Is Stormont going to fall?

[imtommygunn]

Erm. If the DUP and UUP walk out, would that not make Sinn Fein the defacto leaders of NI? A quick legislative change and hey presto, 32 County United Ireland!

Lol. Sshh there's enough paranoid people out there who would believe that and cause trouble!

I don't believe the DUP would have went had it not been for the UUP. I also believe that was mainly attention seeking.

In my view unionist politicians(mainly) have never fully wanted proper peace, equality etc. Their true colours come out every january. They come out with their petitions of concerns, with their "pacts" to make sure alliance or SF don't get in etc.

They have no interest in true democracy or equal rights and they live in a fear that if they give "them 'uns" too much they'll just push for a united ireland.

Is that not a genuine fear though as that is one of Sinn Feins main aims which they make no bones about?

Well pretty much so i dunno how it can work at all. The whole thing has always been incredibly fragile and this illustrates it.

Where we go from here who knows.

[Maguire01]

There is no doubt that people within SF are still also in or connected to the IRA. SF need to ensure that these people choose one or t'other otherwise Unionists will continue to throw it in their faces. I think it is time both the SDLP and SF left Stormont. They gave it a shot but the fact remains that Unionists are not prepared to accommodate anything other than Unionist rule. They are not prepared to grant any sort of equality within the Northern State to those of us who consider ourselves Irish. It will eventually be the undoing of that same state as Unionist hardliners repeat the mistakes of the past. Truth is may nationalists my self included would be happy within the UK if we had any sort of recognition officially of Irish Flags and Emblems and an enhanced Island identity.

Seems it's not just the loyalists who place ridiculous importance on flegs and emblems then... Seriously, if that's the level of concern, then we truly are talking first world problems.

[Kickham csc]

Maguire01

It's not a ridiculous importance on flegs and emblems, it's about having the freedom to express one's cultural identity without fear of reprisals, which we have never experienced.

Just say that we have a united ireland in the morning. I would love that the Shinners et al will have the courage to afford the unionists the same, i.e. reconise their british culture and engrain it into the fabric for a 32 county Ireland -allow the UJ to fly over councils which have a unionist population etc etc

The unionists f$%Ked this up all those years ago with their zero tolerance, and still haven't got it yet, and they don't realize that they are actually aiding SF with their antics

[SkillfulBill]

The sooner storment falls the better. Unionisim proving once again that this is a failed state. They tried self rule and managed to fcuk that up. Direct rule and 40 years of war. Power sharing twice and fcuked that up. Whats left is a period of direct rule and a political vacuum. Take the wages off them and reduce their electrate to the poverty line via savage cuts and reduction in services. Eradicate all investni spending and remove as many of the public sector jobs as possible. Turn their precious state into an economic and political wasteland and lets see how they get on with that. Unionist grandstanding has to be dealt with and the best way is to punish those people who elect the same narrow minded people who after 20 odd years of relative peace cannot move on.

The shinners need to catch themselves on as well and put their hands up and stop worrying about perceptions tell it as it is.

IRA will continue to exist in one form or another for as long as partition exists. If they cant live with that then let the Torys do their worst. Within the next 10-15 years the UK will break up with Scotland gone the brits will have little interest in supporting an economic wasteland in the north and british idenity will be no more.

[michaelg]

The sooner storment falls the better. Unionisim proving once again that this is a failed state. They tried self rule and managed to fcuk that up. Direct rule and 40 years of war. Power sharing twice and fcuked that up. Whats left is a period of direct rule and a political vacuum. Take the wages off them and reduce their electrate to the poverty line via savage cuts and reduction in services. Eradicate all investni spending and remove as many of the public sector jobs as possible. Turn their precious state into an economic and political wasteland and lets see how they get on with that. Unionist grandstanding has to be dealt with and the best way is to punish those people who elect the same narrow minded people who after 20 odd years of relative peace cannot move on.

The shinners need to catch themselves on as well and put their hands up and stop worrying about perceptions tell it as it is.

IRA will continue to exist in one form or another for as long as partition exists. If they cant live with that then let the Torys do their worst. Within the next 10-15 years the UK will break up with Scotland gone the brits will have little interest in supporting an economic wasteland in the north and british idenity will be no more.

Apart from the million odd Brits living here.

