Jude Collins has an excellent article in the Daily Ireland which looks at the implications of the effective demise of the UUP. He argues that the strength of the DUP will damage the prospects for nationalist candidates and looks at the options for Sinn Féin and the SDLP.He argues that as the SDLP has now fully embraced the cause of Unification it is worth considering not only electoral pacts but even an SDLP-SF merger. Nationalism is now faced with a …
In the Irish Times, David Adams admits he was partially wrong in his election forecast, but stands by his other prediction – “That was: with Sinn Féin and the DUP in pole positions within nationalism and unionism, we can expect little or no forward movement in the political process for the foreseeable future.”He argues that – Those who cling hopefully to the notion that a strengthened DUP can do business with Sinn Féin ignore recent history and the harsh realities …
THE glorious inter-unionist punch-up on this thread has made the pages of the Belfast Telegraph. It’s all getting very bitter lads – keep it up!Noel McAdam wrote: A senior party official also publicly clashed with a veteran member, speech writer and commentator on the Slugger O’Toole bloggers website. Press officer Alex Benjamin asked regular media pundit Alex Kane: “Do you not have a problem slagging the party that you profess to be a member of? “Would it be possible for …
DESPITE being the sole UUP voice at Westminster these days, Lady Sylvia Hermon hasn’t decided yet if she’s going to stand for the party leadership. She told the BBC she wanted to see UUP moving in a “more liberal direction”, putting clear water between itself and the DUP, and wasn’t impressed by the idea of a corporate leadership. Belfast Gonzosluggerotoole.com
NOW that James Cooper is likely to resign as UUP chairman, is recently-ousted MP David Burnside jockeying for the position? He told the Mirror (offline) that “[t]here has to be a fundamental re-examination of the officer tean, the management of the party, our finances and policy”.Burnside continued: “The problems will not be sorted out by any clever little scheme. We have had enough of advertising campaigns about decent people and fish and chips. The UUP have had presentational and organisational …
Irish Government Minister for Foreign Affairs, Dermot Ahern’s speech at UCD was picked up by the BBC yesterday, and the Irish Times today. and, on the internal discussion we’ve been told is underway within “the Provisional movement”, he warned – “An ambiguous outcome offered as a take-it-or-leave-it will merely repeat the weary cycle of Sinn Féin salesmanship followed by unionist rejection and collapse.” – Hmm.. would that be the “snake-oil salesmen”?Some excerpts from the Irish Times report on the speech …
IF anyone knows who the UUP defectors to the DUP are, feel free to post names below… It will be interesting to see if there are any newly-elected UUP councillors who leave – a tactic that could possibly backfire…So far, the trick has worked, but I am curious to see if there will be many voters who feel conned this time, so soon after giving their vote to another party. On the other hand, the reaction may be positive – …
It seems Sinn Féin in Foyle are looking to crank up the tension post the election by calling on the SDLP to support them and call for a referendum on Irish unity despite the Good Friday Agreement clearly outlining that one should only be called if it is clear that a majority would vote to leave the United Kingdom and join a united Ireland.SF’s Mitchel McLaughlin said: “Given our two parties espoused position in favour of Irish unity, I would …
The BBC’s Newsnight programme has stated that Irish and British Government sources have told them that senior members of the Sinn Féin leadership, specifically Gerry Adams, Martin McGuinness and Martin Ferris along with four others(the video feed will be available shortly) are members of the IRA’s governing council.. and the Irish Justice Minister, Michael McDowell, referred to IRA “political glove-puppets” in his contribution. All of which brings into question who Adams was addressing in his speech. Martin McGuinness was interviewed …
A very interesting statement from Sean Hayes, one of the Sinn Féin party members suspended after the Robert McCartney murder, in this report from Irelandclick.com – transcribed by the eagle-eyed Newshound. Although he ends with a rallying cry for Sinn Féin, he’s critical of the party’s decision to suspend him and Deirdre Hargey, and the report claims that other party members have resigned in protest. Sean Hayes also states “I have had many people who supported Deirdre approaching me and …
