The DUP thread

[Armagh18]

Probably a stupid question.....is it possible for Uk Government and Irish Government together to change items of the GFA? Namely the ability for a single party to pull the institutions down.

If the DUP don't accept this deal, by their own admission they will not return to government so we are at a permanent stalemate.
In that scenario, the only parties remaining are UK and Irish governement so I'm just wondering if there is anything they can do to enable the Assembly to return with the DUP.

You'd imagine it's something that would be possible but would the 2 governments want to start tinkering with the GFA? Might been seen by some as an excuse to threaten more violence. Ideally stormont would be up and running tomorrow without the dinosaurs.

[Applesisapples]

This brake will lead to a shit show, unionist veto.

It's not, the POC has to be "applied" with London/Westminster & then has to be externally assessed if the POC numbers are met

The POC has been invoked more by the DUP than any other party and Allister and enough UUP will pitch in.

You need to read my post again, it can't happen with just Stormont parties alone applying it. London has to agree & we will also soon have a Labour government

The UK government is to be bound to take notice of this brake and the DUP will push for it to be given a legislative basis. I am basing my opinion on what has been said by the UK/EU and not on your statement. It will lead to more instability and be used for mischief.

[seafoid]

This brake will lead to a shit show, unionist veto.

It's not, the POC has to be "applied" with London/Westminster & then has to be externally assessed if the POC numbers are met

The POC has been invoked more by the DUP than any other party and Allister and enough UUP will pitch in.

You need to read my post again, it can't happen with just Stormont parties alone applying it. London has to agree & we will also soon have a Labour government

Maybe not. Only 3 Labour leaders have won an election since 1945. They all had over 60 seats in Scotland. Now Labour has 2. They all had a lot of left wing votes. Starmer has purged the left. And they all had loads of female votes. A lot of women are pissed off about Labour's position on trans.
I would be surprised if Labour would win England given all of that.

[Mourne Red]

This brake will lead to a shit show, unionist veto.

It's not, the POC has to be "applied" with London/Westminster & then has to be externally assessed if the POC numbers are met

The POC has been invoked more by the DUP than any other party and Allister and enough UUP will pitch in.

You need to read my post again, it can't happen with just Stormont parties alone applying it. London has to agree & we will also soon have a Labour government

Maybe not. Only 3 Labour leaders have won an election since 1945. They all had over 60 seats in Scotland. Now Labour has 2. They all had a lot of left wing votes. Starmer has purged the left. And they all had loads of female votes. A lot of women are pissed off about Labour's position on trans.
I would be surprised if Labour would win England given all of that.

How have Labour pissed off women with the trans issue? Curious because if anything they've pissed off trans activists and don't see how you can say that women are annoyed with them? It's the Looney left and commys that are annoyed with Labour... Sturgeon is gone so SNP are on the wobble and Labour been working hard in Scotland could see them doing well there

[seafoid]

It looks like a lot of work went into the deal

https://www.irishtimes.com/politics/2023/02/27/northern-ireland-protocol-deal-eu-uk-brexit/

Sunak says there will be a parliamentary vote on the new Windsor framework 'and it will be respected'
The deal, which will be subject to a vote in Westminster at the "appropriate time", includes green and red lanes for imports into the North. It returns to Westminster the power to set all VAT rates.

It contains safeguards to ensure that all supermarket goods and medicines available in Britain will automatically be available in the North.

Leading Irish American congressman Brendan Boyle, who is also co-chair of the congressional EU caucus, strongly backed the new Northern Ireland protocol deal.
.
The Northern Ireland Business Brexit Working Group, an umbrella group representing 14 industry bodies, said it commended the "considerable efforts made by the EU and the UK government to find joint solutions on the Northern Ireland protocol.

Sunak hails 'decisive breakthrough' on post-Brexit rules for Northern Ireland
UK prime minister Rishi Sunak has said his "decisive breakthrough" on post-Brexit rules for Northern Ireland will remove trade barriers in the Irish Sea as he seeks the backing of unionists and Tory Eurosceptics.
/Mr Sunak said the agreement "safeguards sovereignty" for Northern Ireland.
He said the deal introduces a new Stormont brake, allowing the assembly not only to have a say over EU laws but also to block them from applying in Northern Ireland.

Chairman of the European Research Group of hardline Conservative MPs Mark Francois told Sky News that they wanted "a situation where EU law is expunged from Northern Ireland so it is treated on the same basis as England, Scotland and Wales."
"We're not stupid," he told the broadcaster.
Ms Long added: "All of us would like to see the relationship with the EU in a better place, I think the UK as a whole needs that, but I think it would also be good for north/south and east/west relationships because they've been damaged by Brexit."
________________________________________

[AustinPowers]

Arlene not happy. That's a good sign 

I don't know where unionism go from here.

