Executive is "directionless" and "struggling" says David Ford...

[Hurler on the Bitch]

Speaking at the Liberal Conference last night the Alliance Leader made the above comments. Well thankfully the Alliance have now admitted it. Now we need the Sinners and the Duppies to realise that the waste of public money at Stormont is just a glorified talking shop... No real power just considering consultation documents, creating focus groups, photo-opportunities, stategic planning -basically all bullshit! Is this what we endured thirty years for?.. May Ireland's dead spin peacefully in their graves...

[Hurler on the Bitch]

It was Danny Kennedy who said last week that the whole thing has the feel of a school debatinfg society... Well let's be realistic about the whole thing. Northern Ireland is over-governed and don't the Assembly mob love their role in 'government'? Meaningless strategy documents are being mulled over at committee, and doing the 'houses' in case that anyone gets offended - or feels left out. The sad thing is that Peter Robinson's "Lesbians from Lenadoon" quote regarding the whole wide consultation process rings true. Stormont in its glorious hey-day sat famously for three days a week; three weeks a month and three months a year. Be real, this Assembly is just a glorified talking shop - a big girls' blouse of a Local Council. Just look at the hoo-haa that the 'Giant's Causewaygate' caused last week .. Heavens above, talk about a storm in a tea cup? The whole BBC and UTV newsroom were on high alert for an afternoon. Give us real politics - real budgets - real politicians and not all this shadow boxing.

[Donagh]

The reason Danny and David are pissed off is that the Assembly itself if powerless. Decisions are made by the Executive with each Minister pretty much running their own fiefdoms (despite what the DUP told the electorate). With decisions to be made on the Review of Public Administration, replacement for the 11+ and the Irish Language Act, the honeymoon can't last. I can understand Ford bitching, but Kennedy's Party negotiated the Agreement when they were the largest Unionist grouping, so it's a bit rich to be complaining now that things aren't going their way due to their recent demise.

[Orior]

And in a separate development, there's a fresh initiative to create a new anti-agreement party.  The meeting was held in an orange hall, so I suspect they dont want catholic anti-agreement voters.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/7004055.stm

What a pity they let Bob "Man of Integrity" McCartney retire.

[Bacon]

Executive is "directionless" and "struggling" says David Ford...
« on: Today at 10:56:28 AM »

A bit like the Alliance Party then.

[SouthArmaghBandit]

What will they call the party? We've had all the following:

Ulster Unionist Party
Official Unionist Party
Democratic Unionist Party
Real Unionist
NI Unionist Party
Unionist Party of NI
Popular Unionist Party
UK Unionists
Progressive Unionist Party
Ulster Democratic Loyalist Party

What will they call the new party? Any suggestions?

[Fiodoir Ard Mhacha]

I hear Gerry A on the BBC at the minute plugging his new book and talking about 'focal' on English radio, as angry from Axminster reaches for her keyboard.

[Owenmoresider]

What will they call the party? We've had all the following:

Ulster Unionist Party
Official Unionist Party
Democratic Unionist Party
Real Unionist
NI Unionist Party
Unionist Party of NI
Popular Unionist Party
UK Unionists
Progressive Unionist Party
Ulster Democratic Loyalist Party

What will they call the new party? Any suggestions?

Weren't the UUP and OUP the same party, just for some reason referred to as the 'Official' Unionists rather than the 'Ulster' Unionists?

There was also the Vanguard Unionists in the 70's, and I was going to mention the Popular Unionist Party, but I see you did so. A bit of a Judean Popular People's Front effort AFAIK.

[Lecale2]

You left out the Protestant Unionist Party (Paisley's first party) and the United Unionist Party run by Sir Reg & Lord Laird in the 70s.

[stiffler]

This new party will weaken the DUPs vote and could eventually with FF rumoured to join with the stoops, SF could become the biggest party in Northern Ireland, unless there is a Unionist pact on voting.