As soon as the Brexit news broke, Enda Kenny was in front of the TV cameras calling urgently for a meeting of all the affected parties – that is, all political parties north and south. The words had barely left Enda’s mouth when our First Minister, Arlene Foster, told the TV cameras that she had heard nothing of such a meeting and it was unnecessary anyway, since we had North-South bodies. So who was right – Enda or Arlene?
Well, Arlene could argue that the various cross-border bodies established with the Good Friday Agreement (no I can’t rhyme them off just like that, Virginia – can you?) were constructed for just this purpose: cross-border co-operation. Why create a further layer of bureaucracy? Good point, except that the cross-border bodies are as valuable as a group of eunuchs in a harem. Arlene assuredly knows that, since her party has devoted considerable effort to seeing they are that way. To be seen to co-operate with her neighbours to the south (or as you say, Virginia, her fellow-countrymen and women) might not go down well with some of her Stone Age supporters. So like all good unionist leaders she kept north-south contact to an absolute minimum. And now, with a leap in logic that would be the envy of an Olympic gymnast, she has pointed to the aforesaid bodies as being all that’s necessary for north-south co-operation.
Does she believe this? I doubt it. Like even the dimmest among us, Arlene knows that Brexit has changed everything, including the matter of north-south trade. With the border in Ireland soon to become the border not just between two parts of Ireland but between the UK and the EU, there is a pressing need, in the interests of both north and south, to find ways in which this highly difficult and even dangerous matter is handled.
Will Arlene’s swift leave-it-to-the-cross-border-bodies be sufficient to deal with the problem? Not a chance. What she has done is allow the not-an-inchers in her party to control how she acts. That may result in electoral gain – she certainly hopes it will – but it won’t help anyone, north or south, cope with as big an economic problem as we’ve faced since the establishment of both states.
In short, Arlene wishes to convince right-wing unionism that she’s as tough with the south as any of her predecessors. Samson destroyed his enemies when he wrapped his arms around those pillars. Unfortunately he also destroyed himself.
Be careful what you wish for, Arlene.
The caption in the photo in your blog “CHIC” hardly applies to Arlene .Does it? Perhaps Virginia could advise!!!
It seems maybe the ‘lady’ is for turning!
According to this evening’s news, Arlene and Marty have written a joint letter to Theresa May, apparently letting her know of our parlous financial situation and how we will need some TLC.
So our Iron Lady, having voted to dump the EU a few weeks ago, is now pleading for special concessions so NI can have most of the benefits of membership of that hated body, but without having to be officially associated with it.
Has she received any financial forecasts indicating how we are being progressively blown off our financial course (assuming we have a course), or has she been told by Bombardier that today’s job losses are connected with a loss of confidence in NI post-Brexit?
“has she been told by Bombardier that today’s job losses are connected with a loss of confidence in NI post-Brexit”
I heard their representative today say it was mainly down to energy costs and he mentioned the need for a north south interconnector and cheaper energy.
More and more businesses will no longer tolerate the inefficiencies of partition. Britain will not suffer as bad post brexit and in 6 months will start to grow again, here we wont, we will continue to stagnate and fall further behind GB.
It will not be politicians who unite Ireland, but our businesses out of necessity.
My girlfriend works in Bombardier Sherdy and the reason for the job losses have nothing to do with BREXIT. The jobs losses yesterday were not new job losses, they were a bringing forward of 95 job cuts that were scheduled for next year.
The 1000 odd jobs that will be cut over this and next year were announced earlier this year are due to the global slow down in business jet sales. This is a direct result of the drop in oil price.
Put simply Arab and Russian oil tycoons aren’t buying private jets.
Not so much brexit more issues caused by partition.
I heard their spokesperson on the radio mention the high energy prices for business and stressing the need for the north south interconnector?
Unification has already started Scott, more out of necessity. A referendum will be the very last step.
“I heard their spokesperson on the radio mention the high energy prices for business and stressing the need for the north south interconnector?”
First I heard of it but il take your word on it. No problem with a north south interconnector being built, but we don’t need reunification to do that.
