the snap general election thread

Zero_Gravitas

Just been pointed out to me that overall, 52% of those who voted, voted against the Conservatives. That percentage seems vaguely familiar to me, something about the will of the people...

buglawton

What's the equivalent figure for Labour?

Zero_Gravitas

mayonnaise wrote: »

Has anyone seen Conrad lately?

I fear he may have exploded with righteous indignation...

I hope he pops in to let us know he's all right, and explain how he thinks that this is the strong and stable outcome he was looking for...

fun4everyone

kabayiri wrote: »

What's all this nonsense about the DUP faux outrage anyway?

It is quite clearly against the spirit of the Good Friday agreement and is risking the NI peace process.

kabayiri

fun4everyone wrote: »

It is quite clearly against the spirit of the Good Friday agreement and is risking the NI peace process.

Them's the rules.

You can't pick and choose your version of democracy retrospectively.

Don't like it? Push for a change.

We have absolutely no idea how the working relationship with the DUP will play out.

Ballard

kabayiri wrote: »

Them's the rules.

You can't pick and choose your version of democracy retrospectively.

Don't like it? Push for a change.

We have absolutely no idea how the working relationship with the DUP will play out.

Those are indeed the rules but one would have hoped that no major party would want to link with any party with such repugnant views. Hey ho. Vote Tory and this is what you get.

fun4everyone

kabayiri wrote: »

Them's the rules.

Actually the rules of the Good Friday agreement are that there has to be neutrality, which is clearly completely lacking in this deal.

The Irish PM has just spoken to TM on this matter

https://twitter.com/EndaKennyTD/status/873872392531128320

Spoke w PM May -indicated my concern that nothing should happen to put GoodFridayAgrmt at risk & absence of nationalist voice in Westminster

She (TM) is attempting to cling to office in 10 Downing Street by risking the peace process. This is completely reprehensible.

As one writer points out on https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2017/jun/09/dup-conservative-pact-lacks-democratic-legitimacy

I should like to draw attention to the possible effect on the government of Northern Ireland arising from any alliance between the Conservative party and the DUP. The Northern Ireland assembly is currently in suspension because the two major Stormont parties, DUP and Sinn F!in, are unable to reach a power-sharing agreement. If, as seems probable, this remains the case, the administration of the province’s domestic affairs will be undertaken via direct rule from Westminster.

Direct rule by a non-partisan British government is one thing; rule by an administration heavily influenced by the DUP is quite another and would seem contrary to the spirit of power-sharing embodied in the Northern Ireland peace process.

How do all the conservative voters in here feel about this and about being propped up by the DUP? Is it not hypocritical to attack Corbyn for supposed ties to NI terrorists and now do this?

fun4everyone

Mr_Costcutter

Sapphire wrote: »

I wasn't. Zac is the best MP by far I've ever had – in any area.

That invisible woman's husband actually worked for Heathrow, and she would be utterly useless at working to stop the expansion (despite, of course, stating that she would in the annoying copious campaign material), whereas Zac understands the environment and has worked effectively for environmental causes throughout his career.
.

To be honest, I feel that Zac's decision to stand for the Tories again 'despite' the policy over Heathrow remaining unchanged, says a lot about the chap.

Joe_Horner

kabayiri wrote: »

Them's the rules.

You can't pick and choose your version of democracy retrospectively.

Don't like it? Push for a change.

We have absolutely no idea how the working relationship with the DUP will play out.

The problem is, the GFA includes a guarantee of impartiality by the UK (and Irish) governments:

the power of the sovereign government with jurisdiction there shall be exercised with rigorous impartiality on behalf of all the people in the diversity of their identities and traditions and shall be founded on the principles of full respect for, and equality of, civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights, of freedom from discrimination for all citizens, and of parity of esteem and of just and equal treatment for the identity, ethos and aspirations of both communities

Them's the rules, and they've - pretty successfully - kept NI peaceful for 20 odd years.

Having the UK government reliant on one of the NI factions for their very survival impacts on that impartiality, at least indirectly, by allowing the loyalists to show all the "positive concessions" they gain.

That's without considering any (surely not!) behind the scenes political dealing which might directly favour them in return for continuation of their support.

Effectively, the loyalists will have the incumbent UK government by the short and curlies - how impartial is that?