Picture by sluggerotoole.com
I like John McAllister. He’s friendly, thoughtful and thoroughly unionist. I think his part in the bust-up of NI21 before it even got going is probably one of his less-illustrious moments, although the way he tells it the whole thing was Basil McCrea’s fault. I’ve asked Basil for an interview but he doesn’t respond, so I can’t tell you his side of the story. Both men right now are busy re-establishing their profile so they have a chance of being re-elected.
No doubt as part of that drive, John McAllister will be introducing a bill to Stormont on Monday – an Assembly and Executive Reform bill. Boiled down, what it wants is what the TUV leader Jim Allister has been harping on about for years: an opposition.
There’s no denying the fact that the situation we have is contrived, and a government in Stormont can’t be voted out. That’s usually seen as not a good thing. All over the world pretty well, parliaments work with a government majority and an opposition minority who interrogate what they’re doing. That’s seen as the ideal.
I’m not sure that it is. If you consider Westminster or the Dail, for eample, you ‘ll see that it’s a very rare day when a member of the opposition stands up and says the government’s latest move is to be highly commended. The default line for the opposition is that the government is full of it and the sooner we have an election the better.
Mind you, I’m not saying they aren’t right, when you look at the government parties in Dublin and Westminster. But I can’t help thinking there must be some things that governments do that are right but which opposition denounces because…well, because they’re opposition. That’s not concern for the country or state, that’s party fancy-dancing in an attempt to discredit the government. So while I’d stress that I think the present governments in Dublin and London stink, I’d also stress that government-opposition isn’t necessarily a wonderful system. Shouldn’t all parties be concerned for the welfare of the state? If so, how come government and opposition are so often at loggerheads?
For that reason, and because the last time we had a government and opposition in Stormont, we got fifty years of discrimination and gerrymander, I think the MLAs would need to think long and hard before passing any measure that might bring us back to those days.
I would add that people who work together on a shared interest – in this case the welfare of the state – usually find that it binds them together in all sorts of healthy ways. Either Stormont is the exception to that rule or at least one of the parties up there is deliberately maintaining a guard-up-don’t-bind-me stance. I’m sure I couldn’t say which one but you might be able to work it out.
I feel like we already have opposition.
A museum at the maze that could bring in billions in tourism, lift the economy in the north and all over the island, opposed.
A sports stadium at the maze that could be used by all for sport and host large events such as the opportunity with garth brooks which again would have benefitted the economy by millions, opposed.
Irish language bill, opposed
Removal of the 11+, opposed resulting in basically anarchy with the various education groups doing their own thing in terms of keeping transfer tests going
Perhaps instead of more opposition, we need some means of removing over zealous opposition, an IMC for political decision making if you will.
When you boil down all the waffle from John McAllister, Basil McCrea and Jim Allister about how they want ‘proper’ democracy, all they really want is some semblance of power when they realise they will never have any sort of a majority in Stormont.
So if this was in place today it would need 65 MLAs to agree on something – ANYTHING they want – for it to pass. Let’s add that up:
Unionist block: DUP (38) + UUP (16) + TUV (1) + IND (1) = 56
Nationalist block: SF (29) + SDLP (14) = 43
Other: 9
Unionist block + Other = 65 =motion pass without nationalist buy-in
Nationalist + Other = 52 = motion fails as it needs unionist buy-in
So if political unionism want something to pass they simply have to persuade the ‘others’ and if nationalism wants something to pass they have to persuade the others PLUS some unionists. Oh yes please, gimme some of that. I’ll say again…
Day 1: End to power sharing
Day 2: Unionist coalition
Day 3: Operations ‘Toilet Paper’ and ‘Get Alliance’
I think Edwin Poots did a great job of proving exactly why we are not ready to get rid of power sharing yet. Let’s face it, the further up the DUP food chain you go the more OO members there are…
http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/politics/inside-the-dup-domination-by-free-presbyterian-church-and-orange-order-laid-bare-30330698.html
…and the majority of their members believe that most Catholics are IRA sympathizers and only 6% would be happy for their children to marry a Catholic!
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-15832376
Are those the people we want with their hands on the levers of power?
Just throwing it out there but how about implementing the GFA in it’s entirety and then using the PoC as it was intended instead of a party/MLA protector. Over time we build up trust and over even more time we move to ‘normal’ system of Government.
