Brexit.

[Rossfan]

Did those fkn eejits think they could leave the EU but the money would keep coming?

London promised to keep up the money.

😂😆😃😄

[imtommygunn]

Diane Dodds has said today her dept is facing a significant shortfall in budget due to the loss of 70 million from EU funding.

These are the people that govern us and couldn't see this shit coming. Absolute morons.

Considering she was an MEP, she of anyone should have seen this coming. But among the ranks of thick as pigshit DUP members, where the competition is truly fierce, Diane stands head and shoulders above the pack. 

She does appear "special". You know they are idiots but sometimes they still surprise you.

Yes they would have expected the money to keep rolling. You couldn't make it up.

[armaghniac]

Diane Dodds has said today her dept is facing a significant shortfall in budget due to the loss of 70 million from EU funding.

These are the people that govern us and couldn't see this shit coming. Absolute morons.

Considering she was an MEP, she of anyone should have seen this coming. But among the ranks of thick as pigshit DUP members, where the competition is truly fierce, Diane stands head and shoulders above the pack. 

She does appear "special". You know they are idiots but sometimes they still surprise you.

Yes they would have expected the money to keep rolling. You couldn't make it up.

I'm sure if you put a lot of these unionists into an IQ then they'd do as well as any of us, Dodd's husband has a First Class law degree from Cambridge, which is more than most people on Gaaboard. However, unionism is neither rational nor moral and I think that unionists consequently have an ability to turn of their thinking equipment when dealing with politics. The NI economy was always going to lose out because of Brexit, but the idea that London would sustain missing EU expenditure in the long run required a suspension of rationality. The unionists made the point that EU money was only UK money coming back around, but it was money collected in SE England and being spent in NI and that will not happen to same extent from here on.

[imtommygunn]

If I didn't score higher in that test than sammy Wilson I'd be very disappointed 

The sectarian rhetoric is generally orchestrated and playing to their voter base but on some of this I don't think they have shown great wit. No doubt Arlene , Dodds, Donaldson are far from stupid. (Pots too who is more streetwise than intelligent I would say).Paisley is a car salesman who lives on his dad's reputation. Diane Dodds is probably not that sharp either but agreed plenty are far from stupid.

I do think they were a)feathering their nests pushing for brexit b) looking for a hard border.

[michaelg]

If I didn't score higher in that test than sammy Wilson I'd be very disappointed 

The sectarian rhetoric is generally orchestrated and playing to their voter base but on some of this I don't think they have shown great wit. No doubt Arlene , Dodds, Donaldson are far from stupid. (Pots too who is more streetwise than intelligent I would say).Paisley is a car salesman who lives on his dad's reputation. Diane Dodds is probably not that sharp either but agreed plenty are far from stupid.

I do think they were a)feathering their nests pushing for brexit b) looking for a hard border.

They aren't that stupid.  Like Boris himself, in all likelihood they voted for Brexit not fully expecting 'Leave' to win.  Rather, it was a kind of "let's show how British we are" type vote.

[imtommygunn]

Sometimes things get clouded by bitterness.

[armaghniac]

If I didn't score higher in that test than sammy Wilson I'd be very disappointed 

Wilson went to Methody and was an economics examiner  on the NI A level board. While he might not seem the brightest bulb on the Xmas tree he can discuss customs unions and comparative advantage perfectly well, which his voters cannot. He was well able to see the implications of Brexit, but chose not to.

They aren't that stupid.  Like Boris himself, in all likelihood they voted for Brexit not fully expecting 'Leave' to win.  Rather, it was a kind of "let's show how British we are" type vote.

Perhaps they thought they would not win. But Brexit was always going to damage the UK by showing NI and Scotland as notably different from England and for a party that wanted the union even holding a Brexit referendum was a bad plan. It doesn't surprise me that some DUP people would think like this but they seemed to have no debate whatsoever, unless you count Simon Hamilton.

[imtommygunn]

Wilson is a balloon. Being smarter than his voters is not necessarily a badge of honour. His ticket is i'm not Sinn Fein.

Quite a lot of the rest are far from stupid. He is functional enough to do what he needs to but that's about it.

Admittedly he is probably smarter than we see and his blind bigotry is probably what makes him appear more stupid than he is but for an elected representative I would hope for a lot more brains.

Simon Hamilton's influence may have been interesting but , allegedly, he was a naughty boy so disappeared.

[Franko]

If I didn't score higher in that test than sammy Wilson I'd be very disappointed 

The sectarian rhetoric is generally orchestrated and playing to their voter base but on some of this I don't think they have shown great wit. No doubt Arlene , Dodds, Donaldson are far from stupid. (Pots too who is more streetwise than intelligent I would say).Paisley is a car salesman who lives on his dad's reputation. Diane Dodds is probably not that sharp either but agreed plenty are far from stupid.