The problems at Bombardier have nothing to do with BREXIT or partition. It’s down to the oil prices which no one, with maybe the exception of OPEC can control.
Arlene may well do a u-turn after brexit happens & many Unioniy business men find themselves hard hit financially as a result
not a very good looking chic might i be so bold to say!! poor arlene is bereft of any other political stance than the negative, just like her forbears she thrives on the negative and tub-thumping of unionism. the reason she and her cohorts are so negative is all down to the fact that unionism is and has always been on the defensive. but time waits for no man and change is inevitable. take a look at the changes that have happened here in the north and tell me that times progression does not alter things. and so it will be from these times and the partition of ireland. time will change all
take a look at the changes that have happened here in the north.
what changes have you seen apart from the reduction in killings.
may,has her negotiators in place arlene wont have a say in the matter so shes right about not setting up another talking shop.migrants and all the problems they bring with them will be one of the main border issues that will have to be tackled head on.strict new laws giving them no reason to come will help until they get some sort of points system in place so we can pick and choose who we need on contract basis.
It is a never ending cause of head scratching amongst us Dailists down here on Liffeyside, Esteemed Blogmeister, trying to figure out just what it is about the Free Southern Stateen that the Loyalists on Laganside do NOT like.
After all, we truly do our level b. to perform somersaults with our history, with the successful intention of confining the fault to Ourselves Alone . Not to mention turning cartwheels in the theatrical art.
Take for instance the two major productions which are concurrently running on Liffeyside.
On the Left Bank, the National Theatre of the Abbey / Amharclann na Ministreach is hosting THE BIGGIE of the Commemoration Year of 2016:
-Observe the Sons of Ulster Marching towards the Somme.
To fully appreciate the selfless sacrifice involved in this production one must recall the gentle takeover of the Abbey Theatre earlier this year when the Thespian Regiment of the Dworkin Class apologetically mounted the stage, sans permit. Their low-key plea was for more parts for actresses and less for actors. Thus it was six to five that the following play would win the day as THE BIGGIE:
-Observe the Daughters of Ulster Marching towards the Somme.
More diplomatic advice, however held sway when it was wisely pointed out that the new play might not quite hold sway up in East Belfast, as distinct from Easter Belfast way. Thus, without fuss, Us deferred to Dem.
The author, Frank McGuinness, who is very good for U for Unionism, was a garrulous guest on RTE this week. He was a mere Boy From Buncrana when he first wrote the, om, drama which has since morphed into a classic, over the Jurassic course of the intervening 31 (!) years. He, om, ‘has only seen Fitt to change three wee words of the, om, script since then’.
He wrote it in a rage, a rage ‘against the, om, deliberate keeping of him in ignorance of the courage and commitment (c.a.c.) of his fellow Irish men and, om, Irish women by his, om, education system in the, om, South’.
The flame-bearded author ‘oms’ a lot when he rails against the, om, ‘narrow nationalism’ of the South through gritted teeth. The omnipresence of the ‘om’ sound may or may not be related to his, om, suspected obsession with the Somme.
Just one observation of the following om, orgasmic passage will illustrate why the drama, om, king has not seen FITT to change more than three words of his, om, deathless text.
(SPOILER ALERT:
This passage contains truly trench-ant stuff and is not suitable for unaccompanied adults )
Roulston: I suppose they’re saying the same thing over there?
McIlwaine: In German?
Pyper: No, in Gaelic.
McIlwaine: Germans don’t speak Gaelic.
Pyper: They all learn it for badness, McIlwaine.
McIlwaine: Dirty bastards. So, that’s what they insult you in.
Pyper:
Couldn’t watch them. Fenians. Gaelic speakers. They get everywhere.
Even in the German army.
McIlwaine: No way. Not even the Germans would have them. Did you hear about this boy Pearse?
McIlwaine: Did you hear about this boy Pearse? The boy who took over a post office because he was short of a few stamps?
Millen: He did more than take over a post office, the bastard. Shot down our men until he got what he was looking for.
