A long, long time ago, when men wore big heavy winter coats with a belt tied around the middle and no male head went uncovered, when women didn’t create unemployment by making silly demands to be part of the paid workforce but stayed at home and minded the children – way back then there was a thing in the Catholic Church called the Sin Against the Holy Ghost. To be honest, I can’t remember exactly what it was but it was a deal-breaker, because it was the sin for which there was no forgiveness. Or that’s how I remember it.
Mike Nesbitt has committed the political sin against the Holy Ghost – or Holy Union, to be more exact. He has said he will give his second preference vote to the SDLP candidate. To make the understatement of the year, this has not gone unnoticed in Unionism. People outside the UUP such as the DUP are, of course, horrified to the point of collapse. Arlene Foster says that Mike Nesbitt is going to make Sinn Féin the biggest party in the state….OK, not quite that, but she does say he’s risking making them the largest party. And obviously that would be horrible. The only possible party that should be largest is the DUP, which brought us Red Sky, NAMA and now the Big One, RHI.
And criticism of Mike is not confined to the DUP. He’s coming under more than a bit of fire from those in his own party. His loyal lieutenant, Danny Kennedy, says he’s not going to give his second preference to no SDLPer. He’s going to give his second preference to a fellow Unionist.
So there you have it. I don’t know Sophie Long of the PUP but I’ve quoted her several times in the past few weeks, because she cut to the heart of blind Unionist thinking such as that exhibited here by Arlene and Danny and lots of others in the DUP and the UUP: “If we’d prefer to be robbed by a Protestant than led by a Catholic, we’re in trouble.” Except for changing ‘Protestant’ to ‘Unionist’ and ‘Catholic’ to ‘Nationalist/republican’, I agree with every word.
Mike is making the magnificant gesture of transferring his vote to the SDLP in the constituency of East Belfast where the SDLP vote is circa 300 votes.Meanwhile no other uup rep is following his lead especially where it would really matter.Empty gesture or what?
Nesbit may have just handed the DUP the election.
Lets be honest why are the likes of Danny Kennedy not in the DUP. Considering everything that has happened in the last few months why would anyone reward the DUP with a transfer. Fair play to MIke Nesbitt although why he is getting so much grief is another question he quite cleary said its what HE is doing and is not advising anyone else to directly vote/transfer SDLP. My only problem with Nesbitt is he seems to be all over the place one minute he is pushing the UUP towards the Alliance party next moment he is trying to out flank the TUV.. He should either do what is right or what he thinks will win the most votes for his party and stick to it. If he keeps changing around then no-one will no what they are and the party vote will crash further.
Miike Nesbitt,s vote for the SDLP is not a vote for nationalists, rather it is a vote against SF.
Perhaps Danny Kennedy should just join the DUP. Obviously he thinks it more important that they should be in government rather than his own party.
I was thinking the same thing, Colman.Whe it comes down to seeds and stems…it is vote unionist no matter which strain, or no matter how sticky -fingered….
Did you just say ‘Sticky’, PK???
A brave move by Mike Nesbitt. It takes courage to try and break the usual green and orange cycle of NI politics. It also makes sense politically as SDLP transfers might get the UUP over the line in tight constituencies against the DUP and vice versa with the SDLP and SF.
Unfortunately though I felt Colum Eastwood has left him hanging a little by no reciprocating clearly enough.
We shall see what happens.
Unfortunately, Scott, he’s not trying to break the green/orange setup. He’s just trying to change the component parts to a different orange/green setup. Brigid is correct. This is purely an attempt to dethrone PSF and he is using the gullible SDLP to help him. Just imagine the UUP in a power sharing administration with the shadies. He would walk all over them like Trimble did.
I just don’t think Danny Kennedy gets it.
Or maybe it’s me.
In the power sharing set up which we have the largest unionist party shares power with the largest nationalist party.
If Danny Kennedy wants to be in power then surely he should have no interest in strengthening the largest unionist party in which they are in competition with?
Or perhaps Danny really would rather be robbed by a prod than ruled by a Catholic.
I guess that’s the question the unionist electorate will have to ask itself also.
Honeyford was absolutely spot on in my view. Foster is incapable of being a minister for all, I’m not sure any unionist is capable of such statesmanship.
Any lingering doubt that Mike Nesbitt takes The Unionist Times, Esteemed Blogmeister, will have been dispelled by his first announcement regarding his Number 2 vote.
