Restoration of Stormont

Anyone listen to Jamie Bryson on Nolan earlier this morning. Donaldson was also on earlier

In fairness if you check his Twitter feed, it basically exemplifies his opinion

• No compromise what so ever
• No Irish Language Act
• Amend or outright revoke the GFA/Power-Sharing

Granted he is the extreme edition of the current incumbent version of 'Political Unionism/Loyalism', but there will be a large number of supporters who will see this as a sell out

https://twitter.com/JamieBrysonCPNI/status/1215583089411358720

I can only speak for myself but i think the deal is fair enough, and might actually work in getting Stormont up and running again

But if for any reason it doesnt work - i think an election is the best way forward. And the election should require all politicians to make their stance on this deal clear to the electorate

blanch152 wrote: »

Fact: Sinn Fein sought a standalone Irish Language Act

Fact: Proposed deal does not contain a standalone Irish Language Act

No spin necessary when the facts are clear.

Fact: If they had refused to compromise, you'd be the first on here blaming them.

Think you made a fair point on motives though. Election looming, there's nothing about this agreement which couldn't have been put in place years ago. Until the threat of a serious election hammering was in place, neither DUP nor Sinn Fein would budge an inch. Fear greased a few wheels.

I'd echo sentiments that the fact that vocal elements from both sides (the sort of folk who are never happy) are calling it out as a massive coup for 'themmuns' means it's probably somewhere in the middle, and a reasonable compromise.

Fionn1952 wrote: »

While theres no one quite as prolific as, say Jamie Bryson for the imbalance between noise and importance, I presume you're not implying these types don't exist in the Nationalist community too?

Who is tweeting the same kind of stuff from the Nationalist community? I genuinely can't think of a similar figure.

careless sherpa wrote: »

I am not saying that there is not but you made the claim that there is a similar commentary on the nationalist side so I am wondering if this is something that you witnessed or is it just a token comment some people feel the need to make about one side being as bad as the other

Well most of my life living there is a fairly broad base of experience, so yes it is something I witnessed regularly.

While he might (bizarrely) have quite a large audience, the way Bryson talks isn't far off many conversations I heard from the other side in The Felons or Roddys while I lived in West Belfast.

I'd go so far as to say that anyone who has lived in the North for any length of time and NOT witnessed this is either living in a bubble or lying.

You're barking up the wrong tree on the, 'one side as bad as eachother' lark and all - I'm quite openly Republican.

Scoundrel wrote: »

They've done just fine without local representation for the last 3 years I doubt the county council on the hill is going to change much as far as I can see this move by SF has killed any momentum behind a border poll why would any soft u Unionist or even well to do nationalist vote for a UI when there's a functioning northern state?

Well you’re entitled to your strong take on the matter anyway, and it’s unlikely anything I write will change your mind.

There’s currently a health crisis in NI, we’ve had a tragic paramilitary death within the past 12 months, and the front stop provisions due to come into law at the end of the month depend on a functioning assembly.

In the longer term, a UI is based on demographic shifts and the economic and political fortunes of Ireland vs the U.K. over a longer time period. Ireland is a richer and more prosperous country per head for now, and if that continues in the decades to come support for a UI will grow.

A border poll in the short term with the Irish aspect of Brexit resolved is not realistic. But assessment of it or its prospects is not tightly coupled to this deal imo.

Fionn1952 wrote: »

Have a look on Twitter, no shortage on both sides moaning about Themmuns getting everything.

No idea where you've got the idea that moaning about the other side is somehow unique to Unionists.

There's no shortage of comment from both sides here either. What you haven't demonstrated is that there are figures like Bryson and the late Willie. Bryson is actively recruiting now and holding rallies and meetings.

Fionn1952 wrote: »

Why the bejaysus would I demonstrate that?! What does it have to do with the any statements I made?

"I'd echo sentiments that the fact that vocal elements from both sides (the sort of folk who are never happy) are calling it out as a massive coup for 'themmuns' means it's probably somewhere in the middle, and a reasonable compromise."

