NI - Westminster Election 2024

downcow

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122373886#Comment_122373886

since you wouldn’t tell me, I done a wee google image search. Seems the place behind her is Leinster House and has been there since 1745. Now I have no idea how it links to what she is saying about Westminster abstentionism. Please enlighten me?

downcow

Interesting. I went and looked up that plasmasing word. Nice word, and I get what you are saying - and could well be true. But still important for unionists to get a bit of time with him today.

BonnieSituation

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122373942#Comment_122373942

Well done. I'm sure the curiosity that you possess in abundance will keep you going down that rabbit hole learning about the island on which you live and indeed the State in which your father was born.

To not know what Leinster House is and to be so active on boards.ie for so long in the politics forum - I thankfully don't cross you anywhere else - well, it's just beyond me. And sounds, if I am to be frank, like a load of "curried yogurt and a can of coca cola".

Your schtick is tiresome.

FrancieBrady

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122373940#Comment_122373940

Question is, like a succession of SoS's now, how long until he becomes the latest antichrist?

Fionn1952

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122374315#Comment_122374315

Well he did also strongly condemn the burning of effigies and election posters on the 11th Night, so he could already be by the time the Twitterati shake off the hangovers this morning.

Jokes aside I do think it was a good idea for him to attend, and I particularly commend his choice to attend one of the less rambunctious parades.

Francis McM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122374372#Comment_122374372

Would I be correct in thinking that most of the bonfires had not effigies or posters on them, and the few that had one or two posters / effigies were nowhere near as "colourful" as some nationalist bonfires have been?

If you google "republican bonfires" you will see what I mean : some have dozens of items inc union jacks, posters, banners etc.

https://x.com/ProudProtestant/status/1162061737186725889/photo/1

Fionn1952

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122374723#Comment_122374723

Maybe you could take a look for yourself, Francis. It seems like you're looking for a big dose of whataboutery.

There are a handful of, 'Republican' bonfires every year, widely condemned by all outside a hardline rump. I've no issue saying I'd rather see the back of them all. They're not part of Irish culture, they don't represent me in any way and I'll spend my entire life without attending one.

Unionism is determined to say that the 11th Night bonfires are a fundamental part of their culture, one that we need to respect and accept. I'm doing my best to do so (as Downcow will attest; I've spoken positively about the efforts made at some of the fires). UVF flags around the fire sites, Irish flags, election posters, signs saying KAT or ATAT (look those up from a Northern Ireland perspective while you're Googling away), a fecking police car on top of one, well that's not the way forward. A point that all moderate Unionists agree with me on.

.…and in the immediate aftermath, all you have to add is, 'look over there, Republicans did something, heres a five year old Twitter post'.

You're a caricature, Francis.

Francis McM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122374803#Comment_122374803

I have not been in N.Ireland in a couple of weeks now, and I certainly never surveyed all the many bonfires, but it seems, as raised already, "most of the bonfires had not effigies or posters on them, and the few that had one or two posters / effigies were nowhere near as "colourful" as some nationalist bonfires have been". So that is a good thing, things are going in the right direction there.

As the SoS has condemned the burning of effigies and election posters on the 11th Night, hopefully he will do the same with future nationalist bonfires.

Fionn1952

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122375079#Comment_122375079

As predictable as you are tedious, Francis. Whataboutery, handwaving, minimising any wrongdoings from the Unionist side. The fact that the first thing you did when the issue of effigies, flags and election posters being burned was raised was to run off and Google, 'Republican Bonfires' says all anyone needs to know about your agenda.

What does you being in NI a few weeks ago have to do with anything? You were able to Google well enough to find a Republican fire (roundly condemned by the vast majority of Nationalist/Republicans) from 2019, but can't manage to Google the events of two nights ago without doing a personal tour around every bonfire? There's plenty of evidence of more than a handful of problematic fires with much more than, 'one or two' posters. Did you miss that one had a fecking police car on top of it? Did you bother googling what ATAT or KAT stand for?

I welcome any improvements, your nonsensical head in the sand, look over there act stands squarely in the way of actual progress. The demonisation of the Parades Commission stands squarely in the way of progress. The Lundy accusations and whataboutery towards anyone within their own community who calls out problems around the bonfires stands squarely in the way of progress.

While bonfires and celebrating the 12th will never be particularly of a personal interest to me, I'd absolutely love to see enough normalisation, demilitarisation and desectarianisation that this time of year can pass without constant negative news. Is it possible this could happen in any reasonable time frame? I doubt it, but I'd love to be proven wrong and to see all of the July bonfire season looking like the one Downcow showed me a few years back. It is certainly better than it was, particularly around the peak of the Drumcree conflict but there's still a huge amount of work to be done.

