The DUP thread

[Applesisapples]

Wasn't much need for Sinn Fein boycott, got them nothing, so their position in trying get DUP bck starting from a bad base, as their boycott, the stick used to beat them.

Big difference was that quite quickly SF did a deal with Poots on behalf of the DUP to go back in, only for loyalist groupings to put pressure on the DUP who then reneged on the deal. The point is you cannot rely on the DUP or the UUP to keep their word, they are beholden to the Bryson's  of this world.

[Rossfan]

Yep, we have to out extreme the extremists.

[seafoid]

The GFA has to be rewritten so that no party can boycott Stormont. The DUP boycott is a disaster for the people.

[dec]

The GFA has to be rewritten so that no party can boycott Stormont. The DUP boycott is a disaster for the people.

Or that they can boycott it if they want, but the rest can go ahead without them.

[tbrick18]

The GFA has to be rewritten so that no party can boycott Stormont. The DUP boycott is a disaster for the people.

Or that they can boycott it if they want, but the rest can go ahead without them.

Yes.
I think too, parties like Alliance should be able to take first/deputy first minister role. So far as I know (and I could be wrong) they can't hold either position as they don't designate as Nationalist/Unionist.
I assume the same is true for independents.

I think, or hope, we have moved on enough as a society that we can do this.
I'd also be in favour of at least reviewing the Petition of concern and how it can be used. It has certainly been abused, particularly by unionists.

[AustinPowers]

How do we get to the stage  where  it's agreed that no one party    can collapse the  executive?

Does all parties have  to actually  be sitting  in the assembly  ,  and take a vote   to  agree  the reform? 

Can  the British/Irish governments go over the  executive 's heads and just announce that  we are  doing this?

Or do all  parties and both governments have to  actually sit down  again and  basically thrash out a new  GFA?

[seafoid]

How do we get to the stage  where  it's agreed that no one party    can collapse the  executive?

Does all parties have  to actually  be sitting  in the assembly  ,  and take a vote   to  agree  the reform? 

Can  the British/Irish governments go over the  executive 's heads and just announce that  we are  doing this?

Or do all  parties and both governments have to  actually sit down  again and  basically thrash out a new  GFA?

You need a new GFA. They didn't think about everything.

Someone needs to tell the DUP to GFY.

[trailer]

How do we get to the stage  where  it's agreed that no one party    can collapse the  executive?

Does all parties have  to actually  be sitting  in the assembly  ,  and take a vote   to  agree  the reform? 

Can  the British/Irish governments go over the  executive 's heads and just announce that  we are  doing this?

Or do all  parties and both governments have to  actually sit down  again and  basically thrash out a new  GFA?

You need a new GFA. They didn't think about everything.

Someone needs to tell the DUP to GFY.

25 years ago no one would have thought that you didn't want to help govern the place. SF used the loophole first and monkey see, monkey do.
People will suffer ultimately, health, education, infrastructure as we can see is unravelling before our eyes.
What is the DUPs endgame? Nothing seems to change for them in relation to the protocol, and the longer they stay away the more difficult it becomes for them to go back.
But we have to remember this is what people want and have voted for. SF's vote went up with their boycott and the DUPs vote is holding up and the policy is popular with its voters. Nobody really cares that Stormont isn't sitting and see no discernible difference in their lives, even though we are being left behind in the UK and Europe.

[weareros]

Sammy Wilson nearly talked himself into a border poll trying to debate with Steve Baker Monday night in the commons. I'd say it's minimum viable running of North until enough see it's a failed state and a poll can be called. He threw gauntlet down to DUP to make it work or face a different future. They've talked themselves into a corner.

[trailer]

Sammy Wilson nearly talked himself into a border poll trying to debate with Steve Baker Monday night in the commons. I'd say it's minimum viable running of North until enough see it's a failed state and a poll can be called. He threw gauntlet down to DUP to make it work or face a different future. They've talked themselves into a corner.

The short-sightedness of the DUP has caught them out time and time again. From Brexit, to backing Boris, to this Boycott. They will have no one to blame but themselves. It's a roadmap in how not to do politics.

[seafoid]

Sammy Wilson nearly talked himself into a border poll trying to debate with Steve Baker Monday night in the commons. I'd say it's minimum viable running of North until enough see it's a failed state and a poll can be called. He threw gauntlet down to DUP to make it work or face a different future. They've talked themselves into a corner.

They will only change course if they have no other choice. As long as gobshites continue to vote for them there will be no change.

https://twitter.com/duncan_morrow/status/1699229432979116072

[Applesisapples]

How do we get to the stage  where  it's agreed that no one party    can collapse the  executive?

Does all parties have  to actually  be sitting  in the assembly  ,  and take a vote   to  agree  the reform? 

Can  the British/Irish governments go over the  executive 's heads and just announce that  we are  doing this?

Or do all  parties and both governments have to  actually sit down  again and  basically thrash out a new  GFA?

You need a new GFA. They didn't think about everything.

Someone needs to tell the DUP to GFY.

