Do you want to discuss boring politics? (107 Viewers)

Grendel

Well-Known Member
so the big gotcha is they planned a break time

even really thick people people like grenners must see how desperate this is

There is only one desperate thick person on here whose been on a post overdrive since Friday
 

Sick Boy

Super Moderator
Good to see that the DUP are respecting democracy in the North.
You’d think the penny would have dropped by now that Westminster doesn’t really give a shit about Ireland.
 

PVA

Well-Known Member
so the big gotcha is they planned a break time

even really thick people people like grenners must see how desperate this is

It's embarrassing.

The fact it was pre planned does not change anything.

Also they seem to be clinging on to a Facebook advert for an event, even though it's an advert for a Zoom quiz.

What next... The Daily Mail can EXCLUSIVELY reveal that on the day of Beergate Keir Starmer had BREAKFAST. This EXPLOSIVE revelation leaves the Labour leader facing calls to resign.
 

skybluetony176

Well-Known Member
Good to see that the DUP are respecting democracy in the North.
You’d think the penny would have dropped by now that Westminster doesn’t really give a shit about Ireland.
The term “when you’re in a hole stop digging” is lost on them.

Sounds like the UK government is about to U turn on threats to abandon the protocol too. Clearly it was only ever said as a favour to the DUP so they could use it in campaigning. Now the election is lost there’s no point in continuing the charade. This is now going to be a big headache for Boris. To quote his hero “Now this is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning.” He’s now got to allow the union to break up and make out it’s a victory.
 

Ian1779

Well-Known Member
It's embarrassing.

The fact it was pre planned does not change anything.

Also they seem to be clinging on to a Facebook advert for an event, even though it's an advert for a Zoom quiz.

What next... The Daily Mail can EXCLUSIVELY reveal that on the day of Beergate Keir Starmer had BREAKFAST. This EXPLOSIVE revelation leaves the Labour leader facing calls to resign.
You honestly can’t be surprised at these tactics?
When Labour send people out on TV/Radio they just need to be straight down the line in their responses.
Kier/Labour is fully co-operative with Durham police, confident they abided with regulations so nothing to hide. Trying to claim some kind of crappy false equivalence is going on is giving these people exactly what they want.
People like Tom above don’t give a fuck what the truth is… because he knows it’s not important to his audience.
 

PVA

Well-Known Member
You honestly can’t be surprised at these tactics?
When Labour send people out on TV/Radio they just need to be straight down the line in their responses.
Kier/Labour is fully co-operative with Durham police, confident they abided with regulations so nothing to hide. Trying to claim some kind of crappy false equivalence is going on is giving these people exactly what they want.

No not surprised at all!

It's exactly what you'd expect from them. Doesn't make it any less embarrassing though
 

Brighton Sky Blue

Well-Known Member
While your grievances are well worth noting, I would say that the final sentence applies just as much to Tories. So why are they not held to the same standards?

It's like people expect Tories to be bastards so more readily excuse them for shitty and condescending behaviour. Blue rosette and posh accent gets far more leeway.

Erm I am yet to vote Tory and didn’t plan on starting any time soon. I expect them to behave the way they do-when Labour do it as well I see it as a kind of betrayal.

Starmer has laughed at my profession, agreed that young people are wasters and scoffed at where I lived most of my life. If there’s a credible alternative locally they get my vote instead. If there isn’t then frankly I don’t want to vote for either party.

As said many times if it were up to me I’d emigrate-this country is a million miles from what I want it to be.
 

Brighton Sky Blue

Well-Known Member
But if he didn't stand down you know he and the party would face much heavier criticism than Johnson, even though he's PM and his offences were worse and more numerous.

He would have to set a precedent for showing up Johnson and therefore would have to fall on his sword to prevent the party being dragged down and show Johnson up. Though it'd probably be spun as being a weak leader. Damned if he does...

Johnson never resigns so I don’t see what is to be gained from trying to be honourable about it. Probably the worst post war PM, who should frankly be in a criminal’s dock rather than Downing St. But he knows if he doesn’t resign his party has to force him out and so far they don’t have the balls.

Starmer will be cleared but even if he isn’t he should stay put.
 

CCFCSteve

Well-Known Member
The term “when you’re in a hole stop digging” is lost on them.

Sounds like the UK government is about to U turn on threats to abandon the protocol too. Clearly it was only ever said as a favour to the DUP so they could use it in campaigning. Now the election is lost there’s no point in continuing the charade. This is now going to be a big headache for Boris. To quote his hero “Now this is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning.” He’s now got to allow the union to break up and make out it’s a victory.