A Dub in Glasgo

Labour cosying up to the bigots is no surprise when you see what they do in Scotland

BonnieSituation

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122375216#Comment_122375216

Tbf, the Scottish branch office is a different breed to the national party.

Francis McM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122375118#Comment_122375118

So as predictable as you are tedious yourself, would you agree that the worst of the bonfires in any of the unionist areas this year only contain a tenth the flags / banners etc compared to the flags / banners visible in some of the initial pictures when you google republican bonfires.

The SoS was still correct to condemn the burning of whatever effigies and election posters there were on the minority of 11th Night bonfires that had them. Hopefully he will be consistent and do the same with nationalist bonfires when the time comes.

Seth Brundle

Mod: No more discussion on bonfires or the 12th, etc. here given that it has nothing to do with the Westminster election in NI

downcow

interested to see on this clip that a general election is coming to the south - is this correct, and if so when? Will SF be hurt as badly as this clip suggests. That had predict a number of easy gains in the Westminster election and they got none - I’m guessing in the south they don’t have the luxury of the orange/green card to fall back on?

https://x.com/paddysmith41/status/1814563153830699480?s=46

Fionn1952

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122403790#Comment_122403790

Hurt? Probably not substantially. They had a large spike in polling numbers, peaking in 2022, looked like they were set to be in the driving seat for forming the next government but they've since plummeted back to numbers pretty comparable to the last election in 2020.

They'll certainly be very disappointed if an election happens that reflects current polling numbers, but in reality will probably have a very similar number seats to now, continue to be the largest opposition party and keep telling everyone what the government is doing wrong while offering pretty much zero in terms of actual feasible solutions.

FrancieBrady

The SDLP finally call time on Colum Eastwood's tenure. The party lost 3,8% of it's vote in the GE

Surprised he lasted this long tbh. That's two party leaders gone since the GE.

https://www.irishnews.com/news/northern-ireland/exclusive-colum-eastwood-to-step-down-as-sdlp-leader-FZRWQBAFWFEPND4RXTKY2DM5XM/

Peregrinus

He's the longest-serving SDLP leader since John Hume, and he's fought 3 Westminster elections as leader, which is more than any leader since John Hume — his three immediate predecessors only fought one each. So I suspect a change was probably coming sooner rather than later anyway.

The UUP vote-share went up at this election, and they gained a seat, and yet their leader has still stood down. There's clearly more going on there than electoral performance.

NIMAN

He'll leave a large hole in the sdlp, especially in Derry. He was a strong, well spoken and intelligent politician. Not sure of the party have a strong replacement.

FrancieBrady

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122557100#Comment_122557100

I thought he'd go after dropping almost half of their local government reps. lost MLA's too and the embarrassing attempt to ally with FF. He took the leadership when the SDLP were at 14.3% and took it to 11% now.
Not sure how popular Hanna is within the party, she seems to be the next in line, I think she was vehemently against the FF alliance but I might need to research that.,

Fionn1952

I'm more surprised at Doug Beattie who seemed to be doing a good job, especially with the rumours he's being replaced with the busted flush that was Mike Nesbitt. UUP and ill advised strategic decisions is hardly breaking new ground though.

Colm Eastwood always struck me as a decent, hardworking politician but somewhat limited as a leader. The sort of people who would be highly critical of Claire Hanna were never voting SDLP to begin with, so there's no loss there but I can see a potential upside.

FrancieBrady

Looking like Claire Hanna will be the new leader. Personally think they should have taken a chance on her long before now.

David McCann on X: "Looks like it's all over for the SDLP Leadership. Claire Hanna set to be the second female leader in the party's history and the second from South Belfast. Also continues the tradition of every leader of the SDLP having been an MP at some point." / X

mehico

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122557130#Comment_122557130

She was probably the most outspoken in the party about the FF partnership debacle and was proved correct. It did nothing to revive the party's fortunes, not sure what it actually did achieve.

FrancieBrady

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122564165#Comment_122564165

Made both of them look a bit desperate TBH.

Red Silurian

RTE:Breaking news

Jeffery Donaldson pleads not guilty to a crime that he's always maintained his innocence on… I think RTE need to re-check the definition of "Breaking news"

Seth Brundle

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122600511#Comment_122600511

Mod: The site-wide rule is that there is to be no discussion about on-going court cases
(and I'm aware that you're referring more towards RTE which is why I'm leaving the post there)

Red Silurian

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122600575#Comment_122600575

Fair enough, yes what I posted is probably on the edge in hindsight

Peregrinus

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122600511#Comment_122600511

The fact that there was a hearing at which Donaldson entered a plea is indeed breaking new. Not entirely surprising news, perhaps, but breaking news.