DUP not on BBC

21st Century Lad

I am from the south but I was quite surprised at the exclusion of the DUP, or Sinn Fein for that matter, from the British election debate tonight on the BBC. As the 4th and 5th largest political parties by number of MPs in the UK shouldn't they have been there ahead of UKIP, SNP, Green etc?

I read that the BBC stated that this was because neither party is competing for votes with the 'main' government parties. But the way I see it the next UK government is going to be Tory/DUP/UKIP..... Media bias or does NI just not count in GB?

Thomas_.

21st Century Lad wrote: »

I am from the south but I was quite surprised at the exclusion of the DUP, or Sinn Fein for that matter, from the British election debate tonight on the BBC. As the 4th and 5th largest political parties by number of MPs in the UK shouldn't they have been there ahead of UKIP, SNP, Green etc?

I read that the BBC stated that this was because neither party is competing for votes with the 'main' government parties. But the way I see it the next UK government is going to be Tory/DUP/UKIP..... Media bias or does NI just not count in GB?

I´d see it as bit inappropriate to have the DUP excluded from debates, whatever the justification for their exclusion is.

As for SF, I think that it´d be of no use to have them invited in debates because they never took their seats in the Commons due to their dogmatic abstention from Westerminster policy.

The above mentioned comparisons of those two parties in their practice to take their seats in the Commons and work there is the essential difference that make the DUP deprived from part taking in pre-election debates and SF´s exclusion rather reasonable.

NIMAN

I think the 2 parties turned down the offer of a place on the Election Debate podium when they heard there would be no discussion of important issues affecting the population, like gay cakes, marching, punishment beatings and flegs.

feargale

Thomas_. wrote: »

I´d see it as bit inappropriate to have the DUP excluded from debates, whatever the justification for their exclusion is.

As for SF, I think that it´d be of no use to have them invited in debates because they never took their seats in the Commons due to their dogmatic abstention from Westerminster policy.

The above mentioned comparisons of those two parties in their practice to take their seats in the Commons and work there is the essential difference that make the DUP deprived from part taking in pre-election debates and SF´s exclusion rather reasonable.

Here we go again. Punish a party we disagree with. David Trimble had a point when he said a certain party weren't "house trained" but he could have included others, both in Northern Ireland and in Great Britain. If the electorate don't like the behaviour of their representatives they can vote them out next time. It's called democracy for slow learners. Interference with or manipulation of a democratic mandate says alot about its advocates.

The Solution

After the uprising of the 17th June
The Secretary of the Writers Union
Had leaflets distributed in the Stalinallee
Stating that the people
Had forfeited the confidence of the government
And could win it back only
By redoubled efforts.
Would it not be easier In that case for the government
To dissolve the people
And elect another?

By Bertolt Brecht.

DarkyHughes

Thomas_. wrote: »

I´d see it as bit inappropriate to have the DUP excluded from debates, whatever the justification for their exclusion is.

As for SF, I think that it´d be of no use to have them invited in debates because they never took their seats in the Commons due to their dogmatic abstention from Westerminster policy.

The above mentioned comparisons of those two parties in their practice to take their seats in the Commons and work there is the essential difference that make the DUP deprived from part taking in pre-election debates and SF´s exclusion rather reasonable.

Tony Benn said around 2005 or something after IRA decommissioning that elected Sinn Fein members should take their seats in Westminister. And I think he's right, they've already broken their old constitution of not taking seats in Leinster House & Stormont so why not go to London as well? It will give them a opportunity to get their message across Britain.

DarkyHughes

feargale wrote: »

Here we go again. Punish a party we disagree with. David Trimble had a point when he said a certain party weren't "house trained" but he could have included others, both in Northern Ireland and in Great Britain. If the electorate don't like the behaviour of their representatives they can vote them out next time. It's called democracy for slow learners. Interference with or manipulation of a democratic mandate says alot about its advocates.

The Solution

After the uprising of the 17th June
The Secretary of the Writers Union
Had leaflets distributed in the Stalinallee
Stating that the people
Had forfeited the confidence of the government
And could win it back only
By redoubled efforts.
Would it not be easier In that case for the government
To dissolve the people
And elect another?

By Bertolt Brecht.

What uprising?

feargale

DarkyHughes wrote: »

What uprising?

East Berlin 1953.

Crooked Jack

DarkyHughes wrote: »

Tony Benn said around 2005 or something after IRA decommissioning that elected Sinn Fein members should take their seats in Westminister. And I think he's right, they've already broken their old constitution of not taking seats in Leinster House & Stormont so why not go to London as well? It will give them a opportunity to get their message across Britain.

Those are Irish parliaments, full of Irish representatives, elected by Irish people to discuss Irish issues. Partitionist and deeply imperfect, yes, but hardly the same as going to westminster