Thanks for such a clear and informative response, I personally think that this information needs to be shown/highlighed/impressed upon those nationalists that think that a return to this form of government HERE would be a return to the past HERE. Good post, well done
Here’s how I see it panning out in Jimbo’s mind…
Power-sharing would end quickly followed by a unionist coalition. In the following few months multiple motions would be put forward which force ‘Other’ – read Alliance – to take sides…probably something related to the UDR or RUC but basically deliberate eye pokes for nationalism.
The first time Alliance don’t side with political unionism the cries of ‘Lundy’ would be heard all over Northern Ireland and the propaganda would be laid on thick and fast until the word ‘Alliance’ is synonymous with ‘traitor’. We caught a glimpse of these tactics in the flag protest.
The tactic of highlighting that ‘Alliance are not with us so must be against us’ would then be maintained until the next round of elections at which time Alliance would be all but wiped out. Political unionism would then wipe up their seats and then Operation Toilet Paper will be ramped up until we are in 1970s Orange State again when ‘themuns’ knew their place.
Sound like something we should go for?
“Sound like something we should go for?”
For me, it shows the absolute futility of negotiating with unionists full stop.
There is no small u big U, they are all the same and their true colours show soon enough.
https://www.facebook.com/144469889056805/videos/312585518911907/
The only difference is the level of sectarian bigotry they find acceptable and how bad the stench of Irish nationalism offends them.
If Britain want stormant up and running again make them pay for it in their cheque book and if unionists want an end to power sharing and think any british sponsored report will help achieve it, let them sling their hooks.
Loyalist paramilitaries sabre rattling they haven’t gone away and unionism trying to end power sharing though never the twain shall meet,
https://www.facebook.com/144469889056805/videos/309678662535926/
That is where we differ – the people of those videos are not representative of the ordinary everyday unionist in the same way as those who chant pro-IRA songs at Celtic marches are representative of the ordinary everyday nationalist. Nationalists and Unionists get a long just fine in schools, universities, offices – hell families even – without issue and the extremists on both sides should not be viewed as representative of the whole.
The behavior and hypocrisy of political unionism are just as embarrassing to the ordinary unionists that I know as it it is to everyone else
Morpheus, I have been around for quite a few decades now and known well, worked with and drank with many unionists over those years.
They can be nice to your face all year round, then come the 12th July, like a werewolf in the full moon, they become sectarian irish catholic hating zealots.
From personal experience I am very confident this applies to the vast majority of them.
I have noticed the same is not as prevalent in the younger generations as it is with the older so there is hope for the future, but I fear there is none for my own generation.
‘Shouldn’t all parties be concerned for the welfare of the state?’
Fair question, Esteemed Blogmeister. Of the rhetorical variety.
Or, to ask a non-rhetorical question: is it? Is it actually a rhetorical question?
One poses this question in relation to the Free Southern Stateen. For the Defender in Chief of the State performed a function in public recently which might suggest that the Prime Minister (for it is he !) was not actually acting for the welfare of the state in q., the F.S.S.
This happened when Dame Enda Average (for it is still he !) opened a super duper, out of sight, cat’s pajamas, crackerjack, A-OK, hunky dory, bee’s knees, pig’s back, peachy, zero cool thingy. That thingy being (gasp) a New. Digital. News. Hub. Of. Independent. News. And. Media. Offices.
On Talbot Street, Dublin 1, named after Henry Chetwynd-Talbot who was the Lord Lieutenant of I-land in 1820 The same street, incidentally, where a century later the corpse of Sean Tracey was roughly thrown like a sack of Tipperary spuds into the back of a Crossley Tender in 1920.
Just over a half century later as a result of a plan hatched in the Kentucky fried chicken run of the Glennane Farm Centre of Prace and Reconciliation, 14 pedestrians on the same street were blown into Kingdom Fried C.
But those historical events may be just coincidental and not at all relevant to the geographical location under discussion.
The following Sunday one of the first artcles to roll off the impressive new digitel-led news hub like a hubcap off a borrowed Hiace (untaxed and uninsured) was:
-The Irish Language over the limit again’.
Its author being Dec ‘The Neck’ Lynch its tenor was ‘game for a scaff’, with (yawn) the usual tedious points on leprechaun being made by the Pierpoint of Condemned Languages.
