Was Colum Eastwood doing the right thing when he attended the Ulster Unionist Party’s conference? It would depend on what you mean when you use the word ‘right’.
It was right in that it showed people he was prepared to work with the UUP. After all, the two parties are the Opposition in Stormont. It makes sense that they should be on friendly terms, and Colum Eastwood’s appearance at the conference could be seen as a symbol of that friendship. It’s not quite so right if you think of the SDLP as a nationalist party. Colum Eastwood maintains that Sinn Féin have given up on reconciliation with unionism, and the SDLP are the ones setting the pace for nationalism.
Give me a drink, Colum – I can’t swallow that one without something to wash it down. The reason Colum was at the UUP conference was because he thought it would help with the resurrection of the SDLP. And the only reasons Mike Nesbitt had him there was in the hope that his appearance would do something to give the UUP nn electoral leg-up. There’s nothing wrong with either motivation. What is a bit insulting to the electorate’s intelligence is to present Colum’s attendance as something to do with progress in reconciliation.
The fact is, both the SDLP and the UUP are at present has-beens. Occasionally when it becomes too much to bear, the SDLP will blurt out a reminder that it was they, not Sinn Féin, who created the Good Friday Agreement. Likewise the UUP – they’ll remind the DUP that Paisley and Co were opposed to the Good Friday Agreement.
But mostly they keep quiet on the topic. Because rather than remind voters of the rich legacy of good work the SDLP and the UUP bring with them, it reminds voters of how far the SDLP and the UUP have fallen.
Parties which tumble from a great height tend not to stand up, brush themselves off and return to former greatness. You might point to Fianna Fail as an example of just that. But their recovery is more the exception that proves the rule.
The sad (or glad) truth is that the UUP will never again draw the votes of most unionists here, and the SDLP will never again draw the votes of most nationalists again. They both have a role to play, if they are capable of acting as a responsible Opposition by pointing to deficiencies in the Executive’s performance and urging alternatives. That might even win them some more votes – not many, but some.
What won’t win them admiration or votes is being automatically agin anything that’s decided by Sinn Féin and the DUP, or claiming that they are motivated by concern for conciliation rather than a painful desire for survival. Once the SDLP and the UUP accept that it will never be glad confident morning again for either of them, they might do the state some service. As it is, they’re showing that the UUP’s detestation of the DUP and the SDLP’s detestation of Sinn Féin are stronger than any concerns they have about good government and/or the constitutional question.
Just wait until the next Westminster election when the UUP will enter into pacts just to keep Themmuns out.
Spot on, I was disappointed no commentator put that to either of the leaders when they were interviewed recently. Now if the UUP were to enter into an electoral pact or understanding with the SDLP, THAT would be a real man bites dog story.
All political parties think about the votes first and the good of the country second.
That applies to the establishment parties of Sinn Fein and the DUP as well as the SDLP and the UUP.
We don’t expect them to admit it.
At the UUP Conference on 22 October 2016, Mr Nesbitt presented his perspective concerning the historical role of the Ulster Unionist Party:
“…The Ulster Unionist Party governed Northern Ireland from 1921 to 1972, half a century which ended under intolerable pressure, not just from the Civil Rights movement, which wanted to transform Northern Ireland, but from violent Republicans, who wanted to destroy it…”
There was no reference to the violent activities of the UVF between 1965 and 1972 and for Ted Heath, the pen proved to be mightier than the sword.
Mr Nesbitt quoted Edward Carson from 1920:
“If Ulster sets up an example and a precedent of good Government, fair Government, honest Government, and a Government not for sections or factions, but for all, her example may be followed….and may bring about peace”.
Perhaps Kipling is right about “If”:
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,/Or, being lied about, don’t deal in lies,/Or being hated don’t give way to hating,…”
For some, they just cannot wait to leave Mr Nesbitt’s party in order to join the DUP. Perhaps for others it is just a matter of waiting for good and fair government to replace political rhetoric and petitions of concern.
I thought it not unusual to see The SDLP sharing in The UUP Conference.
Their dalliances with Unionism have gone on now for generations.
A past Leader of The SDLP , Gerry Fitt , accepted a title of ‘Lord’, from the queen of England. While they have taken the Union shilling by sitting in both The House of Lords and in The British Parliament, in Westminster !
Why would it be a surprise if they Amalgamated altogether with The Unionist Party – it’s in their tradition to be little Brits – while their sense of Nationalism seldom stretches beyond an occasional visit to a GAA match or to The Labour Party Conference in The 26 Counties – having of course been Delegates at The British Labour Party Conference firstly !
The Socialist part of their name is spelt in reality with a very small “s” !!!