And not only does he take The Organ of Rex Accord, but he takes it very seriously, very, very seriously indeed.
For the latest bulletin he has bitten off proves he has read the following passage by The Man who makes up the Minds of the Mindless, and which he has only taken almost a month or so to absorb.
It is a paragraph taken from an opinionated piece of January 17, under the eggheading:
-DUP must be punished for its Brexit folly !!!!
Picture Mike, fingering each word of the following even as he moves his lips:
‘For the first time, there has to be a non-sectarian alliance.
The three main Opposition parties, the Ulster Unionists, the SDLP and Alliance agree on many things, and by far the most important of them is Brexit. They each opposed it’.
A new production, therefore, is in the offing:
-He Stoops to Conquer.
It might be remembered that the scribe who penned this passage in a back number of The Unionist Times, Fintan O ‘Toole (for it is he !) has served his time as a theatre correspondent.
A drama king, as it were. One, all of whose inner cross-border Ollies (Oliver G./ Oliver C.) are indentured to ‘scoping the conscience of his generation in the goldmines of his mind’. That sorta thingy.
O’TOOLE RULE
A fie upon this divarsion of the fossil-fuel
Is how the power O’Toole opts to ridicule
The one called Fintan
The one with F-intinn*
Become a First M. by correspondence school !
*’Intinn’ is the Leprechaun for ‘mind’, mind.
In fairness to MN he did mention the awful attitude of even the younger “Abominables” in saying that phrase about holding their noses. It shows clear intent in my view.
Jude
I don’t understand why you criticise the DUP for not liking this.
They want to be the largest party as do SF as, I am sure, do the SDLP and the UU.
That is just what all parties do.
I am sure SF are worried about this move too.
I could not tell from your piece if you welcome it or not, but I think it is very positive and if it shakes up the DUP/SF establishment we now have and which is not working then good for him and Eastwood.
I don’t think that Sinn Fein really see the SDLP as a major threat , gio.They are very different kinds of parties and their voters are very different.If the UUP (or just TVMike on his own!) see the SDLP as the next best place to give his vote to , then he sees them as nearer to himself and his party than any other unionist party that is currently available .He doesn’t want to hand it to the DUP, who he feels have harmed the union with their antics or the TUV , who would further isolate unionism and estrange it from his idea of of the mainstream …or even to Alliance, whom he’d see as too liberal-leaning as to blow with any fair wind…. but he sees the SDLP as being of the same kind of cloth as himself, albeit on different sides of the street. He sees them as people who could share the same reasoned, slow debates and language and not get their knickers in a twist with a whole lot of old religious toshery, climate -change denial , insulting behaviour and mad fundamentalism.
He reminds me of Rex Harrison as Professor Henry Higgens in “My Fair Lady” grumbling amiably to himself, but in bafflement as he talk-sings….”Why can’t the SDLP be just a tiny bit more like the UUP?” in his mind they are almost there but not…..quite.
There is something in this. Both the SDLP and the UUP as currently constructed , would like to perceive themselves as of the affable Middle Class of Norneverland politics. In this respect the SDLP are in actuality much like Alliance are perceived too by both nationalist- lites and unionist -lites, in that they are together sorts of “Nationalist/Unionist-Lites” ….for now, but if given a choice at a possible later date and in possibly slightly different circumstances, the SDLP might abandon Westminster and Alliance might even take up seats in the Dail. nobody knows how they will jump. They might even all easily see themselves as “United -Irish -Unionists” in a possibly federal future of the isles. I think that both the Alliance and the SDLP are now seen as sort of wishy -washy and are probably beginning to confuse potential future voters.The SDLP leader is afraid to even think about it out loud and he is certainly not about to give TVMike any comfort by reciprocating his Great Idea. That’s a step way too fat….
The DUP and Sinn fein will never do that .You get what it says on the tin with these guys. It’s a matter of how much crap you are still prepared to swallow and continue to believe in them. In the case of the DUP …that’s a whole lot of scandals and other mad other-worldly insanity and crap.Make no bones about it , the DUP is so chock -full of scandals and scandalous thought as to be irreformable .They are ,what they are. Sinn Fein have kept their politics fairly straight-forward and there appears to have been no thievery or sticky -fingers .Their politics might not suit everyone but it is avalid enough position and appears to be working for them so far…
“Sinn Fein have kept their politics fairly straight-forward and there appears to have been no thievery or sticky -fingers”
Apart from the £700,000 of phony research company of course PK. The eyes see what they wish i guess.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-30204080
I thought this was investigated and no irregularities were found. Do you know different?