McIlwaine: Let me finish. He was a Fenian, wasn’t he? No soldier. He took over this big post office in Dublin, kicks all the wee girls serving behind the counter out on to the streets. When the
place is empty, him and his merry men all carrying wooden rifles land outside on the
street. Your man reads the proclamation of an Irish republic. The Irish couldn’t spell
republic, let alone proclaim it. Then he’s caught, him and all hands in gaol. He starts to cry,
saying he has a widowed mother and he had led the only other brother astray. Anyway, he
didn’t plan to take over this post office. He walked in to post a letter and got carried away
and thought it was Christmas. Nobody believes him. They’re leading him out to be shot.
He’s supposed to see the widowed ma in the crowd. He looks at her and says, pray for me,
mother. The ma looks back at him, looks at the Tommy, he’s guarding Pearse, the old one
grabs the Tommy’s riifle. She shoots Pearse herself. She turns to the Tommy and she says,
‘That’ll learn him, the cheeky pup. Going about robbing post offices. Honest to God, I’m
affronted, ‘So you see, Fenians can’t fight. Not unless they’re in a post office or a bakery or a
woman’s clothes shop. Disgrace to their sex, the whole bastarding lot of them, I say’,
INTERVAL
(Patrons are kindly requested to make their way to the Right Bank of the Liffey for the second wee Loyalist -friendly production of this, Commemoration Year, 2016, South of the B.S’s Dyke).
Up Here, north of the B S’s D, Perkin, the law requires the removal of the hat and the genuflection of the knee when the name of Frank McGuinness is mentioned. Brian Friel? J B Synge? Pygmies in his shadow. What a man – and him a fenian…
ACT (of atonement) 2.
After the transcendentally eloquent and wit-freighted dialogue of the McGuinness Masturbatorypiece which involved the sublimely successful literary transfer of Rage from Page to Stage the action moves from the Left Bank to the Right Bank of the Liffey.
If the same-sex, all-male Abbey production which is down to run for a mere two months (!) involves ‘Two hours of McDarkness in which the McDepths of Death-seeking Duty are profoundly explored ‘ in exquisite dramatic form through the conduit of the Great Donkey Derby , involving an essentially local row between two contending Teutonic Toff-Schlosses, then the second production is altogether more low-brow and is geared towards the groundlings in the pits.
More than most, the electorally sophisticated Arlene recognizes that (not unlike Adele, our Arlene has justifiably attained one-name-recognition status) all imponderable constituencies must be pandered to. And voting fodder don’t come much more imponderable than Wee Sommy McSash from the back end of Ballybacklash.
That is why Arlene gave such a sly and scintillating sneak preview of the second production last month. A production which, let it be said, boxes all the toxic thicks. As follows:
-It is staged in that amphitheatre of civilisation, Dublin Castle, aka Where rainbows begin and end !
-It is thoughtfully sponsored by the British Council.
-It takes the measure of Popish Ireland and its horizontal croppies: ‘Measure for Measure’.
While that is the working title of an obscure play by a nigh-forgotten journeyman hack-dramatist of the first Elizabethan era called William Fakespeare or some such, the British Council has modestly taken a leaf out of the DruidFakespeare handbook, which is headquartered in the Western Capital of West Britannia.
It too has done a spot of digging, excavated a buried text and restored it in such a way as to improve it out of all recognition from its inferior original condition. In other words it has achieved the near theatrical miracle of appealing simultaneously to the cosmopolitans on Liffeyside and the lumpen LOLs on Laganside.
The British Council has thoughtfully gifted us, by providing the potato-eaters with the requisite cabbage, the all new, vastly improved:
-Measure for Measure – Ireland 1916’
In an explanatory note, all is condescendingly explained:
-Originally set in Vienna just before its war with Hungary, we are setting the play in Dublin during the revolutionary years starting in 1916. Our production is not a commemoration of the Rising but rather a look at the social, political, economic and sexual forces at play behind the scenes of the Irish Revolution which lead to the implementation of the Irish Constitution which did not reflect the ideals of the Proclamation read outside the G.P.O.
Put that in your hogshead of ale, William Fakespeare, and quaff it for a laugh !
