Mr & Mrs Robinson

[Over the Bar]

When the Robinson affair is over there is another story waiting quietly in the wings which will knock the "God" fearing voters over the edge completely if they haven't gone yet.

Whats this one about then BCB?   Drop us an auld PM there if you don't mind!

[Maguire01]

Looking forward to hearing Willie Frazers take on all of this!!  Hope he doesnt have us waiting too long!

He's quoted in the Tribune: "Peter Robinson must resign."

[updown9194]

Second, the First Minister's chair could actually prove to be a "hot seat" rather than a throne for Wee Marty (and SF), for after the initial "warm glow" ahd worn off, it would be more evident than ever that far from leading everyone further down the road to a United Ireland, the GFA/SAA have in fact, only served to lock NI into the UK. And if SF cannot alter that fact, even when the largest Party and occupying the 1st Minister's chair, then even the most myopic of their supporters would be hard pushed to refute the charge that by their endorsement of Stormont, they are merely administering British Rule in Ireland. (In colonial times, this might have earned them the soubriquet of "House Boy", but in the Irish context, I guess that "Land Agent" would be a more appropriate term! 

Your opinions don't even remotely add up to anything resembling truth. How would Sinn Fein be administering British Rule in Ireland if they are the ones doing the administration? Unionists are seriously deluded if these are the hopes they're clinging onto, and in any place it doesn't add up when you look at the mass hysteria that the DUP brought up over Sinn Fein being the biggest party in the 6 counties.

Sorry, but how would they not? What do you think they are administering?

If a solid democracy is based on the rule of the people, then they'd be administering the rule of Irish people in Ireland--perhaps not in a guise that they would want to see as permanent, but still Irish rule by Irish people.

[bennydorano]

Peter Robinson as a politician is finished and the DUP as a party are finished.  When the Robinson affair is over there is another story waiting quietly in the wings which will knock the "God" fearing voters over the edge completely if they haven't gone yet.  This will be revealed before the election and will take out one of their stars by the roots and they will lose a massive following.  Unfortunately there is not great leadership elsewhere in the unionist "family" and there will be a big split.  SF will come back as largest party if they can get over the Liam Adams issue without too much damage.

Still looking good for a 2016 handover

Dont see how this is good for anyone tbh, in times of doubt and crsis Unionism seems to lurch further to the right, which can only mean one thing - TUV making huge inroads.  The UUP are frinished IMO, I would be delighted if they were to make some sort of comeback, but I cant see it happening.  Hard to see what the TUV can bring to any shared future - only an increasing number of fuckwits.  I hope Pedar toughs it out.

[Maguire01]

Second, the First Minister's chair could actually prove to be a "hot seat" rather than a throne for Wee Marty (and SF), for after the initial "warm glow" ahd worn off, it would be more evident than ever that far from leading everyone further down the road to a United Ireland, the GFA/SAA have in fact, only served to lock NI into the UK. And if SF cannot alter that fact, even when the largest Party and occupying the 1st Minister's chair, then even the most myopic of their supporters would be hard pushed to refute the charge that by their endorsement of Stormont, they are merely administering British Rule in Ireland. (In colonial times, this might have earned them the soubriquet of "House Boy", but in the Irish context, I guess that "Land Agent" would be a more appropriate term! 

Your opinions don't even remotely add up to anything resembling truth. How would Sinn Fein be administering British Rule in Ireland if they are the ones doing the administration? Unionists are seriously deluded if these are the hopes they're clinging onto, and in any place it doesn't add up when you look at the mass hysteria that the DUP brought up over Sinn Fein being the biggest party in the 6 counties.

Sorry, but how would they not? What do you think they are administering?

If a solid democracy is based on the rule of the people, then they'd be administering the rule of Irish people in Ireland--perhaps not in a guise that they would want to see as permanent, but still Irish rule by Irish people.

Although the British monarch is not formally a component of the Assembly (as is the case at Westminster), all bills passed by the Assembly must receive Royal Assent to become law. If the Secretary of State believes that a bill violates the constitutional limitations on the powers of the Assembly, the Secretary of State will refuse to submit the bill to the monarch for Assent. If submitted by the Secretary of State, the monarch will, by convention, sign a bill into law. Acts of the Northern Ireland Assembly begin with the enacting formula: "Be it enacted by being passed by the Northern Ireland Assembly and assented to by Her Majesty as follows:".

[updown9194]

Second, the First Minister's chair could actually prove to be a "hot seat" rather than a throne for Wee Marty (and SF), for after the initial "warm glow" ahd worn off, it would be more evident than ever that far from leading everyone further down the road to a United Ireland, the GFA/SAA have in fact, only served to lock NI into the UK. And if SF cannot alter that fact, even when the largest Party and occupying the 1st Minister's chair, then even the most myopic of their supporters would be hard pushed to refute the charge that by their endorsement of Stormont, they are merely administering British Rule in Ireland. (In colonial times, this might have earned them the soubriquet of "House Boy", but in the Irish context, I guess that "Land Agent" would be a more appropriate term! 

Your opinions don't even remotely add up to anything resembling truth. How would Sinn Fein be administering British Rule in Ireland if they are the ones doing the administration? Unionists are seriously deluded if these are the hopes they're clinging onto, and in any place it doesn't add up when you look at the mass hysteria that the DUP brought up over Sinn Fein being the biggest party in the 6 counties.

Sorry, but how would they not? What do you think they are administering?