It was investigated by a assembly committee I.e SF and the DUP investigated it themselves. The owners of the research company were also in charge of SF financial department, which is I’m sure you’ll agree a huge conflict of interest.
No evidence has ever been produced that any research was actually carried out.
On top of that a SF MLA was claiming £5000 for car mileage despite not being able to drive. Someone else was signing his mileage form.
The info is out there if yous are interested.
Thanks for the reminder ,Scott but here’s what i read…:26 November 2014
“Five years ago, the police were alerted to concerns about expenses claims made by Sinn Féin for work done by the company, and a meeting was held with two assembly officials.
At the time, the Police Service of Northern Ireland decided that an investigation was not necessary.
Sinn Féin’s biggest claims for payment to Research Services Ireland came after that date.
‘No impropriety’
The party said that its office cost allowance spent with RSI was used exclusively for assembly and constituency work.
Speaking on the BBC’s Nolan Show, Sinn Féin MLA Raymond McCartney said there had been “no impropriety” in his party’s expenses claims and added they had “nothing to hide”.
“I have no issue with any investigative process, indeed the Spotlight programme alluded that some time in the past the PSNI had been involved.
“They didn’t find anything to proceed with an investigative process, I can draw a conclusion from that there was no evidence to go by” Mr McCartney said.”….
So what has been found since this piece was written? …I’ll give it a fair hearing .
Scott, if I was disallowed from driving, I would still be able to claim for mileage and pay someone else for driving me.
Your kicking up muck is down to your own unionist representatives letting you down.
The only support you will get from within nationalism is from our own muck rakers who have pretty much the same anti Sinn Fein agenda. The DUP republicans
jessica
‘He told them he knew nothing about most of the mileage claimed.
Mr Hyland claimed the form had been signed without his knowledge. He also claimed a senior member of Sinn Féin’s finance team then rang him and asked him to agree the expenses.’
I guess he was asleep in the back.
gio, unless mr hyland was teleporting himself to and from work, we was entitled to claim expenses.
Not aware of a stormont scotty beaming people about the place.
perhaps someone needs to explain to party members, taxi fairs are not free and expense forms need to be bloody well signed
The fact remains, the expenses claimed for were found to be within the rules and were legitimate entitlements
I am sure the finance team were more than a little frustrated with mr Hyland and I am sure there is a lesson in it, but it is still not misappropriation which was the inference for bringing it up here to counter unionist corruption
It is not a valid comparison and says more about the person using it to sling mud
And there might not just be a genuine attempt to break the failed politics brought upon us by SF/DUP. Don’t ignore the obvious PK to indulge in convoluted reasoning no matter how clever or specious it sounds. Maybe Mike and Colum genuinely care about the people here and now and are not dragging history up a mucky hill like Robert De Niro in the mission.
gio
“I could not tell from your piece if you welcome it or not”
You couldn’t?
Having said that, the piece was really more about having a go at all the other sinners (no, not Shinners, sinners, i,e Unionists) Same old, same old, I’m afraid.
“I could not tell from your piece if you welcome it or not”. Not surprisingly – I’m not part of Failte Ireland, gio and PF. I think Mike is kind of funny, but not as funny as Colum. Mike saying HE PERSONALLY will give the SDLP his second vote (has that anything to do with the likelihood of the SDLP getting that seat?) but he’s NOT saying anyone else should, esp in his party. It’s like saying “OK, this is a divided society, esp over flags. Tell you what, we’ll put up the Union flag just 18 times a year. Couldn’t be fairer than that.” But as I say, Colum is even funnier – he’s going to give the UUP a leg-up at some point on the sheet. Woooo…Now there’s daring.
Let’s not mistake a maidenly toe pretending to hover over the water with total immersion baptism.
All that said, I’ve always thought people are entitled to put belief in the existence of the state (or not) pretty high up the list of political priorities. And why not?
“All that said, I’ve always thought people are entitled to put belief in the existence of the state (or not) pretty high up the list of political priorities. And why not?”
Because a blinkered approach to politics were that question is the issue that trumps all others means that day to day realities around schools, health and economics get left by the wayside.
