With the leader of the main Unionist party applauding speeches calling the GFA 'iniquitous' and 'deceit' are the upcoming elections a test for the seminal agreement?
It's hard to know what will happen if the DUP manage to get their vote out and maintain the majority vote.
Looknig like a Pro Protocol, therefore pro GFA vote. A victory for democracy.
It is obvious from the title of the thread and the tone of the OP that the OP believed at the time the thread was opened that the Assembly elections are a rerun of the GFA referendum.
That has been so out of touch from the course of the campaign itself, where even Sinn Fein have had to drop their focus on a border poll to address bread and butter issues. Quite a difference from the expectation of the OP.
Donaldson sandwiching himself between Allister and Bryson seems a huge gamble.
Blanch knows neither he nor I can close the thread. He also knows that he has a choice to ignore threads he doesn't like the content of.
Belligerent unionism has chosen to make the election about the GFA, that is the subject of the OP not somebody's obsessions. *Nationalism is not making the election about the GFA.
The fact that unelected, unqualified bigoted twerp seems to hold so much sway in unionism says a lot.
Hopefully the alliance party will increase their share and the TUV don't gain any seats.
Jaysus Francie, you can't have it both ways.
On one hand you're telling people to stick to the OP, don't stray into talking about Sinn Fein, and on the other you say leave the modding to the Mods.
You're some man.
Which is just more of your dictatorial attitude to electorates.
Argue the issues blanch, the electorate will decide who represents them.
How far away from internment or censorship are you when you make statements like that?
Talk to a mod if you are desperate to have a thread closed. Which you seem to be, for whatever curious reason.
It is actually the obsession of the two extremist parties with sectarian constitutional issues that is becoming the focus of the election, and in particular, their failure following 15 years of power to do anything to improve the lot of people in Northern Ireland.
"Stormont’s leading parties are using rows about the Brexit protocol, ministerial titles and border polls to distract from the “scandal” of poverty in Northern Ireland, the SDLP leader has claimed.
Colum Eastwood accused the DUP and Sinn Fein of presiding over 15 years of failure as he launched his party’s manifesto for the Assembly election."
To borrow a SF slogan, it is Time for Change, and that change means getting rid of the DUP and SF.
Yes, so back to my question, are we policing the thread to only allow discussion within the strict parameters of the question posed in the OP, to which we already have the answer, and the thread should be closed, or is it intended as a general discussion of the Assembly elections, and which would allow the discussion you have attempted to censor, and the thread stays open?
'Striking a balance' blanch is sidelining?
The question asked by the OP is whether the NI Assembly Elections are a rerun of the GFA referendum.
As Sinn Fein are sidelining that for bread and butter issues, surely we should consider the question answered and the thread can be closed?
I mean, if you are limiting discussion and policing it within the parameters of the OP, the thread is a dead duck.
so you dont want to answer ok no problem
A reminder of the OP
You will notice it is not about SF or me. Thanks
thats why i asked did you think it that case would be relevant to GFA ? fairly on topic
dont want to answer ? ok
Thread isn't about me.
I will ignore your attempts to drag it off topic.
your posts tell the truth better than any denials an deflection ,
do you think "the party" will be effected if its members are exposed in court during this case ? hardly be covered under GFA would it ? just some criminals executing a sadistic murder ?
McConville family raise €20,000 to sue Sinn Féin over murder (msn.com)
I don't have a 'party' mike. Like it or lump it. I defend SF on some issues but not all.
Go find a thread started by me, 'promoting' SF. I can save you time, you won't find one.
I will look for a thread started by you calling out criminal behaviour in other parties, other than the one that lives in your head. Can you save me some time in return and let me know you have?
Aw come on francie, we have been through this before , at least have the balls to stand by them , your posts here , this profile at least is dedicated solely to promoting and excusing the crimes of one "party"
I dont need to find a political voice , just calling out criminals and terrorists masquerading as Politian's is fine for me :-)
I don't have a 'party' mike.
Maybe you can find a political voice to support your idea. Get back to us when you do.
jasas that would be great if we could lock up all those scummy terrorists and criminals on both sides who should never have seen the light of day again wouldnt it
might hurt your party a lot though francie
It will be fascinating - Unionism at a crossroads that they drove themselves to.
People really need to be careful when taking opinions from NI media. The bias is there and you need to look for it.
Fealty is a noted pro Unionist commentator. Nothing surprising in his view really, he has been banging on that way for a long time now.
A border poll seems to be the biggest concern of the DUP/TUV.
I don't think this thread has gone the way that the OP expected. In fact, according to this article, it couldn't be more of a car crash as an attempt to predict the direction of the election campaign.
"The oddest thing that happened last week was the sudden disappearance of a border poll as a talking point which happened almost just as the campaign began. It was an oddly precipitous shift in focus for Sinn Fein who had been fundraising like mad in New York on that theme just weeks before."
"For example to the statement “The next Executive should prioritise jobs, health and welfare over constitutional issues” to the response is pretty unambiguous. Some 74% of all respondents agree. And of those, a higher proportion of nationalists give it their positive assent than unionists."
Funny eh?
Gotta feel for the DUP, TUV lads,
We dont want them,
Common sense northies dont want them,
Scots dont want them
English dont want them,
They seem to be a political and historical dead end. Nobody wants them.
The Brits are embarrassed by them.
They are a dying culture, dying religion and have come out on the wrong side of history.
LOL. Fcuk em, bigoted backwards cnuts.
?? Who's talking about moving away from mandatory coalition here?
I am talking about the expressed wish to get rid of the GFA and all the institutions etc.
My point is that moving away from mandatory coalition wouldn't breach the GFA and so that there'd be no need to scrap the GFA, which is impossible because of all of the related policies that have been implemented since 1998.
Not sure what your point is here with the greatest respect. There are those who want the GFA scrapped, and all that goes with it.
But they were two of the most contentious issues of the peace process. Decommissioning and police reform have also taken place. Surely, moving away from mandatory coalition at Stormont wouldn't be a breach of the GFA, would it?
Hardline Unionism continuing to fracture quite badly. Would be interested to hear Unionist views on how this will affect the overall Unionist vote.