If one was, erm, ignorant of the realities of the spin-doctoring process one would have sweared that fair-minded note was quilled by the grand arbiter of all matters moral on Liffeyside, the less than shrill Panti Bliss he/sheself !
It will be recalled that in her sneak preview in Dublin Castle last month our Arlene played (totally) out of character as, erm, Mistress Overdone.
This is how she was ‘greeted’ by the First Gentleman:
-How now ! Which of your hips has the most profound sciatica ?
It is scarcely necessary to reveal to noted linguists such as – say, Gregory Crooked-mouth – that the Leprechaun for First Gentleman is (gasp) ‘Taoiseach’.
The (gulp) P-word features in the play:
-You have not heard of the proclamation then?
Mistress Overdone: What proclamation, man?
-All the houses in the suburbs of Vienna, oops, Dublin must be plucked down.
A few examples of the humdrum, commonplace, less than good badinage (even in the new, all improved Measure for Measure) will serve as a humbling contrast to the coruscating repartee of the McGuinness McMagnum Opus (see above):
-What’s his offence? Groping for trout in a peculiar river.
And:
– I had as lief have the foppery of freedom than the morality of imprisonment.
Think that dull ? Try this, then:
-But, man, proud man
Dressed in a little brief authority
Most ignorant of what he’s most assured-
His glassy essence – like an ape
Plays such fantastic tricks before high heaven
As makes the angels weep; who, with our spleens
Would all themselves laugh mortal’.
This is the broadest of broad slapstick which would even throw the loyal labourers who toil and moil in, say, the Glennane vegetable and fruit farm into a happy paroxysm of thigh-slap !
Speaking of which, Moore Street, Dublin has been in the news this very week: sneaking regarders of the Easter 16 beasties have been demonstrating their artless lack of street smarts.
Moore Street, of course, both de facto and de jure is the epicenter of street trading where the local Molly Malones set out their stalls of cauliflowers from Donegal and gooseberries from Portglenone.
As the two current stage productions show, the time is probably not at all over-ripe for the unarmed Glennane farmers to pipe up, Pyper-like, come down to Dublin and to set out their stall once more in the street theatre of Moore Steet.
This tip-top offer of the foppery of freedom, anyone?
“-But, man, proud man
Dressed in a little brief authority
Most ignorant of what he’s most assured-
His glassy essence – like an ape
Plays such fantastic tricks before high heaven
As makes the angels weep; who, with our spleens
Would all themselves laugh mortal”. You gotta admit, Perkin – that Stratford lad could sew up mankind tighter than a Lambeg drum…
Bombardier Aerospace has announced thousands of redundancies. Dairy farmers and cereal farmers are feeling the full force of of the fall in sterling. The Business group, Ibec stressed the risks to businesses and exporters.
Partition remains an impediment to social and economic progress. Some in six of the nine counties of Ulster remain fond of saying, “NO,” however, the constant in history remains, change. An all island dynamic has the potential to create prosperity, stability and change for the better, for all citizens.
“An all island dynamic has the potential to create prosperity, stability and change for the better, for all citizens.”
It does, including the potential for the north to become the wealthiest part of Ireland, something I am in no doubt about.
We could transform our public services, produce an Irish NHS suitable for our own needs.
We could invest in renewable energy research and development to deliver greener low cost energy to the public and to businesses, one of the biggest factors of job losses in our industrial and manufacturing sectors as well as export our innovations and energy overproduction to other parts of the world.
We could stop the brain drain and keep our children in our own country and not lose them to other parts of the world by creating jobs and wealth in Ireland.
We could triple our tourism industry and feed the construction industry for years building thousands of hotels around the country spreading the wealth beyond Dublin.
It is only through unification can we reach our full potential. That is why unionists don’t want to talk about it and dismiss any positive reports as propaganda.
“Good point, except that the cross-border bodies are as valuable as a group of eunuchs in a harem.”
To be perfectly honest, eunuchs had their use.
I have to say the letter released this evening by OFMDFM is very heartening. I often am sceptical whether the forced arrangement of power sharing would ever lead to good cooperative goverment. I struggle to see, even if you took the green/orange dimension out of it, would a party of the left (SF) and one of the right (DUP) ever be able to agree on a joint approach to anything.
