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afleitch
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« Reply #50 on: January 26, 2010, 06:54:11 PM »

Seems that the SDLP are very, very angry about the Tories hosting talks between the Unionist parties.

I think the anger is misplaced. Putting aside the SDLP's effective 'caucusing' with Labour at Westminster, the Tories held talks with the UUP as it holds an electoral pact in Westminster and European elections. Talks with the DUP were held by extension due to rumours of a DUP-UUP pact at Stormont.

My gut reaction (and I say this as somone who would fall in line behind the SDLP should I ever move to NI) is one of suprise; what did the SDLP expect? And if they now want to talk to the Tories for the purposes of a Westminster election strategy then I'd be very suprised indeed.
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Filuwaúrdjan
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« Reply #51 on: January 26, 2010, 07:02:29 PM »

I would agree that they don't any right to be angry at the Tories having talks with the UUP... but I think that (at the very least) discomfort at the Tories having talks with the two main Unionist parties is entirely understandable. I suspect that some of the anger is for show though - which is in itself a good sign that the situation is now very serious.

A DUP-UUP alliance would be (from an SDLP point of view) a return to the UUUC in any case...
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afleitch
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« Reply #52 on: January 26, 2010, 07:20:57 PM »

A DUP-UUP alliance would be (from an SDLP point of view) a return to the UUUC in any case...

If it involved one party standing aside in certain seats it will have knock on effect at effectively 'disenfranchisng' nationalist voters. The SDLP and Sinn Fein would have to come to a similar arrangement which wouldn't travel well over the Irish Sea even if it was swallowed in Northern Ireland.

An alliance between UUP and DUP would ideologically be a mockery of devolution; uniting across denominational lines yet differing in left/right responses to health, housing, education (well maybe not education) etc would not make for serious devolved government. Devolution is not worth having in that case and I would argue it would be in the best interests of 'one half' of Northern Ireland for a return to direct rule.
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afleitch
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« Reply #53 on: January 26, 2010, 07:28:07 PM »

Note to people who don't know me very well

Much of what I say on NI politics is probably biased due to religious/cultural allegiances, family in Northern Ireland and general exposure to overflowing extrement from the toilet bowl of tribalism that splashes onto Clydeside...

That is all!
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minionofmidas
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« Reply #54 on: January 27, 2010, 06:13:42 AM »

The prospect of the unionist pact being solely to prevent a nationalist Catholic First Minister. Roll Eyes
Corrected.

I would argue it would be in the best interests of 'one half' of Northern Ireland for a return to direct rule.
A return to direct rule over the other half only, that is. Grin
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Filuwaúrdjan
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« Reply #55 on: January 29, 2010, 08:57:26 PM »

It has emerged that the Orange Order held talks between the DUP and UUP in December. So now it's the Tories turn to be pissed off: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/8487549.stm
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Silent Hunter
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« Reply #56 on: January 30, 2010, 04:43:21 PM »

Talks making "considerable progress" as parties take a break for Sunday.
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Filuwaúrdjan
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« Reply #57 on: February 02, 2010, 07:27:48 AM »

Looks like a deal was essentially agreed on Saturday, but Robinson couldn't sell it to the DUP Assembly members (suggestions that Nigel Dodds and Gregory Campbell were particularly lukewarm).

Shocking.
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Filuwaúrdjan
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« Reply #58 on: February 04, 2010, 01:06:21 PM »

In Northern Ireland "six weeks" apparently means something different to this side of the sea.
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Hash
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« Reply #59 on: February 04, 2010, 04:39:31 PM »

As a random question, is there any type of support or movement in NI for complete independence from both the UK and Ireland, creating a sort of Republic (or whatever) of Ulster?
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Tetro Kornbluth
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« Reply #60 on: February 04, 2010, 04:43:31 PM »

As a random question, is there any type of support or movement in NI for complete independence from both the UK and Ireland, creating a sort of Republic (or whatever) of Ulster?

This has generally been a minority idea favoured by those loyalists who thought that NI would be better off governed upon (Pre-90s) South African lines. There are I suppose a few tiny, tiny movements that presently back this (though it was popular in some unionist circles in the 70s and 80s).
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Filuwaúrdjan
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« Reply #61 on: February 04, 2010, 08:25:24 PM »

And we have a deal. Apparently.
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Хahar 🤔
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« Reply #62 on: February 04, 2010, 09:22:58 PM »

Details?
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minionofmidas
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« Reply #63 on: February 08, 2010, 01:35:36 PM »

Also, the INLA have decommissioned their arsenal.

- Irish Times
Blast from the Past.
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Filuwaúrdjan
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« Reply #64 on: February 08, 2010, 01:36:54 PM »


Worst pun of the day Tongue
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Filuwaúrdjan
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« Reply #65 on: February 26, 2010, 12:05:35 PM »

Always liked McGrady, and not just because he beat Enoch Powell.
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KuntaKinte
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« Reply #66 on: March 05, 2010, 10:01:10 AM »


Talking about Paisley, what do we have to expect on the Unionist side in the upcoming elections? Will there be a lot of three way races (UUP, DUP, TUV)? Or will they find some sort of agreement, at least in the constituencies that are religiously mixed?
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Filuwaúrdjan
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« Reply #67 on: March 05, 2010, 10:48:57 AM »

I think the official position is that they will all run candidates against each other. But, haha, this is Northern Ireland, so... still, I think we're more likely to see co-operation at the next Stormont elections (for seriously ugly sectarian reasons). I think its quite likely that TUV doesn't run everywhere; though they'll have a serious crack at North Antrim, of course.
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Verily
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« Reply #68 on: March 05, 2010, 07:16:18 PM »

Belfast East could end up being a very interesting four-way melee between the UUP, DUP, TUV and Alliance. Naomi Long took nearly 20% of the vote in the 2007 election, and she's now Lord Mayor of Belfast; surely that will help her campaign. Stack that against a split in the hard unionist vote between the DUP and TUV and the departure of Reg Empey as the UUP candidate, and the winner could well have no more than 25% of the vote.
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patrick1
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« Reply #69 on: March 06, 2010, 02:25:09 AM »

It is weird to see Big Ian fade away into history.  He really could be such an evil man at one point  and a fair representative for his community at another.  Hatred and respect at the same time.
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minionofmidas
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« Reply #70 on: March 06, 2010, 04:31:09 AM »

they can potentially cost the DUP them - East Belfast and Strangford will be worth watching in this regard. 
I was thinking North Belfast, which a decent TUV showing could well turn into an SF pickup.
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Хahar 🤔
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« Reply #71 on: March 31, 2010, 03:08:26 PM »

Is McFarland now DUP like Hermon?
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Filuwaúrdjan
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« Reply #72 on: May 15, 2010, 05:54:23 PM »

I would prefer that they didn't (because I quite like Martin McGuinness and would like him to be First Minister), but the logical thing for the remains of the UUP to do is to fold into the DUP. A UUP without any seats at Westminster is utterly pointless.
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Хahar 🤔
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« Reply #73 on: May 16, 2010, 03:41:56 AM »

Could IRV resurrect the UUP?
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minionofmidas
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« Reply #74 on: May 25, 2010, 12:01:43 PM »

Quote from: Restricted
You must be logged in to read this quote.
It already exists; and Mr O'Loan is free to join it.
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