The new digital-led noose hub, is right.
No need to waste any space here requoting from it apart from plucking this particular phrase: ‘Yes, it has its uses’. Somehow, the forensically minded Dec did not mention the greatest use of the leprechaun in the hermetically sealed Hiberno-English speaker’s hen run.
The main use, of course, for leprechaun is that it allows this Penny-a-line Pierpoint to indulge his racism without seeming to be rancid. After all, when you speak with an accent which is redolent of the anus mundi of Athlone this gives one carte blanche to be a linguistic bigot where the leprechaun is concerned. Witness his compulsory use of the G-word: Gaeilgeoir. This G-word in the FSS is the equivalent of the N-word in Alabama.
One mentions this only in the context of the Prior of the FSS. Having given his blessing to the new rub-a-dub hub he also essentially gave his prior imprimatur, to the above enema emanation which is par for this particular coarse source.
Now, the chief responsibility which any Prime Minister is charged with is the Defence of his State’s Constitution, be it written, unwritten, mimed or even Kareoked itself. And the Bunreacht of SaorStaitin na hEireann, erm states that the, erm, First National Language is Leprechaun. Couldn’t be plainer.
Perkie knows this because, having donned his special safari jacket which he dons specifically for this purpose, a quick perusal informs him that this is indeed still so with relation to Article 8..
Said safari jacket,incidentally, is the one which he inherited from the late Professor of Constitution Law and Blueshirt Bigwig, John Kelly, MP, who always donned it when making his weekly appearance on ‘Feach’ . This was during the stewardship of one E. Harris, producer, when this TV programme in leprechaun was affectionately known as ‘Fake’.
Although one inherited the jacket through the medium of a car boot sale this in no way detracts from its authenticity.
While wearing it, Perkie is also afforded an insight into the sartorial philosophy of Fine Gael: the sobriquet ‘Blueshirt’ truly becomes a party of Sleeveens.
An opposition would be fine if we were in anything like an ordinary situation.We’re in no way ready for anything like that yet. We’ve spent twenty years trying to get a “shared”society afloat here and although we have something like normality and peace on the streets most of the time, we obviously have a lot of very damaged individuals who are ,in essence, incapable of a shared government even yet because of the residual hatred they hold close to their breast. …a very much alive hatred, at that. Witness Mr Poots ‘ outburst again…only this week… and realise that a man eaten up with this kind of emotional disease and bitter animosity is actually infit to do the kind of job needed to be done .He shouldn’t even be put into that kind of position in his emotional state.Another kind of individual is needed for this kind of work.He’s doing himself no favours nor any of us either. Everyone in this land could hate for past wrongs …and hate hard if truth be told …and in doing so make it an absolute impossibility for any of us to sit together and make politics. It’s very evident that those holding the grudges longest are in the unionist parties and in their electorate . The idea of a “shared” society is still only a dream …never mind a proper government with a viable opposition.
I agree.
Do politicians not work to the same employment legislation as the rest of us?
They should be made to do team building exercises divided into cross party groups.
If anyone is emotionally unstable enough that they cannot even do this, they are most certainly not fit for office and we would be better of shot of them no matter who they are.
It is the only chance power sharing has of working – though I have given up on it to be honest.
Stormont is a lost cause.
Id be very happy to see the back of it.
That’s a good point Jessica, team building exercises. Forced to look at each other, talk to each other (even through gritted teeth at first), maybe even forced to shake hands on the way out on the first day just like primary school. I think they might well all be up for it except one party, I wonder which one?
“I think they might well all be up for it except one party, I wonder which one?”
I don’t think this should be optional in any form of employment let alone in public office.
This tactic by Unionism to get Majority Rule returned must be opposed by all Catholics/Nationalists/Republicans because it will be a return to the 1960’s and maybe a rerun of the Troubles all over again.
The simple reality is that Unionism can not and never can be trusted to run this place alone, they simply don’t have respect or tolerance for the Catholic population, their support for sectarian orange parades going by/through Catholic areas are one example of this. That’s without touching on decades of Unionist misrule, gerrymander and discrimination against Catholics.
Can you honestly see the likes of Jim Allister or Edwin Poots or Gregory Campbell governing this place in the interests of both communities? If you do then there’s something wrong with your head, no offence. The DUP/UUP cant even bring themselves to support a motion at the culture committee wishing the Republic of Ireland football team best of luck in their game against the World Champions Germany but yet SF/SDLP wished Northern Ireland well against Greece.
