Get ready for a Conservative/DUP coalition

qwert_yuiop

BigAl94 wrote: »

homophobic fundamentalists. What could possibly go wrong!

A fair bit, since Scottish Tory leader Ruth Davidson is one of those Lebanese women, and is married to Jennifer Wilson, who may be from here.

x12yhp

It has turned into a bit of a crazy circus. I think anyone debating that SF will not find it harder to achieve their aims is a bit short sighted. In the absence of westminister, they have to fight the DUP to achieve them. Now they have to fight both locally and nationally (and, as noted already, they don't actually take their seats).

As far as good for NI - well that depends on how things go. This should be good news for NI. We finally have our majority party with power at a national level. Unfortunately, the nature of NI politics means that our majority party is slightly crazy. So we are left having to hope that the tories give time to the sensible requests and push any crazy stuff (which ultimately won't be real benefit to everyone) to being something for the executive to debate.

From a personal perspective I find the outcome disappointing. I would be an alliance supporter. I make no secret from the fact that I spent my teenage years hiding from the world following a republican attack which caught me at it's core - I find attempts to forgive these sort of events very hard to swallow and thus SF (despite the good done in recent years) very hard to support beyond an issue by issue basis. The DUP have too many ties to similar extremism and I find it hard not to see them as the mirror image of SF. When you throw in things like their LGBT perspective, I find it similarly hard to support them. When I talk with people, they seem somewhat closed to these things - to many they simply do not matter as it is a game of protestants and catholics.

A minor aside is that I don't know that many people appreciate that the SF westminister stance. I know that my in-laws are/were unaware that they did not actually take their seats or take any part in westminister votes/matters. If they are so, then I have to suspect that others are the same.

BigAl94

The one possible positive out of all this is that the DUP will now come under intense scrutiny by the national press who didn't care about them before. So for as long as this alliance lasts (which will only be a few months in my opinion) they will be under the microscope.

GwylimT

Good Friday agreement?

The DUP campaign was also heavily based on not bowing down to the conservatives!

CEON44

All the talk is of what DUP will ask for. Their "demands" are expected to be high. But my opinion is they would be better to just pledge support with no conditions. this would serve them better in the long run. As said before, Teresa May has only a very short time, no way can she survive long term. So getting bogged down with DUP wont help anyone. By just pledging support only now the DUP could be then well regarded when the dust has settled and a new PM is in situ.

motorguy

CEON44 wrote: »

By just pledging support only now the DUP could be then well regarded

I dont think any political party here looks further ahead than the end of their nose.

rolo1_2

CEON44 wrote: »

All the talk is of what DUP will ask for. Their "demands" are expected to be high. But my opinion is they would be better to just pledge support with no conditions. this would serve them better in the long run. As said before, Teresa May has only a very short time, no way can she survive long term. So getting bogged down with DUP wont help anyone. By just pledging support only now the DUP could be then well regarded when the dust has settled and a new PM is in situ.

Dont think politicians think that way unfortunately

CEON44

Probably right

qwert_yuiop

BigAl94 wrote: »

The one possible positive out of all this is that the DUP will now come under intense scrutiny by the national press who didn't care about them before. So for as long as this alliance lasts (which will only be a few months in my opinion) they will be under the microscope.

I suspect it may be even shorter. Another election before the end of the year? It happened in 1974 when there was a similarly inconclusive result.

qwert_yuiop

Cotta wrote: »

Completely unfair and inaccurate analysis. The DUP on the ground have a track record of getting things done, Simpson is a prime example of this.

Sorry. He's a buffoon

Incidentally I don't always agree with the DUP on social issues but to say they are invisible on the ground is deceptive and suggesting their voters are ignoramuses.

No. As I say, there's an obligation to vote for people you don't really agree with to provide an obstruction to those you really can't stand.

There only are 15,000 free paisleyterians. That, citizens of Northern Ireland, is a stunning 1%, and anecdotally at least, there's a drift away from the sect. These people are grossly over represented in the DUP. A bit like the DUP now keeping Theresa in number 10.

Their wee clergy training school at Laurencetown is gone. Pretty funny cheating scandal there a while back. It's a sin.