If a solid democracy is based on the rule of the people, then they'd be administering the rule of Irish people in Ireland--perhaps not in a guise that they would want to see as permanent, but still Irish rule by Irish people.

Although the British monarch is not formally a component of the Assembly (as is the case at Westminster), all bills passed by the Assembly must receive Royal Assent to become law. If the Secretary of State believes that a bill violates the constitutional limitations on the powers of the Assembly, the Secretary of State will refuse to submit the bill to the monarch for Assent. If submitted by the Secretary of State, the monarch will, by convention, sign a bill into law. Acts of the Northern Ireland Assembly begin with the enacting formula: "Be it enacted by being passed by the Northern Ireland Assembly and assented to by Her Majesty as follows:".

Bringing up archaic constitutional ceremony is not helping anyone's argument. This is like saying Collins and Co were administering British Rule in Ireland because of the Oath when you and I both know it wasn't worth the paper it was written on.

[magickingdom]

Peter Robinson as a politician is finished and the DUP as a party are finished.  When the Robinson affair is over there is another story waiting quietly in the wings which will knock the "God" fearing voters over the edge completely if they haven't gone yet.  This will be revealed before the election and will take out one of their stars by the roots and they will lose a massive following.  Unfortunately there is not great leadership elsewhere in the unionist "family" and there will be a big split.  SF will come back as largest party if they can get over the Liam Adams issue without too much damage.

Still looking good for a 2016 handover

Dont see how this is good for anyone tbh, in times of doubt and crsis Unionism seems to lurch further to the right, which can only mean one thing - TUV making huge inroads.  The UUP are frinished IMO, I would be delighted if they were to make some sort of comeback, but I cant see it happening.  Hard to see what the TUV can bring to any shared future - only an increasing number of fuckwits.  I hope Pedar toughs it out.

spot on. . peter robinsons harsh tones have always annoyed me so if/when he goes is nigel dodds any better? no, jeffery? no the tuv no, no. the uup yes but cant see that happening. changing personal means nothing in the dup its mindsets that need to change in that party. .

[Tony Baloney]

This really is a golden age for local politics. If the stories are true I can't wait to see the fall of the singing bigot.

All of these stories will mean the end of the DUP in it's current guise. Having said that I can't see broad unionism allowing Sinn Fein to become more powerful. I could honestly see the hardlne elements of the DUP and TUV being amalgamated and redefined. Ideally a decent leader would take over the UUP and disillusioned Dupers went there instead of back the dark ages by lumping on to Jim Allister.

[orangeman]

Unionists of all persuasions must really be scared at the minute, wondering what s going to happen in the near future.



The DUP couldn't wait to get rid of Paisley but he was most of the time a safe pair of hands. Peter Robinson would have been considered by some as an equally safe pair of hands but this impression has really crumbled, not due to Peter but to an adulterous wife. But guilty by association and by circumstances.



Unionism can only survive by a mass imalgamation between all strands. There had been talk of it before but surely this will force further thinking in this regard.

Unionism has lost a lot of ground in the past 15 years. Looking to the future, it must look bleak.


Get ready for the backlash.

[Hurler on the Bitch]

My money for Westminster seats ... Reg Empey to take East Belfast. Perhaps McGimpsey to take Strangford - he lives in N'Ards. My money is also on a criminal charge coming Iris's way before this is all over.

[Ulick]

Iris in happier days. Looks like one of the boys in particular was glad to see her:

[muppet]

My money for Westminster seats ... Reg Empey to take East Belfast. Perhaps McGimpsey to take Strangford - he lives in N'Ards. My money is also on a criminal charge coming Iris's way before this is all over.

Assault with an elderly weapon?

[Hurler on the Bitch]

Iris in happier days. Looks like one of the boys in particular was glad to see her:

Ref: the guy with the package in his trousers..

Iris: "Is that £5,000 cash in your pocket, or are you just pleased to see me?"

[pintsofguinness]

Iris in happier days. Looks like one of the boys in particular was glad to see her:

[Maguire01]

My money for Westminster seats ... Reg Empey to take East Belfast. Perhaps McGimpsey to take Strangford - he lives in N'Ards.

East Belfast is really a 2 horse race between Robinson and Empey - results below from 2005 Westminster elections - 6,000 vote swing is a tall order. If Robinson was to go as FM, would he still stand at the next election(s)?

Peter Robinson (DUP) 15,152 (49.1% +6.6%)
Sir Reg Empey (UUP) 9,275 (30.1% +6.9%)
Naomi Long (Alliance) 3,746 (12.2% -3.6%)
Deborah Devenny (Sinn Fein) 1,029 (3.3% -0.1%)
Mary Muldoon (SDLP) 844 (2.7% +0.3%)


As for Strangford, well it obviously won't be Iris, but that's a massive swing the UUP would need. Someone like McGimpsey (Michael) would probbaly be the best bet, being a Minister and having a high profile. Unlike East Belfast, this was a UUP seat until 2001.

Iris Robinson (DUP) 20,921 (56.5% +13.7%)
Gareth McGimpsey (UUP) 7,872 (21.3% -19.0%)
Kieran McCarthy (Alliance) 3,332 (9.0% +2.3%)
Joe Boyle (SDLP) 2,496 (6.7% +0.6%)
Terry Dick (Conservative) 1,462 (3.9%)
Dermot Kennedy (Sinn Fein) 949 (2.6% +0.4%)