Brexit.

[restorepride]

A crowd of hooded UVF men congregated earlier in East Belfast, PSNI of course sent half a dozen of their men to go and watch

Probably to see if they were socially-distanced?!!! 

[seafoid]

Your wonder is there no serious political thinkers behind the scenes within the DUP, again reaching down to appease the knuckle draggers when polling shows its the moderate unionists they are losing in droves to the Alliance. They are the voters going to have the big influence in the border poll. Baffling.

The DUP are  politically knackered and need a spell in the wilderness. This happened before to the SDLP and UUP.

[armaghniac]

A crowd of hooded UVF men congregated earlier in East Belfast, PSNI of course sent half a dozen of their men to go and watch

Probably to see if they were socially-distanced?!!! 

At least they were masked!

[restorepride]

A crowd of hooded UVF men congregated earlier in East Belfast, PSNI of course sent half a dozen of their men to go and watch

Probably to see if they were socially-distanced?!!! 

At least they were masked!

Good one !!!

[pbat]

I hope this shooting dead in North Belfast is drugs related and nothing to do with that show of strength earlier by the UVF.

[general_lee]

I hope this shooting dead in North Belfast is drugs related and nothing to do with that show of strength earlier by the UVF.

Think it was an ONH commander but not confirmed

[balladmaker]

Following the DUP's latest 5 point plan this evening, boycotting and disrupting everything and anything related to the island of Ireland, it looks more and more that they're in the process of self-imploding ... the problem is who else will be collateral damage when they do.  They are hell bent on stirring up the lowest common denominator of their support base .... no doubt we'll be facing mass rallies soon, civil unrest, and God forbid the murder of an innocent person.  And all because their glorious Brexit ain't what they'd hoped for after 5 weeks.  Guess what Arlene, you reap what you sow.

If this is the best Unionism can come up with, they're doomed sooner than I thought.

[seafoid]

Following the DUP's latest 5 point plan this evening, boycotting and disrupting everything and anything related to the island of Ireland, it looks more and more that they're in the process of self-imploding ... the problem is who else will be collateral damage when they do.  They are hell bent on stirring up the lowest common denominator of their support base .... no doubt we'll be facing mass rallies soon, civil unrest, and God forbid the murder of an innocent person.  And all because their glorious Brexit ain't what they'd hoped for after 5 weeks.  Guess what Arlene, you reap what you sow.

If this is the best Unionism can come up with, they're doomed sooner than I thought.

The Tories refused to discuss the costs of Brexit last year.
The DUP are desperately trying to look credible. The Tories shafted them once and will again.

[marty34]

Following the DUP's latest 5 point plan this evening, boycotting and disrupting everything and anything related to the island of Ireland, it looks more and more that they're in the process of self-imploding ... the problem is who else will be collateral damage when they do.  They are hell bent on stirring up the lowest common denominator of their support base .... no doubt we'll be facing mass rallies soon, civil unrest, and God forbid the murder of an innocent person.  And all because their glorious Brexit ain't what they'd hoped for after 5 weeks.  Guess what Arlene, you reap what you sow.

If this is the best Unionism can come up with, they're doomed sooner than I thought.

The DUP have cobbled a 'plan' together. Why?

They saw the result of the recent poll with the TUV on over 10%.  The DUP tell fellow unionists to row in behind them as they up the ante.

[trailer]

Following the DUP's latest 5 point plan this evening, boycotting and disrupting everything and anything related to the island of Ireland, it looks more and more that they're in the process of self-imploding ... the problem is who else will be collateral damage when they do.  They are hell bent on stirring up the lowest common denominator of their support base .... no doubt we'll be facing mass rallies soon, civil unrest, and God forbid the murder of an innocent person.  And all because their glorious Brexit ain't what they'd hoped for after 5 weeks.  Guess what Arlene, you reap what you sow.

If this is the best Unionism can come up with, they're doomed sooner than I thought.

I think there is a reluctance to bring people onto the streets a la the flag protests.
1 The optics in a pandemic are awful especially since SF continue to be linked with mass gatherings (rightly or wrongly)
2 They lost control of the flag protests pretty quickly and it harmed them more than helped them. There's a very ordinary Unionist who just wants a quite life, and they want nothing to do with violence.

[general_lee]

I'd disagree. Publicly they'll promote political solutions but behind closed doors they'll be more than happy to ramp things up. They're losing support to the TUV so expect a bit of flag waving and patriotic rhetoric in the next while or so

[johnnycool]

Ian Óg wanting Boris to "be the unionist we need you to be"

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/northern_ireland/northern_ireland_politics

Own yer own shíte Ian and give Aaron Banks a call.

[mouview]

So now Tory Gov do want extensions and grace periods, when it suits them..

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2021/feb/03/northern-ireland-uk-asks-eu-to-extend-grace-periods-on-brexit-checks

[marty34]

So what is Boris' next step?

Will he do anything?

[johnnycool]

So what is Boris' next step?

Will he do anything?

Blame the EU of course.

You'd hardly expect him or his Government to accept responsible for the out-workings of a legal agreement they diligently negotiated.