Tony, you have a good knowledge/grasp on Ireland politics. I’ve heard a fair few people say that Sinn Fein won as much due to their policies/hope/plans for the future as pushing for a united Ireland (appreciate that’s going to be their long term goal). Is that correct ?

As a layman, DUP just appear totally out of touch, hence Alliance picking up share of vote
 

skybluetony176

Well-Known Member
Tony, you have a good knowledge/grasp on Ireland politics. I’ve heard a fair few people say that Sinn Fein won as much due to their policies/hope/plans for the future as pushing for a united Ireland (appreciate that’s going to be their long term goal). Is that correct ?

As a layman, DUP just appear totally out of touch, hence Alliance picking up share of vote
Yes and no. There’s no doubt that Sinn Fein is seen as forward thinking by NI standards. Pro choice for women, pro same sex marriage, not climate change deniers and as Clint pointed out don’t struggle with the concept of dinosaurs unlike the DUP. Unionism in Northern Ireland is in turmoil. Unionism is not pro choice, not pro same sex marriage and certainly in the case of the DUP are concerned climate change deniers. The unionists have lost votes to APNI from anyone who doesn’t think it’s still 1920. In all honesty I thought it would be worse than it was for the DUP and UUP, mainly because of their stances on the NI protocol which is actually unilaterally popular in NI, as one brexiteer let slip NI has the best of both worlds.

I’m more convinced now that the breakup of the union is inevitable. NI first and a few years later Scotland will follow to form a Celtic tiger all over again. Might take years but NI will go within the next decade in my opinion. And yes it could have been avoided if we stayed in the EU as the simple fact is it made less sense.
 

Northants Sky Blue

Well-Known Member
I think it would give the tories a serious problem if he did.
Most of the cabinet have stayed in situ for far worse aberrations, it would really hilight how morally bankrupt they are while ridding us of the blandest man in politics, win win.

Exactly. Its in Tories best interest for a weak-tea Starmer to remain yet they seem intent on removing the main obstacle to a Labour surge

Presumably HQ have been briefed that the Grey report is a shocker but their strategy setting client media on him is really baffling
 

skybluetony176

Well-Known Member
Ironic really as a large majority of unionists voted leave......
So did a lot of republicans. The official line might have been remain by the republican parties but behind the scenes there was a lot of talk about voting leave because the scenario that’s currently unfolding might unfold.

It was a huge own goal by the unionists to back leave and is was mostly done out of spite to the GFA. They very moronically thought it would put a concrete border in the island of island.
 

CCFCSteve

Well-Known Member
Yes and no. There’s no doubt that Sinn Fein is seen as forward thinking by NI standards. Pro choice for women, pro same sex marriage, not climate change deniers and as Clint pointed out don’t struggle with the concept of dinosaurs unlike the DUP. Unionism in Northern Ireland is in turmoil. Unionism is not pro choice, not pro same sex marriage and certainly in the case of the DUP are concerned climate change deniers. The unionists have lost votes to APNI from anyone who doesn’t think it’s still 1920. In all honesty I thought it would be worse than it was for the DUP and UUP, mainly because of their stances on the NI protocol which is actually unilaterally popular in NI, as one brexiteer let slip NI has the best of both worlds.

I’m more convinced now that the breakup of the union is inevitable. NI first and a few years later Scotland will follow to form a Celtic tiger all over again. Might take years but NI will go within the next decade in my opinion. And yes it could have been avoided if we stayed in the EU as the simple fact is it made less sense.

Yeah, Brexit as it stands has probably made unification more likely but hopefully not inevitable. You know my views on the EU and I’m still not convinced it will be in the same structure in say 10 years and/or our relationship will be the same, let alone what the outcome will be with regards to the protocol

My point was more, would Sinn Fein have won as much of the vote north of the border if the DUP weren’t seemingly stuck in the past ? ie if there was a large modern, forward thinking unionist party would it win more of the share of the vote or are times just changing ?
 

clint van damme

Well-Known Member
Yeah, Brexit as it stands has probably made unification more likely but hopefully not inevitable. You know my views on the EU and I’m still not convinced it will be in the same structure in say 10 years and/or our relationship will be the same, let alone what the outcome will be with regards to the protocol

My point was more, would Sinn Fein have won as much of the vote north of the border if the DUP weren’t seemingly stuck in the past ? ie if there was a large modern, forward thinking unionist party would it win more of the share of the vote or are times just changing ?

As much as the DUP are stuck in the past, they lost a large amount of votes to the TUV because theyre not stuck in the past enough.

