Unintended consequence June 12, 2017
Posted by WorldbyStorm in Uncategorized.trackback
Some would argue that there’s been an intriguing lack of attention paid to the DUP and its attitudes to certain others by media in the UK, mostly, one suspects, by dint of the fact they have been in a distant corner of the UK as they would see it – for all the rhetoric that is sometimes employed on the indivisibility of the union. But… the focus on that party over the weekend and from here on may well see that change. The Guardian certainly starts the ball rolling here.
I wonder if the DUP is going to enjoy the extra attention and what effect it may have?
The Cedar Lounge Revolution 
It’s certainly going to do nothing to engender British sympathy with their ‘Irish’ compatriots. It’s a long-running, unrequited crush when all of a sdden one awkwardly moves onto the same street as the other…
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One Georgia Grainger (of whom I know nothing) is making a collection here https://www.georgiagrainger.co.uk/politics/shame-game-dup/
bjg
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Maybe, but then a party that thrives on a siege mentality can probably use the scrutiny for its own advantage.
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Or help its friends https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/orange-order-portadown-northern-ireland-dup-use-banned-drumcree-march-negotiations-with-theresa-may-a7785026.html
bjg
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In the German press a certain amount of quick research was necessary to find out just what this obscure party was about. And the highlights did not impress – anti-abortion, anti-gay, AGW-‘sceptical’, Christian fundamentalist, sectarian and pro-Brexit.
And I’ve often wondered to what extend Northern Unionists realise that their love affair with Britain is a unidirectional thing.
I’d be prepared to bet that a referendum of the rest of the UK would vote in favour of getting shot of NI, given the chance.
Which of course leaves us nowhere practical, given the convictions of a majority of Unionists in the North.
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I don’t think it bothers most of the Northern unionists that their allegiance to Britain is one-directional. I suspect they feel that they are the true inheritors of the British tradition, and that most of those on the ‘mainland’ are not worthy of that tradition.
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I should stress, I mean the DUP types there. But as of last week, what other type is there? I really wonder how comfortable a small-u-unionist, COI member can be with the DUP. But they seem to be voting for them regardless….
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Varadaker phoned Foster to congratulate her but I doubt very much if he did the same for the Norths potential joint leader Michele O’Neill.Whilst England is repelled by orange supremacists ,the free state establishment adores them.
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My question is: despite being insanely right wing on identity politics, aren’t the DUP going to make economically progressive demands, in the sense of more social spending for the North and a soft brexit, which we like?
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Unintended consequence and every cloud has a silver lining. But, it’s on the constitutional level where it is more problematic where the sense of the British government adopting an equal distance from parties in the North which is perhaps the main issue. However rhetorical that distance this does represent a shift. So in talks the Tories are both neutral arbiters and partners of one of those involved. Tricky, and I can’t help but think very undermining politically more broadly. If I wanted to design a mechanism for consolidating identity or constitutional politics in the north Brexit and now this could hardly be better.
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The statement from Brokenshire isn’t too encouraging on that front. He’s going for simply wishing away any conflict in having two sets of negotiations/agreements with the DUP. Apparently govt. formation discussions are “entirely separate from our intent and desire to see devolution restored here”. Fine, but I’m not sure that’s how a conflict of interests works.
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Yes, +1
Just on Brokenshire he’s very poor at his job.
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There’s been a general decline in NI secretaries since 2010. Say what you like about Mayhew, Mowlam, Mandelson, or Hain. They knew what they were at and understood it was an important job, whereas Brokenshire (like Villiers before him) gives the impression he’s just filling in time before he gets promoted to the Home Office.
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Ain’t that the truth. Like them of loath them, all including Mandelson, took the job seriously,and in fairness Mayhew too. But now just as frontline Tories exude a sense of B team (I mean Gove and others are just desperate)/ those sent North are abysmal. Worse again.
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Surely the DUP will go for more dosh for NI (some of which may find its way into DUP pockets? RHI v2?) but they say they don’t want a hard border with the RoI despite being ardent Brexiteers. Their farmer voters would be badly hurt by that. I don’t think they are remotely interested in influencing the rest of the UK, as long as they get what they want in their own “wee country”.
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And another unintended consequence (unintended by Roddy anyway), my fiver on Sinn Fein in Foyle came in at 13/8.
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I think I said Michael that SF would take Foyle “on a very good day “or something to that effect.However the extremely cautious (with money anyway) Roddy literally put his money where his mouth was this time and put a hundred of your English pounds on Chris Hazzard SF to take South Down at 11/ 8. I duly left one Patrick Power worse off to the tune of £72!
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