King Charles III

[RedHand88]

What we witnessed yesterday is the very reason why the DUP pulled down Stormont in the first place. They couldn't and still can't stomach the thought of playing second fiddle to a nationalist party. The protocol was only ever used as cover to pull the institutions down in advance when they had correctly calculated that they would lose the Stormont election. That in built supremacism on which the northern state was founded will prove their ultimate downfall. Fear, division and hatred are still their main tactics of choice a century on and there is nothing positive or progressive that Unionism can offer in its current guise. Mountbatten himself wished for a united Ireland and it wouldn't surprise me if the current Royals had the same view. Everything they do is choreographed so that audible conversation did not happen by accident.

It was funny looking at the DUPers playing second fiddle to be honest.

+1.

Jeffrey's "this is my constituency" line smacked of desperation. Like someone desperate for approval from an authority figure.

[Milltown Row2]

Just to throw in my penny's worth as a SF voter...

It will never be comfortable watching SF politicians shaking hands with British monarchs while we remain partitioned, but that being said, it's abundantly clear why they did it. A quick listen to five or ten minutes of Radio Ulster Talkback this afternoon will spell it out. They have been getting lauded from (almost) all directions for how they've handled the last few days - most notably from middle grounders who are the very people that need to be brought on board for what is now an inevitable border poll and like all SF does - it's geared towards a successful border poll.

As I say, I take no pleasure seeing them greet monarchs, but the reality is that it's nothing new nowadays. No existing SF voters are going to get too annoyed today at Michelle O'Neill for shaking a royal's hand. Why would they? She didn't break any new ground. SF politicians, Michelle included, have been meeting british royals for the last ten years ever since Martin McGuinness took the step first back and shook Lizzie's hand in 2012.

Consider too that unionism has been in overdrive trying to be offended by overt displays of nationalism in the past few months (offended at rebel songs, offended at old footage of a garda car in the north, offended at GAA clubs seeking to use council facilities, offended at GAA clubs organising event named after a club member who happened to have the same name as a hunger striker. SF's conduct in the last few days really does sweep the carpet right from under the feet of unionism at a time when it is going out of it's way to find something to be offended by.

Seems to me that SF have had everything to gain and nothing really to lose this last week and that's how they've played it.

For it to really work though that attitude needs to continue from here on in, stick to the core values of course never lose sight of your identity and that will keep SF voters on track, those that are ultra republican are not worth keeping to be fair and with possible new voters coming on board not a bad thing to get rid of ones that could derail all the positivity.

TBF I haven't watched the news so have only seen some images on social media and what's been said here, they have played a blinder

[Fear Bun Na Sceilpe]

SF have now become the SDLP. They are on the same constitutional nationalist ground that Hume and Mallon et all occupied for so long. If this was the SF end game you have to wonder what it was all about. They clearly accept that NI is part of the UK until there is a democratic vote to change that. They are happy to administer British law.

How will there base see this? Stoops? Sell outs? Playing a blinder? Sinn Fein - SDLP for slow learners.

The DUP have once again played a bad hand badly and have been totally side lined in an event that is so dear to their hearts. How will their base respond? Problem is that similarly on the Nationalist side their is no alternative. The UUP nor the SDLP are resonating with voters.

Fair to say that SF are no longer Republicans now? Impossible to reconcile calling yourself a Republican (democratically elected head of state, written constitution etc.) and then kowtow to monarchy.

PBP made their objections to monarchy clear in a respectful way.

Did they kowtow? I didn't see any kowtowing. They didn't partake in the ridiculous curtsy caper etc. And they also made their objections to monarchy clear by only attending memorial events but staying away from the succession of the nonsense 'Proclamation' events which took place.

The NI church reflection ceremony -oh how quickly a leopard can change its spots. STOOPS

[Dougal Maguire]

Just as a matter of interest, where do you stand on the constitutional issue, Nationalist, Unionist, Loyalist or Republican?

[brokencrossbar1]

I think what the last few days shows is that political unionism in the north is completely leaderless. They cannot cope with being second place and have no way to cope with it. This was to be their year,  the post Covid celebration of the 100 years,  instead they have seen SF become the biggest party, their royal matriarch and the certain of many of their reasons for being loyal gone, SF lording over them at her funeral and a pathetic weasley effort by Jeffrey at yesterdays event. They know the wheel is turning and the pace is picking up. Next week we will see the first sets of data from the census being released....the day after the funeral as things presently stand. That's a data could be huge as the following is to be included in it .... passports held, ethnic group, national identity, language and religion.  Twitter could explode on Tuesday in Donaghadee.....

[JPGJOHNNYG]

I think what the last few days shows is that political unionism in the north is completely leaderless. They cannot cope with being second place and have no way to cope with it. This was to be their year,  the post Covid celebration of the 100 years,  instead they have seen SF become the biggest party, their royal matriarch and the certain of many of their reasons for being loyal gone, SF lording over them at her funeral and a pathetic weasley effort by Jeffrey at yesterdays event. They know the wheel is turning and the pace is picking up. Next week we will see the first sets of data from the census being released....the day after the funeral as things presently stand. That's a data could be huge as the following is to be included in it .... passports held, ethnic group, national identity, language and religion.  Twitter could explode on Tuesday in Donaghadee.....