The letter and list of 5 points of concern they lay out shows a fine level of cooperation. It’s clear, concise and now provides a framework and strategy that the executive can work off for the BREXIT negotiations.
A unified front for a change.
Well done Martin and Arlene
I think they would done even better had their letter been a joint one, signed by the leaders of all parties in Ireland. But Arlene booted that one off the table by her refusal to meet with such people, let alone draft a joint letter.
True Jude, but I’m sure the ROI government will soon endorse and say they want to go along with the DUP/SF preferred terms of BREXIT.
However saying all that when push comes to shove it wont be the Dail or Stormont making the final decisions, as the powers of foreign policy and trade negotiations are handle for Stormont by London and the ROI in Brussels.
I’m both a Unionist and a pan European so I don’t have a problem with that arrangement. I also don’t think the EU and the U.K. aren’t stupid enough to do anything to threaten peace and stability in this part of the world. I’d imagine there will be a special arrangement made for NI.
Which was her right as First Minister of Northern Ireland especially when its an internal UK issue.
Issues around the border are Irish issues more so than UK issues.
Yes, Unity is the way forward Scott, not division
I’m for all types of unity Jessica.
If I could wave a magic wand and have my ideal political set up I would have a United Ireland within a United Kingdom within a federal United States of Europe, with the closest possible alliance and trade arrangements (stopping short of political integration) with the USA and the Commonwealth.
Doubt it’ll ever happen but hey, a boy can dream.
What about China, Scott? Or Japan? Or South America?
Yeah Jude I’ve no problem, an end of nation states and a united earth. Wouldn’t that be the ultimate dream. John Lennon probably sang a song about something like that.
I picked the EU political union and the Atlanticist/commonwealth free trade and movement option, as this is the grouping that are perhaps culturally closer and share similar broad “values” plus all the historical ties already in place.
Although I accept of course that it’s just a bit of fantasy politics.
Yup.
The new world order.
I would say the US would like to see that and have most likely been encouraging the EU to move in that direction which is where it went wrong.
It is an utterly awful idea and I hope never succeeds.
Would not want a federal union with any of them Jude.
The Kingdom should be reduced to England and Wales only
A new British union would also include an independent Scotland and a united independent Ireland.
If the EU wont reform, then we should look to India and Australia as well as a breakup of the commonwealth replacing it with a new original EU concept style of federal union which would be triple the size of the EU presently, which would together make trade deals using numbers to get the best deal possible for all with the USA, China and so on…
The common travel area would be enhanced between our two islands and a new bank of Britain which would have buy in from Dublin, London and Edinburgh and shared based on revenue allowing economic growth from financial services in particular to be spread beyond London.
“It is an utterly awful idea and I hope never succeeds”
100% agree Jessica. The New World Order isn’t a myth of Conspiracy Theorists, its a reality. It all stems from the end of the Second World War, where politicians/experts then wanted to make sure such carnage never happened again but they came to all the wrong conclusions on how to prevent WW3. They think by merging peoples, states, etc that we will all join hands and sing John Lennon’s “Imagine” and live happily ever after. The Communist Ignorance and Arrogance of different cultures, religions and peoples knows no bounds.
I’m no Social Darwinist but it is true that when groups of different creatures from the same species exist together in the same territory it inevitably leads to conflict. Chimpanzees, for example, will trample any outsider to death. They are maybe our closest relatives, Chimps and Humans share 97% of the same DNA. The same instincts reside with Human Beings. There is massive tensions in Europe and America but the media hush it up but they cant keep doing that forever.
I agree.
Diversity is a good thing, but we need our own space to be different.
The only way one government could control the whole world is through an Iron fist in a militaristic global state.
What we need is tolerance and respect for our diversity and agreements on how we share this planet with mutual respect for one another and in harmony with nature.
The tower of babel is a good biblical story I only heard of recently which is basically once man unites into one people and are all the same, he then focussed on seeking to be with God and built a tower to heaven. God was angry and destroyed it and split everyone up all over the world.
