Messages

Is this enough for the Labour Party to oust Corbyn?
If not, will being wiped out at the GE be enough?

John McDonnell is already preparing the ground by setting up Corbyn as the messenger so that he can play failure in the polls to the membership that the problem was the messenger and not the message.  So, wait until the autumn conference, change the rule on the percentage or number of MPs needed to be nominated for the leadership from the current 25 to about half.  This will allow a suitable left supported candidate to be nominated in the next race when Corbyn will stand down in late autumn.

Until then the media will be blamed and the competence issue will not be mentioned with the race to the bottom, Labour incompetence making Tory incompetence in handling Brexit disappear.

I think you might be able to work out why Colm Cooper has become a great fella after you read this:

http://www.independent.ie/sport/gaelic-games/gaelic-football/colm-cooper-joins-the-sunday-game-as-a-pundit-35682974.html

How do the Tories differ from the Republican party?

They are monarchists.

I was thinking more in terms of the similarity of their policies such as their vote tonight to remove ordinary working Americans from their healthcare by repealing Obamacare and making healthcare much more expensive and beyond most citizens. Compare this to the treatment of the NHS under the tories since 2010.

Betfair
Most seats
Tories 1/11
Lab. 14.5/1
Lib. 40/1
Tory majority 1/5
No majority 5.2/1

Two weeks on the Tories are consolidating strongly:
Most seats
Tories 1/20
Lab. 19/1
Lib. 150/1
Tory majority 1/11
No majority 13.5/1

The tories are vile b**tards!

labour is unfit to govern but I would vote for them if I lived in England, the Tories are vile b**tards, did I mention the tories are vile b**tards.

How do the Tories differ from the Republican party?

How could you support the liberal Labour party?

Anyone have any interest in this? Ulster is starting this weekend, not sure about the other provinces. One good thing is that it can be run off earlier as none of the players should be doing final year school exams.

What are you talking about!  In six of the counties the players will be beginning their AS and GCSE exams on 11th May and some AS units will have begun this week.

Yet again the future of young fellas will have been affected by overdone training schedules leaving them unable to put in the full effort needed in preparation for such a marathon of exams at GCSE and AS levels and then to bring in the games throughout the exam season running from the beginning of May through to the end of June.

I think what this thread proves is how little most people know about the rules and disciplinary procedures of the GAA. In short, being abusive and being threatening are two different things. It appears that McGeeney has been reported for threatening behaviour for which the minimum suspension is 12 weeks. Comparisons with Davy are null and void as Davy was not accused of being threatening.

I think they were similar offence but one was grade IIa and other grade IIIa offences hence 8 weeks minimum and 12 weeks minimum suspensions.

Ulster could do worse than having this man as a backup/senior scrum half who would bring on two inexperienced scrum half who have a long way to go.  He is still in terrific shape and has made a good contribution to Sale:

http://www.independent.ie/sport/rugby/other-rugby/sale-sharks-confirm-peter-stringer-will-leave-the-club-at-the-end-of-the-season-35681210.html

Ulster deserve everything they get over the treatment of Brian McLaughlin. Got an average side to a European final and then got pumped by a serious Leinster side.

Humphreys stabbed McLaughlin in the back. Glad to see him failing at Gloucester.

Gibbs will be very good. I've every confidence.

+1

I don't think the Pienaar thing has helped Ulster either still can't fathom why they are forcing him to leave!

http://www.independent.ie/sport/rugby/ulster-rugby/neil-francis-getting-rid-of-ruan-pienaar-a-gamble-that-shouldnt-have-been-taken-35678796.html

Yeah but SE they've had years to find/develop a number 9. The squad is littered with in-balances.

They need to work harder like Leinster to find gems like Furlong/O'Brien outside the traditional schools system.

Plenty of potential in Ulster, just need to work harder!

If Ulster had everyone fit they should be a force in Europe but it's very rarely happened in the last few seasons. Olding/Bowe/Henderson/Trimble/Henry have all had their issues at one time or another.

