It looks like DUP members are still trying to scupper the deal and have urged Poots to delay nominating a First Minister.
It looks like DUP members are still trying to scupper the deal and have urged Poots to delay nominating a First Minister.Yes, so it is a bit rich to be claiming that the Irish language Act is being "forced upon them". That is my point, they are trying to have it both ways. If they want to ruled by London then there is no "forcing upon". If they want the Assembly to govern then get on with what they have already agreed.
It looks like DUP members are still trying to scupper the deal and have urged Poots to delay nominating a First Minister.
I note that SF are being anything but friendly towards the DUP in their press comments, which is of course how they both like it,
Looks like Leo's vision is just a bit of pipe dream after all.
Is his vision much different to the Shinner one or is he right about them?
Yep, sure what would the gay dark skinned son of an immigrant know about bigotry, homophobia and racism? The people in a Party who talk about opposing it while excusing extreme racism and homophobia amongst their elected representatives and members are a much better example. Sure just look at the dark skinned and LGBT+ members on their front bench... oh, wait...Not much different except Leo's vision is wholly wishful thinking without putting in the hard graft of standing up against bigotry, homophobia and racism.
Does that include kneecappings or just making promises they can't keep?FG need to put in some serious mileage on political campaigning front at grassroots level before any notions of a shared United Ireland as seen through their eyes is concerned.
Yep, sure what would the gay dark skinned son of an immigrant know about bigotry, homophobia and racism?
If they want in it should be on our terms. No Queen, no bigoted extremism, no Scripture based politics, no homophobia, no racism, no Union Jack
True, but an FF/SF coalition is likely in the future.
- No getting past the fact that SF would be the largest party based on the election results and polls over the last couple of years but they'd probably be a distance away from a majority
FG&SDLP is also possible.
- FF&SDLP (merged or in an agreement) would be second
See above. An FF-FG merger is also quite possible. They are both socially liberal centre-left parties with nothing but history between them.
- FG would be a distant 3rd unless they entered into some sort of an agreement with the likes of the Alliance party
There'd have to be some power sharing type arrangement which gave extra powers to Unionist. The last time there was a sizable Protestant minority in this country we ethnically cleansed them in 3 generations.
- Combined Unionists would be 4th but would probably play a key role as "kingmakers" and it would be hard to see any coalition govt wanting to exclude them
Yep.
- Greens and Alliance would be next
No real harm there, though the more voices in the room the better.
- hard socialists, independents etc could lose influence as keeping the Unionist on side as a block may be easier then a disparate bunch.
No change there then.
- Labour would be largely irrelevant.
No getting past the fact that SF would be the largest party based on the election results and polls over the last couple of years but they'd probably be a distance away from a majority
It took 90 years, an economic crash and the rise of Sinn Fein for the FF/FG Civil War political divide to start to close. There's still a big gap between the two more traditional wings of the parties.In a UI would not the concept of Unionism fairly quickly disappear? I don't see it morphing into a crudely Protestant party. There would be similar though less pronounced obsolescence of republican aspirations. In this context all political views would realign along more conventional lines although the historic baggage of sectarianism would linger for some time. Nonetheless I would see fairly quickly that there would not be parties that one side or other of the sectarian divide would not touch with a barge pole.
An interesting point on SF, would they then simply become a left of centre party with a chequered history? Of course, they might still be able to wave the nationalist flag if, for example, as part of the compromise for a united Ireland, the island had rejoined the Commonwealth?. Would there still be RAF and Royal Navy bases in the North like we had in Cobh after independence? Who know what else may come out of any dealTrue, but assuming a UI is on agreed and peaceful terms, would there be a need for SF to exist?
A major realignment of all political parties would occur. What point in unionism if the union with Britain is gone?
Alternatively, a UI based closely to the democratically achieved, through exclusively peaceful means, Home Rule Act of 1914, could see rights and entitlements of the British identity and loyalty to the Crown maintained while the business of government - dealing with the social and economic welfare of the country could proceed on an All Island basis.