I think it means mankind will inevitably seek to control all of the world we know and everything in it and when we do and are all the same only a number, we will by human nature destroy ourselves.
I would have a united Ireland, with a federal union with Britain including parts of the commonwealth with the best possible alliance and trade arrangements between that union and the USA and the rest of the world.
“Samson destroyed his enemies when he wrapped his arms around those pillars. Unfortunately he also destroyed himself”
That is what the DUP has done by backing Brexit, they have destroyed themselves and Unionism. If the majority in the North voted for Brexit then the DUP would be in a far better position but unfortunately for them the North voted to stay in the EU, along with Scotland.
I fail to see how the DUP alone can possibly prevent deeper co-operation between North and South now. I don’t know what the UUP’s position is, even though they half heartedly backed remaining in the EU. Your going to have close to a million Catholics wanting deeper co-operation and links with the South, along with a very large number of Protestants. Most of these Protestants, by the way, are not your typical Loyalist fleg protestor who like to scream “No Surrender!” or who love to pass near Catholic areas and bang lambeg drums. These protestants are the educated and influential types, the business owners, the more open minded, the more cultured kind of people, people who have power, money and influence. They are the kind of people who cant be ignored by political Unionism, especially if their bank balance is taking a hit due to Brexit.
David McWilliams certainly thinks the DUP have signed their own death warrant by backing Brexit and then Brexit actually happening. Going by David McWilliams track record on predicting events (the Financial Crisis in 2008 he predicted in 2002 on the Late Late Show, the housing market imploding he predicted in 2005, he also said another Financial Crisis is coming) I’d put my house on Irish Unity occurring within the next 10 years. 15 at the absolute latest. As the title of McWilliams article stated: “A Nation Once Again? It could be closer than you think…..”
I know I shouldn’t be surprised by this but the DUP do the same thing over and over again. Arlene may say No, No, No. But Paisley once said Never, Never, Never but yet in 2007 that changed to Yes, Yes, Yes when he went into government with Sinn Fein (under threat of Irish Unity, btw). Why do the DUP do the same tactic over and over again expecting different results? You would think they would realize that Unionism is in a far weaker position today than in 1966 or even 1996. They are fighting hopelessly against the Nationalist tide, a fight they know full well they cant win. There WILL be deeper co-operation between North and South, there has to be.
I think it was Albert Einstein that said: “The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results”.
But I know it was definitely Einstein that said: “Two things are infinite: Human Stupidity and the Universe. But I’m not certain about the latter….”
Unionism has destroyed itself thats interesting if it has it must have followed the example and line the Republican movement followed lets see.
We shall destroy Northern Ireland
We shall make Northern Ireland ungovernable.
We will have a United Ireland.
No return to Stormont.
Not a bullet or ounce of semtex to be decommissioned.
We will fight Welfare reforms.
We will retain our average industrial wage.
We will fight to keep us in the EU.
We will have a Irish Language act etc.
Do you see a trend there Ryan?
So if Unionism is destroying itself its only following the poor example of the republican movement.
Why would we want to destroy northern Ireland?
It is part of Ireland and our home.
I want all of Ireland to be as prosperous as possible, don’t you?
“So if Unionism is destroying itself its only following the poor example of the republican movement.”
I fail to see the point your trying to make Robert. Republicanism isn’t faced with the same issues Unionism is faced with. Republicanism has never been stronger. Indeed the only threat I can see to Republicanism is the Liberal policies being pursued by Sinn Fein in regard to abortion and a few other things. Sinn Fein lost my vote due to their murky stance on abortion (I oppose abortion) but that certainly doesn’t mean I will vote DUP or any Unionist party. In fact I voted SDLP at the Assembly Election. Indeed if Colm Eastwood steered the SDLP to a more hard Republican stance, combined with social conservative values (Family values, Pro-Life, etc) I could see the SDLP maybe making a come back. Again that’s due to Sinn Fein’s stupidity, not the SDLP’s genius. Sinn Fein should’ve did far better in the South’s Election, they still got an impressive 23 seats but I feel Sinn Fein tripped themselves up. There is still time for them to repair the damage though by being crystal clear that they oppose abortion.
