How can we integrate Unionism into a possible United Ireland?

SF may warrant criticism for collapsing the institutions, that's fine. But the criticism is not that they are doing something fundamentally undemocratic.

You are defending the TUV?DUP for being undemocratic. You must have loved the pre 69 arrangements because that will be where we are back to..

I wasn’t ranting at you. I was saying that I would prefer the emphasis of all unionist parties was clearly on the potential Irish Sea border rather than worrying about who gets to wear the biggest chain in the ofmdfm

Could you tell us exactly what you mean when you say belligerent unionism?

The people will decide who is First Minister, these people refuse to recognise the will of the people. Quite simple. Since the GFA was signed all parties have recognised the results of the elections and taken their place in the assembly.

Because the DUP and TUV (An embarassingly minor party) may lose the majority they will refuse to nominate. Undemocratic and belligerent defined, all in one act.

That's a bit extremist Frazer, it's an Irish discussion site, if you don't want to discuss then might not be the place for you.

Who is being arrogant?

Trying to lock people out of the discussion is 'arrogant' Frazer. You sure aren't good at understanding terms.

I am Irish, I don't require your or downcow's permission to comment on Irish concerns.

There was already a border between NI and UK, this is just adding a border for tangible goods that need to be checked to take account of Brexit. The border for services and all other goods is in Ireland. This seems a reasonable compromise given the thin FTA + WTO Brexit (very hard) that occurred and DUP/TUV pushed for.

Nonsense sf didn’t take their place in the assembly recently for 3 years. Sf don’t ever take their place in Westminster, although elected to do so.

I can’t believe that even you are quite as blinkered as your posts suggest

So just to be clear. You are saying it was ok for sf to walk out over (well I am not exactly sure what), but it would not be ok for unionists to walk out over having rules made for ni by a body that no one in ni can participate in the election of? Is this really what you are saying?

You are very blinkered. Neither of the main unionist parties have stated either way. One unionist party with one sitting MLA has said they wouldn’t appoint, which you well know is irrelevant. It would be like me saying that one of the republican parties supported brexit and supports Russia in the Ukraine conflict, but I wouldn’t be so disingenuous as that party only has one MLA and is hardly representative of republicanism.

stop spinning.

TUV have unequivocally said they won't DUP have refused t say if they will.

Both the height of anti democratic behaviour from a community that has a history of this suprematist behaviour and denial of a whole range of rights.

Own it downcow, 'Never Never Never' didn't come out of nowhere

I am not going to get sucked into blaming your entire community for the last 50 years here or the 50 before in roi - I do not hold them all responsible.

needless to say you are as blinkered and sadly partisan as ever.

unionists got lots wrong down through history. Catholic’s were discriminated against, and in some case intimidated and murdered - disgraceful, and onlooking silence by 1,000s of ordinary unionists like me was entirely wrong, fuelled by the fear and reality that militant republicans were out to get us. Every unionist I know recognises this to varying degrees and most support the changes in OWC which work against discrimination.

What never ceases to amaze me (and most unionists) is how vast numbers of nationalists and republicans have not came to terms with the discrimination against unionists and protestants, particularly in the last 50 years in NI.

people like you seem unable to accept what was done in your name

large numbers of your community have decided to elect to power the political wing of a terror machine which discriminated against my community with bomb, bullet and murder. They cleansed large areas of NI of protestants, whether derry, Fermanagh, south Armagh or my hometown. Informers took top positions and hoodwinked their comrades into torturing and murdering their own ‘loyal’ members. They abused their own community through child abuse and rape and punished any who spoke up or fell out with the masters in a pub.

the intimidation goes on. Over the years in my hometown republicans, murdered neighbours simply because they were Protestant. They bombed every single Protestant business (many multiple times). They only bombed two catholic owned businesses in the 50 years - one because a family member had joined the ruc and the other because it’s where protestants drunk. In recent days they just break windows and urinate through letter boxes - most recently a 95 year olds home.

….and yes, people like you elect them to power!

my local sf MP has his advice centre in my town named after the people who carried out violence against his Protestant constituents and, while asked in the press on a regular basis by a friend of mine, he refuse to say that the murder of my friends father, simply because he was Protestant, was wrong

so don’t lecture my community about belligerence!

I read this stuff with despair. What an absolute mess Northern Ireland is. Hatred, negativity and cynicism are embedded in the culture.

The UK Gov pour billions into the place to try to keep a lid on tensions. But it doesn’t work because the hatred still bubbles up to the surface. They can’t even keep their assembly working - as long as the politicians get paid none of them really care.

i dread to think of a United Ireland. What a horrible prospect.