25 years ago no one would have thought that you didn't want to help govern the place. SF used the loophole first and monkey see, monkey do.
People will suffer ultimately, health, education, infrastructure as we can see is unravelling before our eyes.
What is the DUPs endgame? Nothing seems to change for them in relation to the protocol, and the longer they stay away the more difficult it becomes for them to go back.
But we have to remember this is what people want and have voted for. SF's vote went up with their boycott and the DUPs vote is holding up and the policy is popular with its voters. Nobody really cares that Stormont isn't sitting and see no discernible difference in their lives, even though we are being left behind in the UK and Europe.

This is not SF"s fault. Don't forget the SF boycott started over RHI and both Alliance and the SDLP were supportive of SF's position regarding the need for Forster to stand aside given her involvement in the decision making. The nationalist community weighed in behind the Irish Speaking community on the need for respect and an ILA. Poots did a deal with them within a short period only for the DUP to renege on the deal, showing their ongoing disrespect for the Irish/nationalist community. So it is not correct or fair and just lazy analysis to blame SF on the past boycott. This time is different the DUP are boycotting Stormont over issues that are between the UK government and the EU. So the two can not be compared.

[trailer]

How do we get to the stage  where  it's agreed that no one party    can collapse the  executive?

Does all parties have  to actually  be sitting  in the assembly  ,  and take a vote   to  agree  the reform? 

Can  the British/Irish governments go over the  executive 's heads and just announce that  we are  doing this?

Or do all  parties and both governments have to  actually sit down  again and  basically thrash out a new  GFA?

You need a new GFA. They didn't think about everything.

Someone needs to tell the DUP to GFY.

25 years ago no one would have thought that you didn't want to help govern the place. SF used the loophole first and monkey see, monkey do.
People will suffer ultimately, health, education, infrastructure as we can see is unravelling before our eyes.
What is the DUPs endgame? Nothing seems to change for them in relation to the protocol, and the longer they stay away the more difficult it becomes for them to go back.
But we have to remember this is what people want and have voted for. SF's vote went up with their boycott and the DUPs vote is holding up and the policy is popular with its voters. Nobody really cares that Stormont isn't sitting and see no discernible difference in their lives, even though we are being left behind in the UK and Europe.

This is not SF"s fault. Don't forget the SF boycott started over RHI and both Alliance and the SDLP were supportive of SF's position regarding the need for Forster to stand aside given her involvement in the decision making. The nationalist community weighed in behind the Irish Speaking community on the need for respect and an ILA. Poots did a deal with them within a short period only for the DUP to renege on the deal, showing their ongoing disrespect for the Irish/nationalist community. So it is not correct or fair and just lazy analysis to blame SF on the past boycott. This time is different the DUP are boycotting Stormont over issues that are between the UK government and the EU. So the two can not be compared.

The reasons are different. But they are using the exact same mechanism that SF used. Surely you can see that?

[tbrick18]

How do we get to the stage  where  it's agreed that no one party    can collapse the  executive?

Does all parties have  to actually  be sitting  in the assembly  ,  and take a vote   to  agree  the reform? 

Can  the British/Irish governments go over the  executive 's heads and just announce that  we are  doing this?

Or do all  parties and both governments have to  actually sit down  again and  basically thrash out a new  GFA?

You need a new GFA. They didn't think about everything.

Someone needs to tell the DUP to GFY.

25 years ago no one would have thought that you didn't want to help govern the place. SF used the loophole first and monkey see, monkey do.
People will suffer ultimately, health, education, infrastructure as we can see is unravelling before our eyes.
What is the DUPs endgame? Nothing seems to change for them in relation to the protocol, and the longer they stay away the more difficult it becomes for them to go back.
But we have to remember this is what people want and have voted for. SF's vote went up with their boycott and the DUPs vote is holding up and the policy is popular with its voters. Nobody really cares that Stormont isn't sitting and see no discernible difference in their lives, even though we are being left behind in the UK and Europe.

This is not SF"s fault. Don't forget the SF boycott started over RHI and both Alliance and the SDLP were supportive of SF's position regarding the need for Forster to stand aside given her involvement in the decision making. The nationalist community weighed in behind the Irish Speaking community on the need for respect and an ILA. Poots did a deal with them within a short period only for the DUP to renege on the deal, showing their ongoing disrespect for the Irish/nationalist community. So it is not correct or fair and just lazy analysis to blame SF on the past boycott. This time is different the DUP are boycotting Stormont over issues that are between the UK government and the EU. So the two can not be compared.

The reasons are different. But they are using the exact same mechanism that SF used. Surely you can see that?

I'm not sure how it's relevant that they used the same mechanism? Are you pointing out the flaws in the system? Genuine question.
For me, SF collapsed the assembly as the DUP were governing for themselves and themselves alone. There were many issues around the use of the POC, the Irish langauge act which had already been agreed to be implemented by all parties and the DUP reneged on, the RHI scandal and blatant one sided governance.
SF had my support in collapsing the assembly at that time in protest to DUP blocking everything that didnt suit them.

In this current instance, DUP have collapsed it as the WF doesnt suit them.
So the same mechanism and the same underlying reason.
The difference this time is that the DUP have no support from anyone apart from a portion of their own electorate, which includes the paramilitaries (the real leadership of the DUP). I know many traditional DUP voters who don't agree with the stance, or at least that's what they say. I'd guess they'd still vote DUP.

[imtommygunn]

Trailer do you think that if SF hadn't done what they did the DUP wouldn't have worked out themselves that they could do this?