Robert, Sinn Fein opposed Stormont in the 1970’s and 1980’s, we’re in 2016 mate lol Sinn Fein supported the return of Stormont in 2007 and called it an “enormous prize”.
There will be an Irish Language Act sooner or later. Indeed the DUP agreed to it in 2006 but went back on their word. The DUP tried going back on their word in regard to a Sinn Fein speaker but was forced to honour their promise and elect one. Its a give and take relationship in Stormont, there will always be things the DUP want that they need SF to support.
The Unionist state was destroyed Robert, it collapsed in 1972, despite Unionist opposition. Majority Rule hasn’t returned despite Unionism calling for it, in the form of “We need an opposition!”. Majority Rule can only return if ALL of nationalism, SDLP and SF (maybe PBP too) agree to it, which is never going to happen unless Nationalism thinks it will have the majority. At that point you’ll suddenly find Unionism ditching their demands for majority rule.
We will retain our industrial wage?? what has that got to do with anything?? that’s an internal SF policy which can be changed or kept if SF members want it changed or kept. I think it should go, it will attract more people to SF if it does go.
We will have a United Ireland? Yes and Republicans are still pursuing a United Ireland…..you don’t need a gun or a bomb to pursue Irish Unity, it can be done even more effectively through peace and politics.
We shall make NI ungovernable? Yes and they did. Hence how Stormont collapsed in 1972 and had to be run from Westminster.
Not a bullet or ounce of semtex to be decommissioned. Well I don’t believe any significant amount of semtex or guns were decommissioned. They keep turning up. Even the dissidents are using them. Paisley couldn’t get simple photographic evidence of the weapons being destroyed. We were told for over a decade the PIRA and Army Council decommissioned but yet just last year the PSNI confirmed it was still in existence and it was ALLOWED to remain in existence. SpotlightNI programme 2 years ago confirmed Republican Spike Murray was importing guns and anti-tank shells from the USA in 2003 too…..
Welfare reforms?? Again what has that got to do with politics here?…..SF was depending on a Labour Government being elected and it didn’t happen. If Labour had have been elected then its likely we would’ve got a far better deal than we currently have. Of course the DUP backed the Tories after being wined and dined at Downing Street. Obvious to see they care about the most disadvantaged in their own community….
“Do you see a trend there Ryan?”
No Robert I really don’t…..
“Sinn Fein lost my vote due to their murky stance on abortion ”
I would be against abortion in general Ryan, but I think forcing a woman to carry a dead child full term is inhuman.
If that is your pro life stance, perhaps it isn’t Sinn Fein who need to take a look at themselves.
I respect Sinn Feins policy to only allow abortion in extreme circumstances based on medical advise where a woman’s health is at risk and I hope they stick to their principals on it.
It is based on listening to people who have been through this traumatic experience and on the understanding that telling them they have no choice in Ireland but to go full term to deliver a corpse is not ever going to happen and only forcing them out of the country for help. That is not a policy that should be made on the basis of getting votes but on what is in the best interests of the woman.
I believe the vast majority of young people would back Sinn Feins policy on abortion so while it may have cost them votes in the short term due to apathy among the younger population, as they get older they will vote and they wont vote along the lines of such religious zealousy.
Your opinion on abortion sounds more populous than a principled choice.
My instinct tells me that only a sick evil bastard would tell a woman whos unborn child is dead in her womb and that is traumatised with the prospect of carrying it full term that she cannot have it removed when medical science offers a more humane option.
How is that in any way pro family?
It recently occurred to me that under the current political arrangements it is impossible for NI to succeed as a state. With no tax-raising powers there is no incentive to build the economy as any gains in the economy will automatically go to exchequer in London who would in turn do what London sees fit to do with it. With an isolationist post-Brexit Conservative government in England who are hell-bent on austerity and further cuts to public services it is hard to see how NI can prosper given the fact that over 30% of jobs are in the public sector, the industrial and building sectors are collapsing (Bombardiar, McGrath group ect.) and we will soon be cut off from tariff-free trading with the rest of Ireland and indeed with the bulk of western Europe.
