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A Political Thread pt. 2
- Thread starter ncurd
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I'll come to this belatedly. It is difficult to speak on Northern Irish matters here. If I run my mouth about Kazahkstan I'll probably not cause offence, but NI is just something else in terms of complexity and issues. As a voter in Britain I don't think my opinion on NI counts. No UK government would relinquish territory of any kind, let alone territory with lots of UK citizens. Same as any other nation-state outside of extreme pressure.
I also think demographics will prevent re-unification. Immigrants to NI from third countries won't have a strong feeling, Republic birth rates may collapse more than UK birth rates as wealth takes hold and NI Catholics can presumably easily relocate south of the border if they don't want to bring their kids up in a basket case.
Vision of NI Catholics out breeding Protestants is a dangerous myth
I thought that in this column on September 7th last I had demolished the myth that in a relatively near future Catholics will…
So what to about NI? I didn't like SF pulling out of Stormont before and creating a precedent (over language?). I think the DUP are considerably more unjustified in their actions. Oh for the days when following votes UUP and SDLP, but the days of people voting for level headed centrists have gone for good globally, so what chance of this ever happening in NI? Voters have shown they will vote with great zeal for policies that aren't in their economic interests if someone paints a bogeyman for them and NI is nothing but bogeymen in whatever direction you look.
I hope the affluence of the Republic and some of the progress in NI society prevents things going back in a very dark direction regardless of what provocations may emerge. If you are born a Catholic in NI today, it's far from perfect but your life chances are far better than if you were born 60 years ago. In the meantime the nationalists need to be keeping calm heads and get old Irish eyes Biden on speed dial to try and coerce the UK into paying due attention to the shitstorm they are sowing.
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Johnson must in the Commons offer a no conditions retraction of his statement. He won't and the fact the Tories have not forced him to do so is sickening. Just goes to show, as soon as a party abandons any integrity, the ministerial code means nothing. His apology for lying about the parties was not actually an apology, his "apology" for what he said in the Commons about Starmer was a feeble excuse made outside Parliament and he has not corrected the record, his lies about crime have not been corrected and, if they are, it will likely be left to someone else.
Not once has this ******* pig in a wig corrected the record and he continues to shamelessly lie over and over. In a way the fact he is doing it isn't the worst bit, it's that the Tories are making excuses for it. There is no sitting on the fence now, you either care about integrity or you don't and many Tories are showing they don't.
Vision of NI Catholics out breeding Protestants is a dangerous myth
I thought that in this column on September 7th last I had demolished the myth that in a relatively near future Catholics will…www.irishtimes.com
So what to about NI? I didn't like SF pulling out of Stormont before and creating a precedent (over language?).
Just points of note
The link you post is from 1997.
This suggests the trend hasn't abated:
'Catholic majority possible' in NI by 2021
Dr Paul Nolan believes Catholics will outnumber Protestants by the centenary of the creation of NI.
www.bbc.com
However this:
2021 Northern Ireland census unlikely to clarify prospects of Irish unity - University of Birmingham
The 2021 Northern Ireland census may act as a trigger for a referendum on Irish unification, but 'new' census questions are likely to shape the debate about Northern Ireland's constitutional future.
[Not that this is anything new, the 1798 rebellion against the English was not wholly, but significantly instigated by North Down Presbyterians. Two such members would be Watty Graham, for whom the Glen GAA club is named after and Henry Joy McCracken - Henry's pub in Joys Entry in Belfast.]
Regarding the Sinn Fein pull out of Stormont, it was really over the "Cash-For-Ash" scandal, where basically the DUP and cronies stole around £500m off the taxpayer. The leader of the DUP at the time, Arlene Foster had presided over the scheme and failed to take any responsibility whatsoever.
Not that DUP corruption is anything new either. There have been allegations for years that Peter Robinson has done very well out of getting planning permission on Belfast's designated green belts (no build zones) for construction firms.
(Sinn Fein are corrupt too - they've more than a few dodgy advisors - but they are complete amateurs compared to the DUP)
edit: Put in an allegedly there - even though the dogs on the street know it - might as well dress it up to stop someone complaining.
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I mean they both literally have terrorists (or freedom fighters idc what you call them on both sides). in their ranks, bound to be at least a little corruption lol.Just points of note
The link you post is from 1997.
This suggests the trend hasn't abated:
'Catholic majority possible' in NI by 2021
Dr Paul Nolan believes Catholics will outnumber Protestants by the centenary of the creation of NI.