[CD]

It's all brinkmanship lads! The DUPs can't afford to let it fall! Some of those families would be in financial dire straits if the Stormont money wasn't coming in. There are entire DUB and UUP families (nieces, nephews, in laws, wives, cousins) who are employed in various capacities up on the hill. I'm not suggesting they aren't employed legitimately, but it is a fact. Other parties in a similar situation but not to same extent. If it does close you can guarantee it'll be reopened when the severance runs out and the mortgages are due!

[imtommygunn]

You're not suggesting they aren't though

Robinson trying to be a bully boy as usual. Be interesting to see how that pans out. The whole thing is damned if it does and damned if it doesn't. As long as no one starts any of the shit again i, like most people, wouldn't be too bothered either way.

[The Trap]

Alex Kane said he spent 5 years in Stormont pushing paper around the last time Stormont was suspended........on full pay! So I am sure the payments will keep coming in no matter what happens........maybe if they were stopped immediately they would get something done. On Nolan this morning he was talking about hospital waiting lists.....I know of a school where one class is getting taught in the corridor.......in another school the heating isn't working and is not getting repaired........construction and facilities firms are on the ropes.........because these people are holding the country back arguing about green and orange issues......Move ON!

[imtommygunn]

They're not to be paid this time apparently...

[Tony Baloney]

A few posters on here said a few months ago that something like this would happen as Peter will want to distance himself from Nama investigations and imposition of welfare cuts. The Bard of Dunclug must have passed on the info.

[Minder]

They're not to be paid this time apparently...

I saw earlier that MLAs would still receive 2/3 of their salary

[Rossfan]

The sooner storment falls the better. Unionisim proving once again that this is a failed state. They tried self rule and managed to fcuk that up. Direct rule and 40 years of war. Power sharing twice and fcuked that up. Whats left is a period of direct rule and a political vacuum. Take the wages off them and reduce their electrate to the poverty line via savage cuts and reduction in services. Eradicate all investni spending and remove as many of the public sector jobs as possible. Turn their precious state into an economic and political wasteland and lets see how they get on with that. Unionist grandstanding has to be dealt with and the best way is to punish those people who elect the same narrow minded people who after 20 odd years of relative peace cannot move on.

The shinners need to catch themselves on as well and put their hands up and stop worrying about perceptions tell it as it is.

IRA will continue to exist in one form or another for as long as partition exists. If they cant live with that then let the Torys do their worst. Within the next 10-15 years the UK will break up with Scotland gone the brits will have little interest in supporting an economic wasteland in the north and british idenity will be no more.

Apart from the million odd Brits living here.

48% of 1.8 m to be exact.
If/when Scotland goes independent there will be no more British .
Wonder what ye'll call ye'reselves then?

[Applesisapples]

Mike Nesbitt's position is hilarious.

He doesn't trust what SF say. But he wont move forward until he hears them say something.

He'll talk to anyone in the interests of peace, but he won't talk to Them. He's the Meat Loaf of politics.

Sure is. But the BBC love him, he is never pressed (except by Nolan) on evening extra or good morning OWC over the inconsistencies or hypocrisy of his posturing on Loyalist Paramilitaries.

Theres a Youtube clip of Tara Mills giving him a decent grilling on his hypocrisy at sitting down with terrorists. It may even have been posted on this thread.

I'm referring specifically to GMU and EVX, but I take your point on Tara.

[Applesisapples]

There is no doubt that people within SF are still also in or connected to the IRA. SF need to ensure that these people choose one or t'other otherwise Unionists will continue to throw it in their faces. I think it is time both the SDLP and SF left Stormont. They gave it a shot but the fact remains that Unionists are not prepared to accommodate anything other than Unionist rule. They are not prepared to grant any sort of equality within the Northern State to those of us who consider ourselves Irish. It will eventually be the undoing of that same state as Unionist hardliners repeat the mistakes of the past. Truth is may nationalists my self included would be happy within the UK if we had any sort of recognition officially of Irish Flags and Emblems and an enhanced Island identity.

Seems it's not just the loyalists who place ridiculous importance on flegs and emblems then... Seriously, if that's the level of concern, then we truly are talking first world problems.

I am old enough to know that things for nationalists have improved. But a state should reflect its people this one doesn't and yes it is important, not in the loyalist sense of down your throat but in a sense of fairness.

[Pub Bore]

Election soon??