I do think they were a)feathering their nests pushing for brexit b) looking for a hard border.

They aren't that stupid.  Like Boris himself, in all likelihood they voted for Brexit not fully expecting 'Leave' to win.  Rather, it was a kind of "let's show how British we are" type vote.

I could believe that if they didn't subsequently double down on their obvious mistake.

They used the accident of mathematics which gave them a casting vote in parliament to scupper any chances of the six counties being afforded special status.

Bigotry > Brains in the DUP.

[rrhf]

They helped hand hard Brexit to the hard brexiteers and inevitably helped created a unified economic Ireland in Europe. To me they have achieved a quare bit. However they added future poverty to their voters. Almost time for the southern govn to make the economic case for a unified Ireland to unionists Britain, rest of Ireland and Europe.

[sid waddell]

Diane Dodds has said today her dept is facing a significant shortfall in budget due to the loss of 70 million from EU funding.

These are the people that govern us and couldn't see this shit coming. Absolute morons.

Considering she was an MEP, she of anyone should have seen this coming. But among the ranks of thick as pigshit DUP members, where the competition is truly fierce, Diane stands head and shoulders above the pack. 

She does appear "special". You know they are idiots but sometimes they still surprise you.

Yes they would have expected the money to keep rolling. You couldn't make it up.

I'm sure if you put a lot of these unionists into an IQ then they'd do as well as any of us, Dodd's husband has a First Class law degree from Cambridge, which is more than most people on Gaaboard. However, unionism is neither rational nor moral and I think that unionists consequently have an ability to turn of their thinking equipment when dealing with politics. The NI economy was always going to lose out because of Brexit, but the idea that London would sustain missing EU expenditure in the long run required a suspension of rationality. The unionists made the point that EU money was only UK money coming back around, but it was money collected in SE England and being spent in NI and that will not happen to same extent from here on.

DUP style Unionism is British nationalism

Parties which define themselves by nationalism class the imagined "glory" of the nation above all else and bread and butter issues are an inconvenience to them

Nationalism is the opposite of rationalism

Nationalism is a mental illness

[Seaney]

Norn Ireland would do well to look after itself instead of relying on public purse strings, it is a basket case full of incompetent public officials who care jot about anything but taking the piss and getting their big pensions, no wonder no one wants this place.

[seafoid]

Diane Dodds has said today her dept is facing a significant shortfall in budget due to the loss of 70 million from EU funding.

These are the people that govern us and couldn't see this shit coming. Absolute morons.

Considering she was an MEP, she of anyone should have seen this coming. But among the ranks of thick as pigshit DUP members, where the competition is truly fierce, Diane stands head and shoulders above the pack. 

She does appear "special". You know they are idiots but sometimes they still surprise you.

Yes they would have expected the money to keep rolling. You couldn't make it up.

I'm sure if you put a lot of these unionists into an IQ then they'd do as well as any of us, Dodd's husband has a First Class law degree from Cambridge, which is more than most people on Gaaboard. However, unionism is neither rational nor moral and I think that unionists consequently have an ability to turn of their thinking equipment when dealing with politics. The NI economy was always going to lose out because of Brexit, but the idea that London would sustain missing EU expenditure in the long run required a suspension of rationality. The unionists made the point that EU money was only UK money coming back around, but it was money collected in SE England and being spent in NI and that will not happen to same extent from here on.

DUP style Unionism is British nationalism

Parties which define themselves by nationalism class the imagined "glory" of the nation above all else and bread and butter issues are an inconvenience to them

Nationalism is the opposite of rationalism

Nationalism is a mental illness

All the regions were ignored under Thatcherism.
NI has been pauperised for the last 40 years.
Unionism only makes sense if NI is looked after.

[Franko]

So the ideologues in Westminster have refused to ask for an extension to the post-leave trading arrangements.

Thereby almost guaranteeing a period of no-deal arrangements (or Australia-style as they like to say) after January 1st.

I would hate to be someone trying to make an intelligent case for the continuation of 'The Union' right now.

Maybe some of our unionist commentators on here could outline some reasons for remaining tied to this bunch of utter fcukwits.

I'd genuinely like to hear them

As objectively, I can see no positive reason for it right now.

[johnnycool]

So the ideologues in Westminster have refused to ask for an extension to the post-leave trading arrangements.

Thereby almost guaranteeing a period of no-deal arrangements (or Australia-style as they like to say) after January 1st.

I would hate to be someone trying to make an intelligent case for the continuation of 'The Union' right now.

Maybe some of our unionist commentators on here could outline some reasons for remaining tied to this bunch of utter fcukwits.

I'd genuinely like to hear them

As objectively, I can see no positive reason for it right now.

But we don't have to pay €50 to see a doctor (c) Jim Allister.

Edit, Southern ambulances helping out over the weekend in Belfast must have had his blood boiling.