There are few things that make us cry to heaven for vengeance more shriekingly than public hypocrites. No, let me rephrase that: holier-than thou hypocrites.
At the time of writing the Fine Gael party is in an awful state. After Mary Lou McDonald intimated that Sinn Féin might be open to being a junior partner in a coalition at some point, Enda Kenny committed a mortal sin. (Stand by for him being asked by Miriam O’Callaghan about his last visit to the confession box.) He was asked about the possibilities of going into coalition with Sinn Féin and he didn’t immediately rend his garments, gnash his teeth and/or howl NOOOOOOO at the moon.
Bad mistake. Fine Gael is a very puritanical party. If someone is found guilty of sin, they risk being cast out into the wilderness. Enda’s own party members were lining up to take a pop at him.
Noel Rock (FG) put a positive spin on this appalling vista: “Enda Kenny has made it clear he will not lead Fine Gael in the next election and he is, therefore, highly unlikely to be involved in the formation of any future Fine Gael-led coalition.”
Kate O’Connell (FG) went further, hinting that Enda might have gone a bit mad: “I wouldn’t consider a coalition with Sinn Féin would be acceptable to any reasonable people within the party – now or in the foreseeable future”.
And Alan Farrell (FG) saw Sinn Féin as failing the moral and economics front: “Putting the history associated with Sinn Féin aside for a moment, their economic policies alone would disqualify them from ever entering government as part of a coalition with Fine Gael”.
So now. Enda has sinned and the younger element of Fine Gael is showing that they will see to it that there is no moral (or of course economic) backsliding under their watch.
In all this gathering of Fine Gael skirts and holding of Fine Gael noses, there is of course the question from the other side: would Sinn Féin consider entering coalition with Fine Gael?
Eoin O Broin (SF) summed it up rather well: “Enda Kenny is having a laugh. Why would any self-respecting republican want to be in coalition with a right-wing partitionist party?”
But hold – help is at hand. Yesterday Enda retook his Fine Gael baptismal vows: “The Fine Gael position is, has been and will remain, not to enter into coalition government with Sinn Féin”.
So is that it? Um, not really. Enda is a lame duck Taoiseach, which means what he says and doesn’t say about coalitions or pretty much anything else matters about as much as a nose-blow. What is worth contemplating is this: is Eoin O Broin right when he implies Sinn Féin would never enter a coalition with a party of partitionist right-wingers? And Fianna Fail can stop smirking – the description fits them as neatly as it does Fine Gael. Now. Pay attention, because this is the tricky bit.
If you’re a TD or an MLA, you can make a significant difference only if you’re in government. With elections north and south producing coalitions, there’s a mortal danger for smaller parties contemplating government. We’ve seen it with the Greens, we’ve seen it with Progressive Democrats, in Britain we’ve seen it with the Lib Dems. The song of junior partners in coalition might be that old torch number, ‘Put the Blame On Me’. Being a junior party in a coalition simply invites disaster.
So should Sinn Féin set off at a lively trot and avoid such coalitions? Generally speaking, yes. And yes again. Half of Fine Gael’s interest in coalition with Sinn Féin, were it to come to that, would be to damage Sinn Féin.
But there is one circumstance where I can see Sinn Féin benefiting from being a junior coalition partner.
If they were to draw up a clear and public list of political objectives which their majority partner had committed to, no ifs and buts, and dates were set for the implementation of that list. The list might contain such things as a permanent abandonment of the cursed water charges scheme, a Green Paper on Irish reunification, voting rights for northerners in any Presidential election, a major house-building programme to end homelessness in the state.
That would still leave the matter of the majority coalition partner’s list and Sinn Féin’s attitude to it. But there’d be one consolation: both Fine Gael and Fianna Fail have previous on promising the electorate one thing and then failing to delive.
But when we’ve finished looking at the pros and cons, when we’ve weighed up the practical against principle, I’d still conclude that entering coalition as a junior partner with Fine Gael or Fianna Fail would be a move verging on suicidal..
The Dail will not survive 2017, so they will need to make their minds up.
I think they are right to take their places in any future Dail, no matter what the position.