As opposed to Francie Malloy breakfasting at the Conservative Party conference?
You’d best ask Francie Molloy about that ?
That said, great work was done in my memory, at a Conservative Party Conference – at a time , when it was was needed to be done.
It’s amazing how supposed Republicans love to snipe at their own ?
I just wonder what they ever achieved themselves?
” thought it not unusual to see The SDLP sharing in The UUP Conference.”
Given that it’s only happened twice in 46 years of the party’s history why did you not think it was unusual?
“While they have taken the Union shilling by sitting in both The House of Lords and in The British Parliament, in Westminster !”
The Provos also take ‘the union shilling’ from the House of Commons. The SDLP doesn’t have and has never had any members of the House of Lords.
“The SDLP doesn’t have and has never had any members of the House of Lords.”
Well Gerry Fitt, the founder and first Leader of the SDLP, sat in the House of Lords but he had left the party by that time.
“The Provos also take ‘the union shilling’ from the House of Commons”
The “Provos” have never sat in the House of Commons MT but that’s irrelevant even if it were true, which its not.
“The “Provos” have never sat in the House of Commons MT but that’s irrelevant even if it were true, which its not.”
I never said they had. I said they take the ‘union shilling’ for their seats.
“I never said they had. I said they take the ‘union shilling’ for their seats.”
And?
“And?:
If you want to understand the context of the comment read the post to which my original comment I was replying.
“If you want to understand the context of the comment read the post to which my original comment I was replying”
I did. And?
Ah, democracy, from that party which signed up to the British FBI, which refused to countenance the best solution for indigenous voters in Fermanagh and South Tyrone and would have lost Belfast south had it not been for Unionist failure to include all their number in their ‘pact’ in that constituency.
The unfortunate thing is, in respect of ‘Ireland’ negotiation with our national government, for historic reasons, and despite their declining support within the indigenous voting bloc they retain an undeserved influence, then again, it is perhaps their drastic decline in popularity which sends them on the ‘any vote will do’ route.
” and would have lost Belfast south had it not been for Unionist failure to include all their number in their ‘pact’ in that constituency.”
There was no unionist pact in South Belfast.
“There was no unionist pact in South Belfast”
There was Unionist talks about South Belfast MT and both DUP/UUP couldn’t come to an agreement, that’s why there was no pact in South Belfast but there was certainly attempts to make one and I’m sure there will be one next time round.
I don’t know, I wouldn’t mind the SDLP losing South Belfast if they refuse to make a pact with SF next time, it’ll just be another nail in the SDLP coffin, which would be good for Nationalism in the long run.
On the face of it perhaps but, Rodney McCune?
Unionists of any ilk do not respect Nationalists. One only has to look at the recent UUP whitewash of a party political broadcast, to Arlene and the DUP’s attitude to anything Irish, including the name of a boat, or cross border talks on Brexit.
Mike wants to appear liberal but it is all a mask. The old UUP of the gerrymander and Special Powers Act is still very much there.
As for Colum get rid of the beard, it may be the best thing you can do as leader of the SDLP.
The Henry Taggart Memorial Hall in Ballymurphy, Esteemed Blogmeister, was namechecked more than most in the early days of the Thirty Year Dirty War.
This was a period when an Icarus All Sorts of terrible events were occurring, from Bloody Sunday to Internment to (gulp) the foundation of the SDLP.
Icarus, of course, was the Ryanairy type from Greek Mythology who winged it on a pile of horse feathers and a pot of wax, flew too near the sun, suffered a melt-down, saw his voting numbers plummet, before finally landing in a spot at least a half-day’s journey by land from its declared destination.
The sun in the context of Norneverland was The Sun which, upon the British Empah, it never set its critical eye. Ditto, the Dublin Sun-worshippers on rainy Liffeyside.
The Henry Taggart Memorial Hall had been, of course, commandeered by the 2nd Battalion of the Parachute Regiment which had two words in mind, each beginning with the same letter: P for Peace, PP for Peace by Persuasion.)
Thus, on August 9, 1971 the Parashootists set forth and by the end of the day, by dint of their policy of PP, 10 locals lay dead, including a priest and a woman, . This peace-keeping exercise which later (much, much later on Liffeyside -see below ) became known as The Ballymurphy Massacre was part of Operation Demetrius, whose purpose was Internment and failing that (honorably, of course), erm, Interment.
The title of the op is still a marrowbone of contention among the egg heads of British Intelligence, most of whom are grads of Harrow, Eton and Redbrick-on-Notions. Where Greek is compulsory. Some contend it was named for a character in Shakespeare, both of whom bore the same Greek name.