THE News Letter reports that David Archer Jnr has resigned as an Ulster Unionist councillor “and quit his party’s election campaign amid an inquiry into an alleged incident at a council office was launched”.The report continued: David Archer Jnr last night withdrew his candidacy in the local government elections and left his position on Lisburn City Council. A source said there was an investigation under way into “a latenight incident”. The council said it had received a report from its …
THE South Belfast branch of the UUP imploded earlier today after the 15 members of the Willowfield branch said they did not support the party’s candidate Michael McGimpsey, preferring the DUP candidate, Jimmy Spratt, instead. Belfast Gonzosluggerotoole.com
Sinn Féin President, Gerry Adams, has told RTE that he does not expect the IRA to respond to his call to give up their armed struggle, before the Westminster election on May 5 (click on audio link at bottom of article). Adams rejected assertions that his statement was an election stunt and he said that this initiative was bigger than the election. Will the lack of an IRA statement on its future intentions affect the Sinn Féin vote? George
The intimidation of the family and fiancée of Robert McCartney has been condemned by Taoiseach Bertie Ahern as the “usual sinister activity by sinister people”, a theme picked up by the Belfast Telegraph editorial, which also condemns the attack by loyalists on the home of Jack McKee. In contrast, The Guardian carries a quote from Sinn Féin’s Joe O’Donnell “I have to keep an open mind”, while the SDLP’s Alasdair McDonnell, said: “There are no two sides to this story…This …
Hot on the heels of endorsing a DUP candidate, former UUP leader Jim Molyneaux has now given his seal of approval to David Burnside, who thinks it’s time for one big unionist party. “I firmly believe that there will be united unionism post-Paisley and post-Trimble. There will be a realignment and I would prefer a merger,” he said. Good or bad for the long-term survival of unionism? George
Sinn Féin have decided that Deirdre Hargey, previously seen (or not) at Magennis’ Bar the night Robert McCartney was murdered, will not be standing as a candidate in the Belfast City Council elections – despite being selected by the party to contest the election. A SF spokesman is quoted in this Press Association report as saying “A decision was taken not to run more on than one candidate in Laganbank”… well, probably not that particular additional candidate..Also in the report, …
Eddie McGrady’s rival for the South Down seat, Catriona Ruane of Sinn Féin, has said her party wasn’t behind a leaked NIO office memo which appeared in the Irish News (subs needed) and contains stinging criticism by McGrady of John Hume’s peace strategy.Ruane said on SF’s website: ” I utterly refute Eddie McGrady’s allegation that Sinn Féin leaked this NIO memo. This is a futile attempt by Mr McGrady to distract attention from the substance of the document.. This document …
Ulster Unionist Party leader David Trimble has joined DUP leader Ian Paisley by saying he will never share power with Sinn Féin. Speaking in Belfast, Trimble also said if republicans wanted to be part of any future negotiations, they would have to show a complete change of heart. He claimed the Irish and British governments had failed to push republicans hard enough and had left it up to the UUP to ensure the IRA went out of business. Looks like …
Worth noting before it slips any further off the BBC main headlines. Speaking today at the Londonderry Chamber of Commerce, regarding his speech last week, Gerry Adams said “others have said there must be an answer within weeks, I have to say that in my opinion, it is not likely that the IRA’s process can conclude as hastily as that.” So, reading between the lines, aren’t we always, don’t expect an IRA response before the election? And why would there …
A pertinent quote at the end of this New York Times report on Adams’ speech, from Paul Bew, professor of politics at Queens University, on the tactics being deployed by Sinn Féin – “You have to say, ideologically, that it is selling the same horse twice.”The call for “initiatives” can be seen as an attempt to return to the situation last December and the stated position of the IRA then, still available on SF’s website, and probably worth noting – …