They also need to go into the next election letting the people know they intend to be in the next government.
They do need to have a clear list such as you outlined which the public can understand.
How much thy can deliver of this list will then be down to the people supporting it in the election.
Stormont is not coming back after these elections, unless the british state have a road to Damascus conversion. That means the negotiations will involve both governments.
It is vital that Sinn Fein have a string role in these negotiations, not only representing the nationalists in the north, but representing the irish state and out people as a whole across this island.
governments cannot rebuild Irelands economy, it is small and medium domestic businesses who are doing that and a custom border across this island is going to kill off the only real hope of recovery we have thanks to poor and incompetent leadership from Fine Gael.
Now more than ever, we do not need a Taoiseach sitting with his hand up on a back bench being ignored by Michel Barnier and his team who will not be putting Ireland first.
Ireland have not yet been allowed to discuss Irelands position post brexit. That is not only incredible but possibly the most chicken shit leadership in the history of global democracy.
“Sinn Fein have a string role in these negotiations, not only representing the nationalists in the north, but representing the irish state and out people as a whole across this island.”
.
The Provos represent neither the southern state nor people as a whole across Ireland.
Any negotiations after the election will be about restoring a devolved government in NI.
And how are we going to do that if both Sinn Fein and the SDLP have both said they will not return to Stormont with Arlene Foster as a joint first minister?
Both UUP and DUP have been bringing out the worst in unionist voters, stood next to loyalist paramilitaries and prioritised flags over policies. The UUP will not out DUP the DUP.
When they fail, Mike Nesbitt will be out on his ear.
Likewise, for all Colum Eastwoods application of republican credentials upon the SDLP, the silence in response from the majority of his party is deafening. It is like a one man crusade with the two girls hoping to capitalise after the election when Colum will be cast aside and they will fight it out for the leadership.
The Alliance party are the voice of moderate unionism but don’t even declare as unionist so will simply not achieve their full potential under such false pretences. If by some miracle they did receive a majority unionist vote, I guess they would have no choice but to designate as unionist.
So how do you see Stormont coming back MT?
If Sinn Fein are given the backing of nationalists for these negotiations only to end up back in Stormont with the DUP and presiding over the implementation and return of a customs border in Ireland – their offices would be burned to the ground.
“And how are we going to do that if both Sinn Fein and the SDLP have both said they will not return to Stormont with Arlene Foster as a joint first minister?”
Neither has said that.
“Both UUP and DUP have been bringing out the worst in unionist voters, stood next to loyalist paramilitaries and prioritised flags over policies. The UUP will not out DUP the DUP.
When they fail, Mike Nesbitt will be out on his ear.”
The UUP isn’t attempting to out DUP the DUP.
“So how do you see Stormont coming back MT?”
After negotiations and a period of direct rule.
“If Sinn Fein are given the backing of nationalists for these negotiations only to end up back in Stormont with the DUP and presiding over the implementation and return of a customs border in Ireland – their offices would be burned to the ground.”
No they wouldn’t.
Well, as I’ve said before, there is no point in arguing with the all knowing MT
after all, you are the master race
“And how are we going to do that if both Sinn Fein and the SDLP have both said they will not return to Stormont with Arlene Foster as a joint first minister? Neither has said that. ”
I am pretty sure young Colum said the same thing though I cannot find a link, but here is a link to Sinn Fein confirming it.
Sounds pretty conclusive and straightforward to me, there will be no Stormont with Arlene put forward again to the executive.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-38857317
“I am pretty sure young Colum said the same thing though I cannot find a link, but here is a link to Sinn Fein confirming it.
Sounds pretty conclusive and straightforward to me, there will be no Stormont with Arlene put forward again to the executive.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-38857317”
Note this stops short of saying they won’t enter an Executive with Foster as FM.
There you go MT
http://www.irishnews.com/news/assemblyelection/2017/02/02/news/sdlp-rules-out-part-in-arlene-foster-led-administration-as-rhi-questions-remain-917502/
That means bot SDLP and Sinn Fein have ruled out any return to Stormont with Arlene at the helm
I would say at this stage, the odds would be better for her ending up in jail than back in Stormont
Fair enough that’s more clear, though SDLP unlikely to matter anyway. Plus Arlene might be replaced anyway.