You build a stable house, weather proofed etc before you argue about the colour of the utility room. First things first.
I think you’re falling into a heavily-populated pit, Scott. You’ll notice that people are capable of dealing in their lives with more than one thing – like, I must get the groceries, and I need to text my granny on her birthday. Likewise most government of (free) countries have a foreign policy AND a domestic policy. I don’t know how they do it. I mean, if they’re thinking about their relationship with other countries, how on earth can they ALSO think about producing a budget? And as for women, who are supposed to be able to multi-task – cheeeeshhhh….
I’m afraid you missed the point Jude. If the single issue trumps everything else then why bother having opinions on the other issues if they are flexible to your primary single issue.
“Because a blinkered approach to politics were that question is the issue that trumps all others means that day to day realities around schools, health and economics get left by the wayside.”
That’s rich Scott, since it is a blinkered approach to politics that is preventing even discussion about how a unified economy and state could potentially transform schools, health and economics. Show me a single economist anywhere on the planet who would say partitioning Ireland is best for schools, health and economics in either jurisdiction. While unionists see such discussion as defeat and refuse to engage, don’t give me your crap about sectarian politics. It is Unionism that brings the sectarianism to this island.
Jude
I wasn’t mistaking anything with anything – just noting the rhetoric – even if you don’t use words like Sticky, Provo, or Jaffa.
Alternatively you might suggest that all SF voters transfer to the UUP.
But you won’t.
Which makes your point, pointless.
If I could understand what you’re talking about, PF, I’d almost certainly disagree with you…
Jude
The are none so blind who will not see – even what they know they have written:
“the heart of blind Unionist thinking”
The heart of blind Nationalist thinking.
The heart of blind Republican thinking.
See, anyone can to it. Unless you plan to vote ‘Unionist’ in the up-coming election.
Do tell.
But you disagree already, already.
It’s called prejudice, isn’t it?
Jude
Thanks for the reply, but I still don’t know if you think this a good thing or not.
The belief in the state (or not) will not be in any way harmed as far as I can see by voting down the list for the UU/SDLP.
Anything that might help break down the traditional voting patterns would be a step in the right direction surely, or should we all stick (yes stick) to our own wee boxes for ever?
Jude
You remind me of General Melchett out of Blackadder in the “poo poo” scene.
Did you just say ‘Sticky’, PK???
“You talking to me , Jude?”
So you think elections are not about what is best for the people, but about being the biggest party.
That is pretty much DUP thinking to a tee.
Then again, you support unionism refusing to talk about unity as it would be considered a defeat.
It is funny how the people who think they have the answers are the biggest problem and yet the average working class loyalist bonfire supporters they despise would have more decency in their little finger.
sophies some neck on her,in awe of her leader who says he helped prevent a united ireland…he murdered 2 young lads walking to do a days work,simply because they were catholics.we take no advice from the likes of that.
Unionist leaders have been deposed for much less than what Mike has suggested, maybe the weakness of what was once the rulers of a one party state will save him. Arlene has already pounced on the poor chap, Danny Kennedy and co. are having spasms of horror at the idea of any unionist leader even thinking about giving any nationalist party a second preference. That scraping sound is James Craig`s bigoted little bones rattling around in his grave. The Ian Paisley of a few decades ago would have hounded Mike out of the job by Easter. `NATIONALIST NESBITT`posters similar to the `WHITEWASH WHITELAW` ones I saw hanging on lamp posts in the seventies would be printed and distributed. The only thing the SDLP and Unionists have in common is their jealousy/hatred of Sinn Féin. Maybe some day in the future parties will come together over social and economic policies but that day has not arrived yet.
It seems the UUP/DUP election pact is back in place for March 2!
The UUP faithful are aghast at the idea of voting SDLP (as others may be, but for a different reason), and will vote for the RHI/DUP.
How blind can their bigotry be when they close their eyes to the £500million scandal and corruption, to put those perpetrators back in power.
How is Colum feeling today that his ‘Vote Mike and you get Colum’ mantra goes up in smoke?
Surely the UUP can’t have a pact at the same time as they have a pact (written down or not) with the DUP!
Very disappointing response to Mike’s refreshing comments.
Sectarian views are deeply entrenched in both communities here. The reaction reminds me of the reaction of many nationalists here to.Colum’s attendance at the UUP conference.