Either way there seems to be a malaise that has crept in and you would hope Gibbs and Peel can come in and reinvigorate the setup. The loss of Humphries has been huge I think and the fact the Kiss is untested as a head coach hasn't helped things this season. There is talent there if Ulster can learn how to get the best out of them!

Kiss should have walked with his assistant coaches but instead he will have another wasted season claiming he has only now got coaches of his choice.

I don't think the Pienaar thing has helped Ulster either still can't fathom why they are forcing him to leave!

http://www.independent.ie/sport/rugby/ulster-rugby/neil-francis-getting-rid-of-ruan-pienaar-a-gamble-that-shouldnt-have-been-taken-35678796.html

IRFU wants to force a new Irish No.9 to the fore given the shelf life of Murray and the lack of many replacements.  Ulster didn't do enough to retain Pienaar, Kiss is too much in thrall to Nucifora for his position. None of the other provinces would have given in, looks at Munster holding on the players brought in to cover injuries earlier in the year and the bringing back of Nacewa instead of developing its young wingers.

Former Sinn Fein Vice President and MP for West Tyrone since 2001, Pat Doherty, has announced he will not seek re-election.

He won't be missed as Westminster was not the only place from which he abstained.

Barry McElduff will be the candidate defending a majority of 10,060 votes that the party achieved at the 2015 election.

Sweet Jaysus, well I suppose it cudda been Sean Clarke and he'll be around (the constituency at least) unlike the last man

You couldnt help but think that Sorchca McAneispe would be close to the nomination if she had of stuck with them.

If she was so far back in the queue for nomination as an assembly candidate in 2016 that shows passed by others who had never been elected as a councillor like herself.  Enough to make her walk away and try to compete as an independent in 2016 and 2017.

Former Sinn Fein Vice President and MP for West Tyrone since 2001, Pat Doherty, has announced he will not seek re-election.

He won't be missed as Westminster was not the only place from which he abstained.

Barry McElduff will be the candidate defending a majority of 10,060 votes that the party achieved at the 2015 election.

why is it an economic basket case?

N.I. requires a subvention of around £10bn per annum to keep all services running.  The majority of heavy industry is gone. Most jobs introduced in the last 10 years are in the service sector.  Agriculture is dependent on subsidy from EU for majority of farmers who have small family holdings which produce a barely sufficient income.  Infrastructure, especially when compared to RoI or UK is poor, arterial roads are not dulled or motorways, railways are insufficient, public transport is barely adequate.  There are no natural resources exploited to the point where they produce a significant income, e.g. oil, gas. renewable energies.  Inward investment has not brought in wealth creating or manufacturing industry and has been wasted on a service sector giving millions to law firms, call centres, etc.  The tax base is insufficient to sustain the region.  Housing stock is adequate with no plan to improve it or the associated infrastructure.  The main export is our young people who are educated to third level and then go abroad where their skills can be appreciated.

I could go on.  Thank God for the UK government's willingness to continue to pump billions into a small rural region which will never provide a return on its investment.  so, many of us are living off the Queen's shilling and working in the public sector which still makes up well over 60% of the economic activity.

Sorry fixed it.  Still doesn't change the result.

N.Ireland is no more a divided society than Scotland based on religion and the referendum result, Wales in economic terms and England in racial terms.

Have you been to many parts of England recently.  It is incredibly divided society in so many ways.  The whole Brexit vote has highlighted the attitude to outsiders, immigrants, migrants, refugees, etc.  The little Englander attitude has hardened considerably.  Many large cities in the North are ghettoised on economic terms and on racial terms.  While other parts of the country are virtually untouched by immigration and migration.  The conservatives will win a landslide in the election but on a very small proportion of both the population and the electorate.  This further polarises and divides English society.

Take a few minutes to view the video of Tim Farron meeting a little Englander.

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/video/2017/may/03/tim-farron-confronted-by-angry-brexit-voter-video

Who materially benefits from Northern Ireland being part of the UK?

The Republic of Ireland.  They don't have to pay for an economic basket case.