However this:
Correctly notes that ever increasing proportions of NI are not religious and even at that, religion does not extend to being for or against a United Ireland.2021 Northern Ireland census unlikely to clarify prospects of Irish unity - University of Birmingham
The 2021 Northern Ireland census may act as a trigger for a referendum on Irish unification, but 'new' census questions are likely to shape the debate about Northern Ireland's constitutional future.www.birmingham.ac.uk
[Not that this is anything new, the 1798 rebellion against the English was not wholly, but significantly instigated by North Down Presbyterians. Two such members would be Watty Graham, for whom the Glen GAA club is named after and Henry Joy McCracken - Henry's pub in Joys Entry in Belfast.]
Regarding the Sinn Fein pull out of Stormont, it was really over the "Cash-For-Ash" scandal, where basically the DUP and cronies stole around £500m off the taxpayer. The leader of the DUP at the time, Arlene Foster had presided over the scheme and failed to take any responsibility whatsoever.
Not that DUP corruption is anything new either. There have been allegations for years that Peter Robinson has done very well out of getting planning permission on Belfast's designated green belts (no build zones) for construction firms.
(Sinn Fein are corrupt too - they've more than a few dodgy advisors - but they are complete amateurs compared to the DUP)
edit: Put in an allegedly there - even though the dogs on the street know it - might as well dress it up to stop someone complaining.
Honestly I'd like to do an experiment and see what happens if you ban anyone with a connection to any paramilitary group in any form from Stormont and see if it gets a bit less ****
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Bojo and Tories look like they are learning from Trump and the GOP regarding Starmer. Despicable!
I don't get it, why not give a disingenuous apology and quell the flames?
Because they have no intention of quelling the flames,
Tories reputation on the slide massively due to partygate, Labours on the rise despite doing very little - so throw some mud at Labour and rile up the loons
Tories reputation on the slide massively due to partygate, Labours on the rise despite doing very little - so throw some mud at Labour and rile up the loons
I meant the ones within his own party, their the only ones that matter currently. The current crisis for Jonson is backlash within the MP's the general publics opinion matter very little.
BP hits back at calls for windfall tax on bumper profits
The energy giant's reports a $12.8bn profit but says it needs money to invest in gas and renewables.
www.bbc.co.uk
Yes but most people's pensions are tied up in BP so I doubt anything will be done about it.BP hits back at calls for windfall tax on bumper profits
The energy giant's reports a $12.8bn profit but says it needs money to invest in gas and renewables.
Fair point,
As long as he's got his yes men around him telling him he can do no wrong (like my lovely MP, Fabri-****) I can't see him backing down
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Trump ‘confused’ why staff didn’t enjoy him rewinding riot footage — The Independent
‘Look at all of the people fighting for me’, Trump told stunned aides
So hardly a surprise. According to Stephanie Grisham Trump was rewatching by rewinding parts of his supporters attacking/fighting with the Capitol Hill police on January 6 2021. And couldn’t believe why none of his staff weren’t as enthralled as he was. Just a sick, sick individual.
Jebus - there aren't many MPs who I think make Laurence look good.
You have my heartfelt condolences.
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PMQs should be good tomorrow. Starmer may not demand it given that he was the victim but Blackford will demand an unconditional retraction and apology from BoJo given that he himself was thrown out of Parliament for accusing BoJo of misleading Parliament. More MPs may submit letters tomorrow if BoJo doesn't apologise.
Laurence retweeted Johnson's statement on this (the blanket condemnation) but still hasn't said a word publicly on party gate. Also didn't respond to my letter asking him to put in a letter to the 1922 committee. At least we know Fabricant is a ****** our guy appears to be keeping his head down without saying a word hoping he pick the best horse.
In my 9 years of living here I've never seen him once....
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That’s the thing long term investments we have got to get away from the oil/gas industry; otherwise it’s self preserving. How this will be done the next question, if we are serious about not f’ing up the planet.
Starmer is better off leaving it to backbenchers too if Johnson doesn't open with an apology he's better off making a casual mention of it at most. Overplaying his hand otherwise he's far better off currently going after BP and cost of living that sort of thing. Its not headline news but getting into a war of words and he said/she said is what Johnson wants.
It could be a pretty tame affair honestly unless something damning in partygate breaks.
Oh, we know that Laurence is a dick as well, he's just a little more ashamed of his dickishness.
ETA: Surprised the profanity filter let that one through, especially given how it feels about titles. Sexist little bugger-bot
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