Arlene, Edwin, her replacement and his replacement as leader of the DUP

Augme

Faugheen wrote: »

She can never be phased either. Always seems to have an answer when she’s challenged in the media on the most inhumane views.

It’s hard to get many like that.

Looking forward to seeing what head-the-balls go for the leadership contest.

It is a big help when you don't have to pretend to be humane though.

Fionn1952

Anyone who suspects Arlene is being given the boot for someone more moderate really is on a hiding to nothing.

I'd be willing to bet they're chasing the hardline vote that is drifting to TUV, presuming the Alliance drifters are a lost cause, and thinking the UUP are an irrelevant lame duck.

Odhinn

ReginaldSmythV wrote: »

I know he’s not an MLA but they should roll out Gregory Campbell for the craic. He’s the biggest bigot of the lot.

No, the worst by a long shot was/is Willie McRae.

Odhinn

Fionn1952 wrote: »

Anyone who suspects Arlene is being given the boot for someone more moderate really is on a hiding to nothing.

I'd be willing to bet they're chasing the hardline vote that is drifting to TUV, presuming the Alliance drifters are a lost cause, and thinking the UUP are an irrelevant lame duck.

Traditional Unionist Voice, aka Traditional Unionist Vocabulary (No, Never, No etc)

Zebra3

If Foster does go, she can do safe in the knowledge that there’ll be a mural of her one day on the Falls and in the Bog.

THE_SHEEP

Ashes to ashes ........

CrabRevolution

Del.Monte wrote: »

I'd say the constant shouting for a border poll will see the DUP gaining support the next time out but then I would say that wouldn't I.

Every election since I've been born I've heard it said that the DUP (and UUP before that) will gain votes because they'll portray the election as an existential fight for the union. It has never come true.

Even then it doesn't really make any sense. Is there any evidence of a sizeable cohort of voters who are currently staying at home or voting Alliance who will now vote DUP because the DUP say the union is under threat? If so, why didn't they vote DUP in the last 20 elections they've been saying the union is under threat?

It's like "Italy will come good in the next few years" in the rugby. It may have been a reasonable statement decades ago, but it has never come to pass and is now a cliché that people throw out without thinking.

awec

It would have been Edwin Poots for next leader I bet if he hadn’t had the health issues.

gmisk

...if you think Arlene is bad...




(She is...but there is much much worse than her in the DUP)

gmisk

https://twitter.com/BigDirtyFry/status/1387074686824103941?s=19

Zebra3

CrabRevolution wrote: »

Every election since I've been born I've heard it said that the DUP (and UUP before that) will gain votes because they'll portray the election as an existential fight for the union. It has never come true.

Even then it doesn't really make any sense. Is there any evidence of a sizeable cohort of voters who are currently staying at home or voting Alliance who will now vote DUP because the DUP say the union is under threat? If so, why didn't they vote DUP in the last 20 elections they've been saying the union is under threat?

It's like "Italy will come good in the next few years" in the rugby. It may have been a reasonable statement decades ago, but it has never come to pass and is now a cliché that people throw out without thinking.

They couldn’t get the votes out (if they existed) to save North Belfast.

briany

Pandiculation wrote: »

Arlene is far too reasonable for the DUP.

I tended to always assume she was 'walking the line' between being fairly copped on & maintaining power by playing to an in-house DUP audience.

If they go too extreme with their choice of leadership, they'll likely reduce their vote a lot too. I'd rather the more moderate unionists represented better though.

Totally agree. I'm not someone who believes that the DUP truly are so blinkered that they cannot recognise certain political realities in the present day. Sure, there would be individuals within the party like that, but there has to also be many who see the writing on the wall. Ideological British Unionism is now one of three main political stances in NI, alongside ideological Irish Nationalism and neither of the above, and none of them hold a majority of voters, and we can see that in the makeup of the current NI Assembly. So it would be a kamikaze move from the DUP to become more extreme and regressive in their views and make their cause even more of a minority one than it already is.

This is where Sinn Fein have outflanked the DUP somewhat because Sinn Fein have aligned themselves more to things like being pro-choice or same sex marriage. Things that younger voters are generally in favour of but the DUP cannot countenance.

What the DUP need to do is purge the likes of Sammy Wilson from their party, and let him go off and join the TUV if he wants, and start making appeals to the wider voter base in Northern Ireland.

It'll be interesting to see who they choose as their next leader if Foster is voted out, as it will be highly indicative, to me, of what direction they intend to head.