The community background is the headline figure. I expect Catholic background to remain unchanged or rise only 1% to 46%, however the Protestant background will fall again probably to 43%. Another milestone passed on the way to a border poll.

The added Irish, N.irish,British questions at the last census were only added to muddy the waters but won't hide the demographic change. Even which passport held might be uncomfortable reading for some this time.

[Fear Bun Na Sceilpe]

Just as a matter of interest, where do you stand on the constitutional issue, Nationalist, Unionist, Loyalist or Republican?

Republican.

[Fear Bun Na Sceilpe]

I think what the last few days shows is that political unionism in the north is completely leaderless. They cannot cope with being second place and have no way to cope with it. This was to be their year,  the post Covid celebration of the 100 years,  instead they have seen SF become the biggest party, their royal matriarch and the certain of many of their reasons for being loyal gone, SF lording over them at her funeral and a pathetic weasley effort by Jeffrey at yesterdays event. They know the wheel is turning and the pace is picking up. Next week we will see the first sets of data from the census being released....the day after the funeral as things presently stand. That's a data could be huge as the following is to be included in it .... passports held, ethnic group, national identity, language and religion.  Twitter could explode on Tuesday in Donaghadee.....

The community background is the headline figure. I expect Catholic background to remain unchanged or rise only 1% to 46%, however the Protestant background will fall again probably to 43%. Another milestone passed on the way to a border poll.

The added Irish, N.irish,British questions at the last census were only added to muddy the waters but won't hide the demographic change. Even which passport held might be uncomfortable reading for some this time.

This will grow-especially with SF antics

[skeog]

Arlene dont close the boiler scheme now bleating about yesterday.What a pathetic bitter woman.

[93-DY-SAM]

Arlene dont close the boiler scheme now bleating about yesterday.What a pathetic bitter woman.

What is she slabbering about?

[yellowcard]

Arlene dont close the boiler scheme now bleating about yesterday.What a pathetic bitter woman.

Most former politicians tend to stray into the shadows and become more mellow after they leave the stage. Arlene has actually got even more bitter and divisive since she resigned from office. It's almost like she is trying to over compensate to prove her ultra Britishness after her catastrophic leadership that promoted and brought about Brexit itself.

At the risk of repeating myself, it absolutely kills these DUP politicians that they are seen to be playing second fiddle to nationalists when they clearly see themselves as the natural rulers of society here. First minister/ joint first minister doesn't really make much difference to the majority of people but it is something that really grates with their political leaders when they have been used to supremacy since the creation of the state. Listening to Jeffrey Donaldson this morning on the radio and he sounded nothing like a leader, instead he sounded like a deflated man.       

[Dougal Maguire]

Just as a matter of interest, where do you stand on the constitutional issue, Nationalist, Unionist, Loyalist or Republican?

Republican.

So how do you propose we achieve a UI other than through the political strategy that's being followed now?

[93-DY-SAM]

Arlene dont close the boiler scheme now bleating about yesterday.What a pathetic bitter woman.

Most former politicians tend to stray into the shadows and become more mellow after they leave the stage. Arlene has actually got even more bitter and divisive since she resigned from office. It's almost like she is trying to over compensate to prove her ultra Britishness after her catastrophic leadership that promoted and brought about Brexit itself.

At the risk of repeating myself, it absolutely kills these DUP politicians that they are seen to be playing second fiddle to nationalists when they clearly see themselves as the natural rulers of society here. First minister/ joint first minister doesn't really make much difference to the majority of people but it is something that really grates with their political leaders when they have been used to supremacy since the creation of the state. Listening to Jeffrey Donaldson this morning on the radio and he sounded nothing like a leader, instead he sounded like a deflated man.     

It's a career for her now in the media.

[Solo_run]

Arlene dont close the boiler scheme now bleating about yesterday.What a pathetic bitter woman.

Most former politicians tend to stray into the shadows and become more mellow after they leave the stage. Arlene has actually got even more bitter and divisive since she resigned from office. It's almost like she is trying to over compensate to prove her ultra Britishness after her catastrophic leadership that promoted and brought about Brexit itself.

At the risk of repeating myself, it absolutely kills these DUP politicians that they are seen to be playing second fiddle to nationalists when they clearly see themselves as the natural rulers of society here. First minister/ joint first minister doesn't really make much difference to the majority of people but it is something that really grates with their political leaders when they have been used to supremacy since the creation of the state. Listening to Jeffrey Donaldson this morning on the radio and he sounded nothing like a leader, instead he sounded like a deflated man.     

https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/northern-ireland/arlene-foster-slams-mainstream-media-for-intense-coverage-of-sinn-fein-meeting-king-charles-iii-41989108.html

[Rossfan]

Pretend they don't exist and they'll go away...
How absolutely fkn pathetic!