Let Demetrius in ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ speak:
-These things seem small and undistinguishable’ (i.e. the natives of Nornireland of one side)
-It is the wittiest partition that ever I heard discussed. (i.e, the Border, be it soft-boiled, hard-boled or scrambled).
-He dares not come for the candle; for see, it is already in snuff. (i.e., the Regiment’s meritorious contribution to the Snuff Movie industry).
Let Demetrius in ‘Titus Andronicus’ speak:
-I’ll broach the tadpole on my rapier’s point: Nurse, give it me: my sword shall soon dispatch it. (i.e., the tadpole refers to the young Taig who grows up to be frogmarched).
-Show me a murderer, I’ll deal with him. (i.e, the non SDLP nat.).
(Loyal Reader is invited to cast his vote, based on the above quotes).
Now, as to the reason why the ‘Ballymurphy Massacre’got short shrift from the monochrome media of Dublin: simple as.
Simple as having no spare time after fulfilling their sacred obligation to act as the PR wing for the Party of the Future, going forward. (The PR here, be it noted, stands for Public Relations rather than a certain regiment of the BA).
Indeed, their hagiographical endeavours on behalf of the SDLP (for it is they !) became so staggeringly successful south of the Black Sow’s Dyke that it seemed that The Unionist Times (to give but one random example) used to publish a weekly pull-out magazine entitled ‘Hello!’ ,oops,’Halo!’, dedicated exclusively to furthering the claims for canonization of the sainted supremos of the SDLP.
This was mirrored in the obsequious treatment meted out to the same party in the Hall of Long Mirrors in Dublin Castle by the grovel-for-approval Governments of the time: where Bachallian were the banquets laid on for the high-standard bearers of that superior section of the Norneverland Crops unaffected by Section 31.
Not for naught was the SDLP to become known on Liffeyside as the party of fine wines and waistline dining. (Fine wines, ar ndoigh / of course, includes Fianna wines). The corgis on the streets of loyal Dublin barked that the S in SDLP stood (or at least staggered for) Sociable rather than Social and that the original initials were foreshortened to more accurately delineate the leadership :
-Sociable Party.
One does not wish to be too judgmental on this tendency towards the painfree Cain and Table by the Six-Course Party from the Six Counties. Especially, as The Perkin’s inner freeloader has pleasantly full memories of many such repasts in the past, going backwards, if the Sweet Toothiness were known.
Including one particular lip-smacking beano at the HQ of the Castle Catholics in Dublin’s Bill of Fare city when his next chair neighbor, a, erm, Big Wig of the SP, was suddenly called away by a waiter-delivered billet doux. Which abrupt departure led to a still peckish Perky gratefully inheriting an extra helping of the dessert de luxe du jour to die for:
-Fortress Stilt Fisherman.
Its scrumptious ingredients of Belgian chocolate, exotic fruit such as mango and pomegranate and dollops of Irish cream, still bring a tear to the eye and a saliva of gluttinous nostalgia to the old beal bocht.
Say no more, Seymore.
Meanwhile, Henry Taggart slowly faded from the Southie memory and seemed destined to become a one-hit wonder in the mode of another Henry, Clarence ‘Frogman’. The latter became known for ‘I don’t know why I love you but I do’ and for that stand alone song, , alone.
Until, unexpectedly, in the mid-1970s, a new motion picture suddenly appeared on our Silver Screens. Starring an actor called (gasp) S.P. playing the role of a character named (gulp) Taggart.
-Blazing Saddles.
Not only is Saddles long for the text (as yet to be discovered ) SDLP but the fillum (set in the Wild West Britain) was a spoof of a typical Clint Eastwood horse opera, but only on account of the undeniable fact that Colum Eastwood, like his text, had also yet to be discovered.
The truly wunnerful Slim Pickens (for it was he !) in the role of Taggart was so intimidated by the imperious Governor William J. Le Petomane (played by Mel Brooks) that whenever the latter emitted a trouser cough (which was often) the former hastened to apologize (unreservedly).
Slim Pickens (in an uncanny presentiment of the current SDLP polling booth figures which have not set the heather, erm, blazing) was involved in this not unrevealing slice of dialogue with the local PSNI chief/ sheriff, Hedley Lamarr (hilariously performed by Harvey Korman):
H.L.: My mind is a raging torrent , flooded with rivulets of thought, cascading into a waterfall of creative alternatives.
S.P.; God darnit, Mister Lamarr, you use your tongue prettier than a twenty dollar whore.
But the real cause for concern re Colum Og Eastwood of West Britannia was the open- necked nature of his shirt at the point of address. Considering that it took his predecessors (honorable men and women all) at least a 6 course meal (plus afters) and almost 60 years to reach that state of undress, this is indeed a worrying cause of alarm.