Dyr

"Listen I’ve done some silly things in my time but even taking off all your clothes and cavorting in a field isn’t on the same scandalous level of thinking you’re the next Peter Canavan and you the DUP leader. Although she took her point well, it’s the next step to a United Ireland. You wouldn’t have caught the Reverend with a size 5 in his hands. She has to go.”




https://tyronetribulations.com/2021/04/27/arlene-in-leadership-bother-after-scoring-a-fine-point-during-kickabout-with-michelle/

Beechwoodspark

Paisley junior maybe

awec

Beechwoodspark wrote: »

Paisley junior maybe

No chance.

gmisk

Beechwoodspark wrote: »

Paisley junior maybe

I would honestly doubt it.
The multiple free holidays etc were not a good look.
Living of the family name...in Ballymena area they would elect an inanimate carbon rod if it was a Paisley...

L1011

She should have walked after RHI (maybe then the DUP calls for O'Neill to go over Storey might not have been comincal), but every realistic alternative option for leader is worse and almost certainly going to bring Stormont down again for a time (a year or so probably), to make it look like they're trying to get the NI Protocol changed. Leaving NI direct ruled from Westminster during a severe crisis.

awec

gmisk wrote: »

I would honestly doubt it.
The multiple free holidays etc were not a good look.
Living of the family name...in Ballymena area they would elect an inanimate carbon rod if it was a Paisley...

I think (without any evidence) that there is some animosity between Paisley Jnr and elements of the party over the way Paisley Snr was treated at the end of his time.

FrancieBrady

awec wrote: »

I think (without any evidence) that there is some animosity between Paisley Jnr and elements of the party over the way Paisley Snr was treated at the end of his time.

I've heard it isn't just 'some animosity' it is bitter animosity.

Beechwoodspark

awec wrote: »

I think (without any evidence) that there is some animosity between Paisley Jnr and elements of the party over the way Paisley Snr was treated at the end of his time.

I remember that.

Old man Paisley had a problem with Dodds anyway. And thought Robinson was a bit of a weakling.

retalivity

Get Iris back, a cross-community appointment.

Was she ever heard of again after she went away for "reflection"?

gmisk

retalivity wrote: »

Get Iris back, a cross-community appointment.

Was she ever heard of again after she went away for "reflection"?

70 odd not been a politician for 10 plus years...perfect!
She does tend to keep her finger on the pulse with young people though....especially young business men.

She is probably out there on her walk with God....like Paul Berry...

Faugheen

I’ve been having a think, and there is literally not one DUP MLA I can think that would be a good fit.

Maybe it’s a bias because I align nowhere near them, but still even then I can appreciate a good politician

awec

Faugheen wrote: »

I’ve been having a think, and there is literally not one DUP MLA I can think that would be a good fit.

Maybe it’s a bias because I align nowhere near them, but still even then I can appreciate a good politician

The MLA candidates are fairly terrible.

As I said already, Poots would have had it sewn up IMO if he didn't have the health problems as he is their most high profile MLA outside of Foster.

The other MLAs that currently hold positions are Peter Weir, who IMO is a nobody, and Diane Dodds, who was co-opted to her current seat rather than winning it in an election.

Fionn1952

awec wrote: »

The MLA candidates are fairly terrible.

As I said already, Poots would have had it sewn up IMO if he didn't have the health problems as he is their most high profile MLA outside of Foster.

The other MLAs that currently hold positions are Peter Weir, who IMO is a nobody, and Diane Dodds, who was co-opted to her current seat rather than winning it in an election.

The fact that Poots of, 'no blood donations from the gays' and, 'there should be a Young Earth Creationist alternative to the history of the Giant's Causeway' fame is considered their most promising/talented MLA is most disturbing.

hometruths

awec wrote: »

The MLA candidates are fairly terrible.

As I said already, Poots would have had it sewn up IMO if he didn't have the health problems as he is their most high profile MLA outside of Foster.

The other MLAs that currently hold positions are Peter Weir, who IMO is a nobody, and Diane Dodds, who was co-opted to her current seat rather than winning it in an election.

Sky News just discussing it, and they mentioned a scenario that Jeffrey Donaldson could go for the leadership, and instead of giving up his Westminster seat appoint an MLA as First Minister.

Fingers crossed Sammy Wilson was watching!

FrancieBrady

Fionn1952 wrote: »

The fact that Poots of, 'no blood donations from the gays' and, 'there should be a Young Earth Creationist alternative to the history of the Giant's Causeway' fame is considered their most promising/talented MLA is most disturbing.

Not forgetting 'inventing terror threats'.

the purple tin

The yanks will have some laugh if Poots gets it. His surname means 'farts' over there.

lurleen lumpkin

the purple tin wrote: »

The yanks will have some laugh if Poots gets it. His surname means 'farts' over there.

Ha. Nominative determinism got him alright.

realdanbreen

Just saw her on the news saying there was no problem/ issue so I guess that's it then, she'll be gone by the weekend! .