“Plus Arlene might be replaced anyway.”
What, get of a strong unionist leader who the party has claimed has done nothing wrong?
Now why on earth would they want to do that?
Would that not be the u turn of all u turns?
Interesting that someone who professes to hate the DUP doesn’t even consider the possibility that the DUP may not be returned as the largest unionist party
https://eoinobroin.wordpress.com/2017/01/30/government-coalition-securing-real-change/
Eoin O’Broins thoughts on entering coalition. Worth a read.
Great story jude
In 1955, Rock Hudson aka the Hunk married Phyllis Gates (pronounced Gates) .
It was a well known factoid around Hollywood that there was something fake about this take on the wedding feast at Cana, what with its canned laughter et al. Dame Rumour indeed had it that the fake had nothing to do with the tan of either the groom or the bride.
In those days, fake wedlocks were known as Lavender Marriages.
1959, Rock Hudson, heart-throb central, starred in a semantic comedy called ‘Pillow Talk’ with Doris Day, who never even verged on being seen in serge.
As the day of Michelle O Neill (nee Doris) has already come the pillow talk around the Doll House in Dublin 2 is that the day of Mary Lou will surely come too.
BETWEEN a ROCK and a HUDSON
Two heads are better , they say, than one
But S.F.-Fun G. is as fun as a hit-and-run
At this pillow talk
All Shinners balk
And so, M. Lou too will this Lav-Enda shun.
Jude, you mention Enda’s short dalliance with the idea of holding hands with Sinn Fein, before having lover’s second thoughts.
But just a few weeks previous his chief whip Regina Doherty had made a similar proposal.
One kite-flying proposal I can accept as accidental, but two makes it more deliberate, and in their desperation for political survival, do not put any dodgy moves past Fine Gael.
Some above mentioned Sinn Fein and the SDLP promising/threatening not to enter Stormont with Arlene as first minister.
Today’s BelTel lead tells of her direct ‘jot and tittle’ involvement in RHI as far back as 2010, when she seemed to be offering money to anyone who even mentioned the word ‘pellets’.
If the implications of that story are true then our forthcoming judicial inquiry should be able to nail her as main instigator of the scandal, and rule her as totally unfit for any public office.
So whether Michelle or Colum would accept her as leader or not would be a moot point.
Arlene, you’re fired!
Speaking after meeting with Theresa May during the week in Dublin, Enda Kenny said: “”I emphasised to the Prime Minister the importance of finding a way forward on outstanding commitments, and in particular on issues like the Legacy Institutions under the Stormont House Agreement, and the Irish language.”
Now, I’m no conspiracy theorist (I’ll leave that to Billy of this parish) but those words sound like the words of another party leader. Anyone else notice how Enda’s words have changed recently?
Perhaps that was when he was of the mind to share power with Sinn Fein
We need a Taoiseach with the courage to stand up for its people and to tell her in no uncertain terms, it is time for Britain to go, to acknowledge the wrongs they committed and to make reparations when they leave.
I will expect or demand nothing less from an Irish Taoiseach.
Jessica,
Looking in as an outsider, it seems to me that the Irish establishment’s ‘war’ with the British is over. That, I think is clear enough following the commemorations of the Rising last year and the previous visit by the Queen.
Whatever you or I think of it, it seems to me that from the point of view of the RoI government all the necessary boxes were ticked:
A visit by one Head of State on the invitation of another Head of State on equal terms;
The wreath laying in the Garden of Remembrance;
The visit to Croke Park;
The State dinner at Dublin Castle;
among other events.
Where there protests? Yes. But perhaps they served only to indicate that the RoI had ‘moved on’.
And so, perhaps SF sharing power in the Dail is a possibility, but I don’t suspect that this will make either FF or FG more ‘Republican’ in the sense that you mean..
You see, I think ‘your’ problem, and ‘my’ problem is basically the same – the Irish and British establishments have already decided what the future will be and neither will seek our advice or views first, or even as a matter of course.