John McAllister may be a nice guy, I don’t know I never met the man but the reality is his bill is very dangerous. Its not in the interests of “democracy” because if there was a majority of SDLP/SF seats in Stormont I doubt very much any Unionist would want Power Sharing scraped and a Nationalist majority in control.
Successive British governments have spent millions of pounds in a propaganda war that sought to portray the British state as an ‘honest’ broker between two warring tribes. Citizens were assassinated and within minutes the state sponsored cover up swung into action, eg McGurks Bar 4.12.71.
While there is opposition to address legacy issues in Stormont and Westminster, Britain’s role in a dirty war has not gone unnoticed on the international stage. Nils Muiznieks, the Council of Europe’s Commissioner for Human Rights has made it clear that the British government has a responsibility to properly investigate collusion between rogues and renegades in the security forces and paramilitary organizations which resulted in the assassination of many citizens throughout the country. It sounds as if some elected representatives are still keen to dine on red herring. It is time for a different bill of fare.
In the 1970’s there was a Unionist claim to be one of the lost tribes of Israel…..and believe me they have more in common with right wing Jews than meets the eye.Their inherent racism and bigotry , their loathing and detestation for their fellow human beings is very similar and their unwillingness to share a space equally with their neighbours is indistinguishable. Their desire to return to majority rule , like all their recent hair-brained schemes ,seems to have been concocted by the village idiot. What about the future ? , say 10 years when we’re definitely in the majority , do they think that by incessantly insulting us we will suddenly become British or vote Unionist ? I have a very long memory ,I’m an Irishman ,I will share my space but I will never give it away.
“In the 1970’s there was a Unionist claim to be one of the lost tribes of Israel”
That was paisley inspired by the idea of a holy war as by bringing religion into the mix makes people more determined and hard line.
The Dublin led IRA were about to disband and lay down what little arms they had left and seeing the opportunity he stirred things up and linked up with the UVF who started attacking nationalist communities to the extent the irish state forces lined the border ready to come in and get us out.
It was the PIRA that defended those communities
I am not trying to justify what happened after but unionists in particular the DUP need to accept the part they played before talking about what stench there is about the place
There is no way the SDLP would go into voluntary coalition with Sinn Fein.
They will return to form and cosy up with whatever unionist party would have them and be happy with the scraps from the table.
For that reason, the UUP would also be more likely to partner with them than the DUP as they would take more votes off the DUP and know they could walk all over the SDLP.
I would expect that this would in effect turn the tables and put UUP and SDLP in voluntary coalition and put DUP and Sinn Fein into permanent opposition until Sinn Fein got past the 50 or 60 mark as the DUP would never share power.
Not impossible as the SNP proved in Scotland but it is an acceptance that power sharing here has failed.
Is that what we are now saying?
This is a decontamination bill as the UUP put it and designed to remove the stench of power sharing as the DUP put it.
Forgive me if i am wrong, but in laymans terms are we now talking about agreeing to scrap the GFA, removing the power sharing mechanisms, accepting and in fact rewarding political bigotry here so nationalists lose any semblance of control they had since the DUP blocked 100% everything they disagreed with?
Why don’t we just change the name from northern Ireland to west Scotland, stick a union jack on the loyalist ulster flag, prohibit the sale of rte aerials, make our children take an oath of allegiance to the queen in our schools and speak ulster scots, enforce conscription to the British army, ban St Patricks day in favour of 3 month of Orangeman’s celebrations culminating in the glorious 12th bonfire night where we ritually burn the Irish tricolour and make it legal to beat paddies with cricket bats for the day.
Why not following the glowing success of sectarianism, continue with brand new initiatives such as limiting the number of mosques and catholic churches, giving out id cards in the shape of poppies only to citizens who have proven their worthiness to be British and anyone without their poppy must sit at the back of the bus and not have the right to vote of course.
Yes, what a great wee country this could be.
Brilliant.
Jim Allister wants it, therefore I do not. That`s opposition Jim, eh?
I have never heard Jim Allister be as obnoxious as both the UUP and DUP have been this week.
At least he has been honest unlike the two facedness we have seen recently from the mainstream unionist parties. And Mike Nesbitt talks about trust.