The UUP is seen as more progressive and their vote bombed.
I think more forward thinkers from Unionist communities went over to the Alliance party.
 

skybluetony176

Well-Known Member
Yeah, Brexit as it stands has probably made unification more likely but hopefully not inevitable. You know my views on the EU and I’m still not convinced it will be in the same structure in say 10 years and/or our relationship will be the same, let alone what the outcome will be with regards to the protocol

My point was more, would Sinn Fein have won as much of the vote north of the border if the DUP weren’t seemingly stuck in the past ? ie if there was a large modern, forward thinking unionist party would it win more of the share of the vote or are times just changing ?
No I don’t think they would have. Sinn Fein has essentially moved forward by standing still while the DUP went backwards. The APNI we’re the big winners from lost votes to the unionists although the TUV also taking votes off them. The one anomaly with the republican vote was the SDLP lost seats and Sinn Fein didn’t seem to pick them up. Not read a full breakdown yet of losses and gains but on a spread sheet you would have expected Sinn Fein to pick up any seats that the SDLP lost and that doesn’t seem to have happened. Can only assume that the APNI picked them up being a non partisan party. Not all catholics like Sinn Fein so may have had APNI as a second preference vote ahead of Sinn Fein.
 

Brighton Sky Blue

Well-Known Member
No I don’t think they would have. Sinn Fein has essentially moved forward by standing still while the DUP went backwards. The APNI we’re the big winners from lost votes to the unionists although the TUV also taking votes off them. The one anomaly with the republican vote was the SDLP lost seats and Sinn Fein didn’t seem to pick them up. Not read a full breakdown yet of losses and gains but on a spread sheet you would have expected Sinn Fein to pick up any seats that the SDLP lost and that doesn’t seem to have happened. Can only assume that the APNI picked them up being a non partisan party. Not all catholics like Sinn Fein so may have had APNI as a second preference vote ahead of Sinn Fein.

The combined SF/SDLP seats were almost exactly the same as combined DUP/UUP, the surge for Alliance should be saying something to both 'sides'. A growing identity of neither Irish nor British but both. Alliance I think began as a soft unionist party which is still sort of how their stance works in practice, so SF can't quite get too excited just yet.
 

clint van damme

Well-Known Member
The combined SF/SDLP seats were almost exactly the same as combined DUP/UUP, the surge for Alliance should be saying something to both 'sides'. A growing identity of neither Irish nor British but both. Alliance I think began as a soft unionist party which is still sort of how their stance works in practice, so SF can't quite get too excited just yet.

If unionists had took the stance of the Alliance party for the last 100 years Sinn Fein probably would exist.
 

Brighton Sky Blue

Well-Known Member
If unionists had took the stance of the Alliance party for the last 100 years Sinn Fein probably would exist.

Just around the time NI came into existence Edward Carson who led the UVF warned that if Catholics were discriminated against it would destabilise the state and lead to carnage. Nobody listened and we are where we are.

Then again the polls also clearly warned that a shit Brexit would seriously threaten the union and the 'Conservative and Unionist Party' didn't listen.
 

clint van damme

Well-Known Member
Just around the time NI came into existence Edward Carson who led the UVF warned that if Catholics were discriminated against it would destabilise the state and lead to carnage. Nobody listened and we are where we are.

Then again the polls also clearly warned that a shit Brexit would seriously threaten the union and the 'Conservative and Unionist Party' didn't listen.

And yet people who see Carson as a hero totally ignored him on that point.
 

Philosoraptor

Well-Known Member
There is a big question mark over the idea of a 'dinner' being the last works event and necessity of the event whilst everyone else was in lockdown.

Starmer has now cancelled an event for tomorrow where he would have spoken to reporters.

We now have even more of a non-functioning opposition than we have had before, and I thought that was near close to impossible.

 

David O'Day

Well-Known Member
There is a big question mark over the idea of a 'dinner' being the last works event and necessity of the event whilst everyone else was in lockdown.

Starmer has now cancelled an event for tomorrow where he would have spoken to reporters.

We now have even more of a non-functioning opposition than we have had before, and I thought that was near close to impossible.


there's no question you utter plum
 

skybluetony176

Well-Known Member
Didn’t the government negotiate the protocol themselves? They act like it’s been imposed on the country when it’s been its own making.
They also put it to the people of the UK in the 2019 general election and won a large majority of the back of it. I’m old enough to remember when the will of the people was all that mattered. So the minority DUP reject it (now) and are holding everyone to ransom. The DUP lost, get over it.
 
D

Deleted member 5849

Guest
Starting to wonder what the vetting process is for MPs/councillors these days !
tbf(!) he was already a councillor, so not like he was a new candidate. And there does have to be an innocent until guilty principle.

I assume as his wife has stood by him, he was hoping the case would somehow end up being dropped!
 

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