One wonders just how many of the lower buttons of said shirt had lasted the pace by the end of this Beano for soi-disant Dandies..
Has anyone caught sight of the a la carte menu for their Gala Nosh and Knees UUP?
More to the point, perhaps, has the Party Animal in charge of the Sociable P. got wind of the word of the equiv of the (gulp) DUP dinnerooney for their upchucking, oops, upcoming Ard-Fheis ?
Not to mention what Tessy May’s inner gourmet / gourmand may be concocting with the intensh of bringing C. Eastwood inside the Number Ten tent.
Well, it worked for the homely fare on offer in The Thatched Cottage where his predecessors Stoop Downings (honoruable men and women all ) were concerned, in anyways.
Cleverness wasted
Every time I hear of SDLP/UUP claiming to own the GFA I am reminde of the photo of John Hume, David Trimble and that bastard Bono celebrating. Not a word of Gerry.
Do they still think we are all stupid!!!
Its called news management!
Amazing the number of suckers who fall for it.
” that bastard Bono celebrating”
Bono, the billionaire musician and businessman who has made a career out of lecturing people poorer than him to give their money away….Bob Geldof is another one. Recently Bob said he is considering moving back to Ireland due to Brexit…..as if we don’t have enough problems already….
“Do they still think we are all stupid!!!”
That’s exactly what they think we are. They also think most of us are distracted by TV screens, Laptop screens, Celebrities, our daily lives, silly ambitions, etc to care. Most people don’t think anymore, when I say “Think” I’m talking about thinking properly. Try to think while watching TV, its actually pretty hard, there’s too many distractions. That’s why I like listening to the radio, far better.
“Was Colum Eastwood doing the right thing when he attended the Ulster Unionist Party’s conference? It would depend on what you mean when you use the word ‘right’.”
I think it would’ve been more constructive for Colum to go to a SF conference (and vice versa) and build bridges with other like minded individuals. MikeTV said that if people vote UUP they will now get SDLP and vice versa. That’s bound to sink the SDLP vote even further than its sinking already. MikeTV is trying to ride two horses at once. On the one hand he’s trying to appear “moderate” and “reconciling” with nationalists. While on the other hand he’s doing the exact opposite, while he’s sharing a platform with the SDLP one minute, the next minute he will be plotting with the DUP to keep the SDLP or “them’uns” out with Unionist pacts.
I thought MikeTV would’ve been a good influence on politics here when he first became UUP Leader but the reality is he’s just as backward as Arlene Foster.
“The reason Colum was at the UUP conference was because he thought it would help with the resurrection of the SDLP. And the only reasons Mike Nesbitt had him there was in the hope that his appearance would do something to give the UUP nn electoral leg-up”
Both the UUP and SDLP are on the road to oblivion. The UUP will most likely be absorbed by the DUP, these multiple pacts are the first steps towards this because as time goes on Unionism wont have a chance of winning certain seats without a pact. Already many UUP members are joining the DUP, two Belfast City Councillors from the UUP have joined the DUP this week alone.
The SDLP will more likely dissolve or be absorbed by Fianna Fail when they contest elections here in 2019. Even with the mad doctor gone, they lost 2 seats in May despite having a younger and more articulate leader. The SDLP will certainly lose South Belfast at the next Westminster election if they don’t do a pact with SF, especially if Colum’s new best buddy, MikeTV, does a pact with Arlene.
“the SDLP will blurt out a reminder that it was they, not Sinn Féin, who created the Good Friday Agreement”
Well they would be wrong in saying that, Sinn Fein was just as involved in talks that formed the GFA as the SDLP were, if not more. It was SF, not the SDLP, that convinced the PIRA that politics was the way to go.
What hasn’t done the SDLP any favours is the fact the UDA, an active terrorist group, openly backed the SDLP and urged Unionist voters to cast their vote for the SDLP in “unwinnable areas” for Unionism, they specifically mentioned South Down. You know there’s something seriously wrong with the SDLP when they have sectarian murderers backing them…..in fairness the SDLP replied to the UDA’s backing by saying “there will be no comfort for any UDA member if the SDLP wins an election”.
“The UUP will most likely be absorbed by the DUP…”
If that is true, if there ever is a DuUP, I will never vote for it.
“It was SF, not the SDLP, that convinced the PIRA that politics was the way to go.”
Do you think there was a reason for that?
I rather think the greatest irony is that Sinn Fein are assisting British rule and the DUP think they are preserving British rule.
From that perspective, both parties are failing.