This is what I was 'pulled up' for. I said vocal elements from both sides were calling it out. I've no idea what relevance you think Bryson has to whether that is an accurate statement (it is). I specifically referenced how bizarrely large Bryson's audience seems to be, so I've no idea how you pulled from my posts that I was claiming anything to do with a Bryson figure or Frazer figure on the Nationalist side. I think you're having an argument with some imaginary statement, Francie.

Keep the hair on.

You said that those 'types' exist in the nationalist community. I said, I wasn't aware of a similar figure agitating and mobilising on social media and asked for an example.
If you are clarifying to say that is not what you meant, that's fine.

blanch152 wrote: »

If the boys in Belfast decide this afternoon not to accept it, I am sure that Twitter will be rife with people agitating and mobilising on social media against it from a nationalist viewpoint. We await the white smoke.

Before anything happens I will give you my view then. Lest you accuse.

I am bitterly disappointed that an ILA has not been achieved, I think it is a sickening insult to our language that it is to be treated the same as a dialect. A fascinating and in many ways beautiful dialect, but a dialect just the same. It is so close to how I speak and pronounce, I could be fluent in it by tomorrow lunchtime.

My heart says to SF to hold out, my head says that that would not serve the people well at this stage. The DUP's cultural bigotry still pertains and will take some more dismantling. I am convinced that will happen.

I am happy for now that SSM and Abortion Rights have been achieved and with what has been achieved for the language here. A decent hard working commissioner will soon show up the absurdity of treating the two as 'equal' in stature.

FrancieBrady wrote: »

Before anything happens I will give you my view then. Lest you accuse.

I am bitterly disappointed that an ILA has not been achieved, I think it is a sickening insult to our language that it is to be treated the same as a dialect. A fascinating and in many ways beautiful dialect, but a dialect just the same. It is so close to how I speak and pronounce, I could be fluent in it by tomorrow lunchtime.

My heart says to SF to hold out, my head says that that would not serve the people well at this stage. The DUP's cultural bigotry still pertains and will take some more dismantling. I am convinced that will happen.

I am happy for now that SSM and Abortion Rights have been achieved and with what has been achieved for the language here. A decent hard working commissioner will soon show up the absurdity of treating the two as 'equal' in stature.

I wouldn't accuse you of anything. Your heart may be misguided, but you wear it on your sleeve and that's fair enough. Agree to differ on the importance of formal recognition of the language. Aside from my general reservations about the importance of the language, any formalising and codifying of differences doesn't help the North, so personally I am disappointed they did anything at all.

On a more technical point, I understood from the proposals that there would be two Commissioners, surely it would be hard to find someone who spoke both minority languages?

https://twitter.com/NorthernIrela16/status/1215633370140565505
https://twitter.com/JamieBrysonCPNI/status/1215683096949010432
https://twitter.com/JamieBrysonCPNI/status/1215683633350049792
https://twitter.com/mcbronto/status/1215681545350078466

FrancieBrady wrote: »

Keep the hair on.

You said that those 'types' exist in the nationalist community. I said, I wasn't aware of a similar figure agitating and mobilising on social media and asked for an example.
If you are clarifying to say that is not what you meant, that's fine.

You agree that those types exist in the Nationalist community. I didnt mention anything about similar figures to Bryson, so I have nothing to clarify. Exactly what I meant is written. You may have inferred something from what I wrote, but it certainly had nothing to do with the posts I actually made.

I genuinely can't see your point of contention with anything I said, it seems to be with something you've added to my posts in your head.

I think this 'Unionist veto' thing is a bit of scaremongering. Any concerted or prolonged blocking (a major problem in Stormont since the GFA) will now be transparent to all.

The only way to achieve the last bit of dismantling DUP cultural bigotry is to play the long game and snooker them into change. Like the AIA and the GFA they were boxed into a corner on those and couldn't get out.
Interesting comment from Mary Lou on the radio there, the Welsh Language act is on it's 7th iteration (I didn't know that) and continued activism has progressed it to where it is now.