Belfast on Monday. I have always been intrigued by the DUP as they come across as a fiscally conservative party, yet they do seem to enjoy spending money, so, I went along to City Hall and spoke with the party’s council leader, Lee Reynolds about what his party propose to do over the next council term, issues around flags, rates and leisure centres all featured. I began by asking him about the …

BBC Spotlight European Debate #SpotlightNI

David McCann on May 20, 2014, 11:40 pm

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So, tonight I wandered over to the BBC to watch the last European candidates’ debate. What became apparent within the first ten minutes is how much political coverage in Northern Ireland misses Noel Thompson-an effective chairman with a dry wit and real knowledge of the issues. On to the debate itself-the format was excellent with fewer candidates being given longer to debate. It was really was a night and day experience from UTV last night as Thompson was able to …

Gordon Gillespie-Why Sunningdale was never going to work

Soapbox on May 20, 2014, 4:30 pm

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As it is the 40th anniversary of the UWC Strike we asked Dr.Gordon Gillespie who completed his doctoral research on the strike to write up a piece on why he feels that Sunningdale was always doomed to failure. Forty years ago this month the first attempt to create a cross community executive in Northern Ireland ended in failure. The political strength of loyalist power station workers allied with paramilitary force on the streets and backed by broad unionist support forced …

DUP to fight for flag, animal welfare and working with others..?

Mick Fealty on May 16, 2014, 5:44 pm

| Readers 128

Not much to argue with in the Slugger ratings of the PEBs to date, but I thought this latest from the DUP was an interesting attempt to focus on the locals and to flag up [Really? – Ed] some potential directions on policy. Along with a decidedly soft launch for their ‘Belfast Manifesto’. I’d be interested in hearing what people think of it, not least given the pretty torrid time the party has had in the last few months… DUP's …

DUP and Sinn Fein ready to exert ‘undue’ influence in London and Dublin?

Mick Fealty on May 15, 2014, 3:48 pm

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So Eamonn McCann thinks David Cameron is playing the Orange Card when it comes to the DUP: The fact that Cameron could arrange a hail-fellow-well-met get-together with the DUP in his garden on the evening when he knew that the Sinn Féin leader would be under interrogation suggests his anxiety to secure DUP support to stay on as prime minister overrides other considerations about the North. This doesn’t mean the timing of Adams’s arrest was designed to harm Sinn Féin at …

DUP back in Downing St while Adams was in Antrim police station – shock

Brian Walker on May 8, 2014, 9:20 pm

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Nick Watt of the Guardian is that rare thing in the Westminster lobby, a Sinn Fein watcher. Here he enters DUP territory with a flyer about what the DUP might do if they hold the balance of power in the next Parliament, with the Tories the largest single party. A little party was held in the No 10 garden just after a meeting about putting pressure on Libya to compensate Troubles. This story looks like Nick’s follow up to the …

Government shambles revealed over details of OTR links to murder

Brian Walker on May 7, 2014, 7:11 pm

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After republican outrage over Gerry Adams’ interrogation, it’s high time to revive unionist fury over the OTR comfort letters with the revelation that 95 out of 228 beneficiaries were linked by the police to murder. From the tortuous accounts by the Chief Constable Matt Baggott and ACC Drew Harris before the NI Select Committee of MPs today, the DUP can hardly be blamed for failing to realise in full what was going on. Neither did the Chief Constable for most …

So, you want to be a Cllr? Here’s some social media do’s and don’ts.

David McCann on May 4, 2014, 2:30 pm

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This round of local elections were interesting for me as I watched in January my twitter feed being swamped with tweets of election hopefuls announcing their candidacy for the various wards in the upcoming election. Ever since the election of Barack Obama in 2008, candidates have looked to social media to promote themselves and their issues. Now, the impact of this is debatable, I think that for local government elections, social media is a nice stocking filler for candidates. It …

Victims of Gadaffi’s arms imports to the IRA shouldn’t get their hopes up

Brian Walker on May 4, 2014, 12:42 pm

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This is one of the most acute problems of Northern Ireland today- politicians raising hopes for victims that stand little or no chance of being fulfilled. As an anti-cynic I’m prepared to believe that David Cameron’s meeting with a DUP delegation over reviving compensation claims against Libya disclosed in the Sunday Telegraph wasn’t just a clumsy diversion effort from the Adams arrest (wrong constituency and timing ).At least it got Peter Robinson into Downing St, a rare occurrence these days. It reads like …

Robinson: PSNI must not be subjected to ‘bully boy’ tactics

David McCann on May 4, 2014, 10:18 am

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This morning First Minister, Peter Robinson released this statement. The PSNI must not be the subject of republican bullyboy tactics. They must be completely free to follow any and all evidence regardless of where it takes them and to decide free of political considerations whether suspects will be charged or not. He continued; I warn Sinn Fein that they have crossed the line and should immediately cease this destructive behaviour. The inconsistency of the Deputy First Minister is clear for …