These are the problems – but what are the solutions? A united Ireland or an independent NI? Could the latter work? It is hard to see how. Could the former work? It is easy to see how! But at least if NI had tax-raising powers maybe the state wouldn’t be so wasteful with our money every year and would invest it in infrastructure. After all it is easy to be with someone else’s money.
“It recently occurred to me that under the current political arrangements it is impossible for NI to succeed as a state. With no tax-raising powers there is no incentive to build the economy as any gains in the economy will automatically go to exchequer in London who would in turn do what London sees fit to do with it”
Colman, there is a group set up by the British Government to find ways of preventing Scottish Independence. The group is made up of House of Lords members, Academics, Economists, various Professors, etc. The most popular suggestion they have come up with (which is being taken very seriously by the British Government) is a Devo Max option for the entire UK, to literally make the UK a Federation. This might save the UK but it will weaken it to a very great extent. This means that the likes of the North and Scotland would be Independent in all but Foreign Policy and Defence, everything else will be under the control of the NI Executive and Scottish Parliament. Even the House of Commons might have to go or at the very least be reduced down to a mere 100 members who have next to no power.
Of course both Scottish and Ulster Unionists will be sickened by such a proposal. But Sinn Fein’s Finance Minister supports it and wants all economic powers for the North to be at Stormont. That includes the powers to borrow. It also would mean the North would be literally economically independent, therefore no more block grant.
If the North were to get such powers then it would be literally Independent. I forget who it was but I seem to remember one of the North’s Prime Ministers (back when it had one) aggressively rejecting the suggestion from some Unionists that Independence for the North was a solution to the Troubles. He said that if NI ever went Independent it would inevitably lead to Irish Unity in a short while. He also said such a thing would be economically disastrous. I agree with him 100%. NI can only exist as part of the UK or as part of a United Ireland.
I get the feeling that those Unionists who supported Independence only supported it because the same Unionists often complained that their “hands were tied” by the British Government. Willie Frazer, for example, was one of those who use to support “Ulster Independence” but only because he wanted no interference with the RUC/B Specials by Westminster, in other words if the RUC/B Specials went on another pogrom with Loyalists like in 1969 then no one could’ve stopped them (except for the Irish state, which would’ve invaded if the UK wasn’t in the North).
“But Sinn Fein’s Finance Minister supports it and wants all economic powers for the North to be at Stormont. That includes the powers to borrow. It also would mean the North would be literally economically independent, therefore no more block grant.”
And he would be right to Ryan
I would accept an independent northern Ireland, preferably also including the rest of Ulster’s counties.
Once nationalism has the numbers and unionist intransigence is no longer blocking growth, the north has the potential to be the wealthiest part of Ireland.
Sinn Fein know this and are going to make it happen.
Don’t listen to those fooled by the old line, those in the south would have to subsidise living standards in the north. This is absolute rubbish. Unionists want us to be dependant on London for their own ends.
For a start, unification would take years to implement and would be based on economic targets being met on both sides during the change so unexpected changes in the southern economy likewise doesn’t hurt us in the north.
Perhaps the north might not want the immense debt that the republic are faced with which could take 100 years to get under control without the help of a prosperous northern economy and the state of the southern public services thanks to Fianna Fail.
Unionism has been the ball and chain to economic growth in the north, we need to borrow to invest in economic growth in our tourism industry, especially reviving the maze project and in renewables to resolve our energy dependence and cost issues. We need to get into financial markets and control our own banks.
It would be in all of this islands interests to do so through unification but if Dublin isn’t interested, we need full independence and to setup our own financial sector in Belfast which would be in competition with Dublin which is why I don’t believe they would allow it to happen. What reason has the south to oppose unification to the extent we should be competing economically against one another?
It just would not make sense. But if it was the only way to independence for us in the north I would jump at the opportunity.
Unification is not the be all and end all for me. I want independence, Ireland would be my preference but an independent Northern Ireland would have my full support also.