People are afraid to.come.out of their comfort zones. They prefer unionists and nationalists to unite against each other.
What’s “refreshing” about it, MT? Surely, it’s politicking of the highest order to try and propel the UUP into power, even though it won’t. He’s hoping to use green to prop up orange. Think Mike Nesbitt is trying to tactically outmanoeuvre the other political parties, but in this instance, it’s out of his depth to outmanoeuvre anyone.
“What’s “refreshing” about it, MT?”
Its novelty, obviously.
Precisely – a novelty act!
Well, he has tried just about everything else TH.
He has tried to out DUP the DUP, to do what they did to them.
It failed.
He tried election pacts, but came off the worse
He has tried a combined front standing with loyalist paramilitaries, DUP and TUV.
Still no change
To be fair, his solution for claiming back the RHI money is the one which will work best.
His approach to the SDLP is clearly to garner more of the transfers they already get from SDLP votes and to appeal to the moderate alliance voters and at the same time try to persuade non voters to support him by doing something different.
Now, had his party only done what Sinn Fein called for them to do 15 years ago and positively promote the GFA rather than pursue negative politics, who knows what may have been.
That fact that this comes after the above were tried, sounds more like a last throw of the dice to me and if it doesn’t come off he will be out on his ear.
That is where my money would be, for him and Colum both out on their backsides.
But as a result of his promise to give SDLP third preference he will certainly lose transfers from DUP voters. They will object to the thought of Mike voting for Fenians!
“But as a result of his promise to give SDLP third preference he will certainly lose transfers from DUP voters.!”
Third preference? Who’s he voting second?
He said he would vote UUP running mate next, then SDLP.
Perhaps Mike secretly wants a united Ireland and is sabotaging the party from within.
“He said he would vote UUP running mate next, then SDLP.”
There is no UUP running mate.
I could be wrong MT, but I did think he said that
He said it wasn’t Strangford he voted in, what constituency does Mike vote in that only has 1 candidate standing for UUP?
I would be very surprised if that wasn’t the case sherdy.
But he will also lose UUP voters who are just as bigoted.
I think Mikes problem is he didn’t realise just how sectarian unionism was when he set out to rescue the UUP.
I think he is having his eyes opened but has already dipped his toes in the poisoned pool.
I never would have guessed he would have turned out to be such a bigot as he proved himself to be in his previous stances. Rather than lead the party to a new place, they have dragged him through the sewers of british rule in Ireland.
“But he will also lose UUP voters who are just as bigoted.”
Are you going to transfer to unionists or are you bigoted too?
The only unionist I would vote for is Ian Paisley Jnr for his comments about Martin McGuinness on TV
Those comments were genuine, unlike Mikes which are posturing and tactical
There is no benefit for Ian to have made them, he was acting from his own conscience and putting human nature above petty politics
He would have my vote
There is no unionist in upper bann I would vote for, they are all bigots
I will be voting Sinn Fein 1 and 2, possibly WP next
I would like to see Sinn Fein keep its two seats in upper bann, but there is a real risk of John O Dowd not being returned, it was close last time
Desperate times calls for desperate measures. From Electoral pacts with the DUP to strengthen unionism to giving preferences to the SDLP to weaken unionism and his old political allies! As leader of the UUP, Mike has successfully delivered the worst UUP electoral performance in the Assembly elections in 2016. I feel, he might supersede this feat this time around! He’s the DUP’s propaganda dream whilst at the same time the political liability of the UUP. Too often he thinks aloud and doesn’t often consider the ramifications of what he’s doing and proposing. Does he ever consult his party before making these car crash TV / radio interviews where he’s always giving headlines? What Mike sees as progressive, is simply what’s progressive for him and him alone – not what’s best for the Stormont or the North!
Whereas Sinn Fein’s stubborn pursuit of a one sided reaching out and reconciliation approach, has thanks to unionists such as Mike, been pretty much ignored and led to discontent from republicans who don’t share their vision of an agreed united Ireland for all as envisioned in the proclamation.
To the media they are the leper pariahs and just as they have done with Jeremy Corbyn, the media has substantial influence.
Not many parties could have survived the onslaughts Sinn Fein has had to endure never mind continued to grow.
They are more than a political party. They represent the hopes and aspirations of all Irish people who want to see a united Ireland free of british jurisdiction and accommodating to all Irish people.