Hard unionism has already created another couple of bogeymen in King Charles and the Irish News and the day isn't yet over! The lack of self awareness that Arlene Foster displays is bizarre. She's got her big titles but was the main instigator in leading Unionism down this path yet instead of staying in the background she has continued to put herself at the front and centre of any political debate. Definitely more loyal to the half crown than the crown that one, together with the other Westminster MP cronies.

I actually thought  that said "she's got her big titties..."  and I thought what the  hell have they  got to do with  the protocol? 

Edit: turns out I  wasn't the   only one!

[seafoid]

Given  that the deal is called the Windsor  Framework, Northern Ireland's national mar dhea  stadium should from on on be called Protocol Park

[marty34]

It's a huge opportunity for Jim Allister to make his party the voice of Unionism. Donaldson has looked like a lame duck leader from day one and this fork in the road was coming. From a tactical perspective Allister has played him like a kipper. Its a given that Allister will reject the deal and subsequently LCC/OO/loyalist alliance so then its over to Jeffrey whose head must be spinning at the minute. I can't see him backing it and if he does he's probably toast.

But if he does it is another opportunity for the non-unionist parties. If they split they hardline vote between DUP and TUV again they will do nothing but gut themselves, weakening their position further.

It could well do. At the minute TUV is effectively a one man band but if Donaldson can't keep his party together then Allister will profit most and will make capital off the back of that. Whatever you think about Allister (and he is horrific) he is more of a leader and strategist than Jeffrey Donaldson will ever be.

Don't think so.

He just says no to everything.

[Armagh18]

It's a huge opportunity for Jim Allister to make his party the voice of Unionism. Donaldson has looked like a lame duck leader from day one and this fork in the road was coming. From a tactical perspective Allister has played him like a kipper. Its a given that Allister will reject the deal and subsequently LCC/OO/loyalist alliance so then its over to Jeffrey whose head must be spinning at the minute. I can't see him backing it and if he does he's probably toast.

But if he does it is another opportunity for the non-unionist parties. If they split they hardline vote between DUP and TUV again they will do nothing but gut themselves, weakening their position further.

It could well do. At the minute TUV is effectively a one man band but if Donaldson can't keep his party together then Allister will profit most and will make capital off the back of that. Whatever you think about Allister (and he is horrific) he is more of a leader and strategist than Jeffrey Donaldson will ever be.

Don't think so.

He just says no to everything.

That appeals to the sort of yokes he wants voting for him

[imtommygunn]

At the start of the EU negotiations god knows how long ago they thought the DUP were playing a blinder playing hardball and saying no in negotiations. People then realised that was actually all they'd got and they said no to everything. No is all they've got.

[JoG2]

It's a huge opportunity for Jim Allister to make his party the voice of Unionism. Donaldson has looked like a lame duck leader from day one and this fork in the road was coming. From a tactical perspective Allister has played him like a kipper. Its a given that Allister will reject the deal and subsequently LCC/OO/loyalist alliance so then its over to Jeffrey whose head must be spinning at the minute. I can't see him backing it and if he does he's probably toast.

The great minds of the LCC must have completed their assessment as Ian Og says the deal 'doesn't cut the mustard'

[Rossfan]

Let's say the 17th Century says NO! to the "Windsor protocol"......
I highly doubt the EU and the Brits are going to tear it up and start all over again?

[Nanderson]

Let's say the 17th Century says NO! to the "Windsor protocol"......
I highly doubt the EU and the Brits are going to tear it up and start all over again?

Nope this is it. They either get on and make it work for their community or they get left behind

[Armagh18]

Let's say the 17th Century says NO! to the "Windsor protocol"......
I highly doubt the EU and the Brits are going to tear it up and start all over again?

Yeah surely no more renegotiating now. As someone else as said, Rishi has played a blinder getting Charlie to look like he's backing it without openly backing it.

[johnnycool]

Let's say the 17th Century says NO! to the "Windsor protocol"......
I highly doubt the EU and the Brits are going to tear it up and start all over again?

Yeah surely no more renegotiating now. As someone else as said, Rishi has played a blinder getting Charlie to look like he's backing it without openly backing it.

Charlie and Jeffrey's relationship is hardly the warmest either going by the reception in Hillsborough the time of his Ma's death.

It will be interesting how the DUP spin this as TBH their intransigence has earned some big compromises from the EU and a normal party would spin that as a serious win, but not Sammy fingers and Ian Óg, oh no, they're boxing Donaldson into a corner as this deal doesn't cut the mustard and looking to overplay their hand.

Sunak has binned their Protocol Bill, so this is the only show in town.