The advantage that SF have, however, is a base of support throughout Ireland that neither the DUP or the UUP have throughout the rest of the UK.
The Irish establishment never got involved in the war with the british, if anything they sided with them are remain questionably in cahoots with them to this day,
But yes, there remains plenty of good people in the south. The scum who sided with the british and betrayed their own have made their bed.
They wont sleep soundly in it for too much longer.
“The Irish establishment never got involved in the war with the british…”
And even if that is true, and it isn’t, then they ended up with their Republic anyway – and it isn’t (and wasn’t) a British Republic.
Beyond that, my comments run deeper than you personal frustration, and, if SF are not careful, then that kind of personal frustration and antagonism will prove to be as much of an achilles heel to them as unionist presumption and complacency has been to them.
Both SF and the Unionist parties are minorities in Ireland, and neither are liked by those who are more powerful than they.
I do understand what you are saying Peter and I do appreciate the kind words.
However the relationship is not the same between both states.
I believe a timeframe has already been agreed for british withdrawal which allowed ample time for the change in demographic to become apparent, for a natural progression over a long period for calls for unity to be economy based and for unionists to be comfortable with it. Hence the southern states caution around dealing with unionist sensitivities and blatant disregard for nationalists as demonstrated by president higgins dinner snub in belfast.
The 2016 centenary celebrations were carefully planned to show even such republican commemorations could be handled with sensitivity for the unionist community. It didnt matter that northern nationalists may find british soldiers names on a wall insensitive while the british veto on truth remains in place, while MI5 are still actively recruiting and running agents. Or that we would be called brits and made to feel like pariahs over their example, again solely focussed on unionist sensitivities with the southern meda and even political representatives being so crass as to even say northern republicans got what we deserved.
I dont believe it was even considered that northern nationalists might turn their backs on the south, they seem to feel they can treat northern nationalists with whatever disregard they feel like, and we will still crawl back for more so desperate are we for Irish unity and freedom from british rule.
But that is not the case and not the reality.
Northern nationalists have always been treated poorly by both british and unionist dominated states, and now so blatantly by our own southern establishment.
But if anyone thinks we have come through what we have come through only to accept being treated with such disdain by our own countrymen, they are very much mistaken.
While britain can walk away from Ireland and the GFA has in effect taken them out of the equation considerably, the south cannot walk away from the north. We are stuck with one another indefinitely.
Brexit has thrown a spanner in the works as they did not foresee a customs border returning between the UK and Ireland and hence a hard border once again in Ireland which will not sit well with the majority of people right across this island.
Enda Kenny let slip that 20 years was the agreed timeframe, but he knows this is no longer feasible, and that brexit has turned things on their head.
Power is draining from Fine Gael and Fianna Fail with each passing day, the slashing of the agreed timeframe will have left them with no support in the north.
Unity will in effect take all power away from them as they have such little support in the north and now too little time to turn things around.
We may be 2% of a UK but in a united Ireland, the north will wield considerable influence with some 1.8 million irish people thrown into the mix.
Even if somehow the south could replace the UK as a trading partner, they still could not ignore the north.
Failure to address partition and shirking responsibility has left them at the mercy of the UK state and with options the Irish people will not forgive them for so easily.
A reality which will steadily begin to dawn on them as they face economic catastrophe and be left on their own to police a land border within Ireland that britain doesn’t need and the EU will insist upon.
The southern establishment has abused its power, behaved irresponsibly towards not only the north but the citizens in the south.
If the people of this island and the Irish citizens around the world come together and demand better and fairer treatment for all, including unionists like yourself Peter who’s sensitivities must be treated equally as important as our own, then we will see where the true power lies.
“Eoin O Broin (SF) summed it up rather well: “Enda Kenny is having a laugh. Why would any self-respecting republican want to be in coalition with a right-wing partitionist party?””
Mmmm, but didn’t SF enter coalition with a right-wing partitionist party in the North? Slightly skundered for Eoin on this one!
Eoin is a great young man one of irelands up and coming stars
We need more like him
Very disingenuous of you Kieran, comments like that are clearly unhelpful.