NI Dec 22 Assembly Election

You can tell what the Tories are doing it's so transparent. They are isolating the DUP and making them look like the suprematists they are. Challing did it with Daithi's Law,(DUP are being roasted over it, properly so) now they will say all the tests have been met and the DUP will be made out to be the footdraggers and therefore it is ok to leave them behind.

It's not like the same British playbook was not used with the Anglo Irish Agreement, The GFA etc.

And the DUP will probably do a 'we won' dance again before the penny drops and they have to change tack again. See Jeffrey, Arlene, Kate Hoey, Ben Habib etc when the WA was first announced.

To be fair, all of brexit seems to have been about things that could have been done anyway under existing agreements.

The DUP purely need a pretend win here but not really touch the NIP as NI has benefited so much from it (to the detriment of the rest of the UK).

downcow crowing about changes is a good sign. When the "win" occurs they should be allowed to be smug about it.

The ECJ as final arbiter is akin to having an EU Supreme Court on the island. They are just formulating the language to avoid having to go into parliament for a new vote. Thereby bypassing the ERG as well as the DUP.

We are about to find out what the real reason is for the DUP staying out, I guess.

Ordinarily a party opposing measures that brings this kind of prosperity would be drummed out of office in an election. Hard to see how the DUP can continue lying about the economic benefits for everyone in Ireland.

A pinch of salt because it's a projection but it is a bleak outlook for a Unionism that is regressing rather than trying to find a way to cope with equality. This is from a blog that is normally Unionist friendly too.

I can just picture Sammy's big red face going apoplectic, "abandoned to the EU", lol.

It's time to get under the bus again!

crystal ball stuff. The fact is that less people in ni want a united Ireland today that at any time in the last 100 years. That’s stark.

so e want to try and sectarianise the figures but they are not following sectarian changes

Leaving the ambit of the ECHR and further divergence from the EU plus the motivation behind the Legacy bill will unsettle many, including moderate Unionists.

Belligerent Unionism doesn't seem to get it (again) that saving Soldier F's from facing justice and hiding what the British did will also mean that no truth about what was done to their community will ever come out.

You tied it to religious demographics. Simple

So I am hearing rumours that the ECJ will not apply as of right in ni. I am hearing that it will only apply to companies who want to export into Ireland, etc and (crucially) who voluntarily sign up. If true then that is remarkable and a game changer (hardly within francies flexibilities - me thinks)

if true it’s another great step brought about by the grassroots unionist community’s strength and determination. I am not saying it is a certainty- simply a rumour from sources that should know

Well I don’t know if the rumour is true, but you are proving once and for all that you will never accept that unionists have achieved anything from their recent strategy. We wouldn’t have to search to much to see numerous posters telling me there would be no compromise on the Ecj. If this is true this is compromise.

I am not constructing a win - it may not even be true. I have said over and over again that it is unacceptable to have representation without representation and that we can not be subject to eu laws. I was basically told to suck it up, that it was non negotiable. Everyone is freee to sign up to eu law, USA law or any law they like. The key is if it is voluntary. If true. Then that is clearly one thing ticked off

Does unionism have less voters? Yes. Is it projected to keep having less voters? Yes. You might have a problem admitting it to yourself but trying to claim a simple fact of demographics is sectarian is a piss poor defense and not actually addressing the argument.

Show me proof i'm wrong and unionism isn't losing voters and in fact is projected to gain voters?

If course the Irish Sea border is a major issue, but only for goods moving within our nation. Unionists couldn’t care less if everyone and every load heading for roi receives internal examinations. Indeed the more checks on roi stuff the better as that means more jobs in Larne.

now it is incredible to suggest that the Ecj having authority over ni was not raised by me.

I also think it is highly unlikely that eu will move far enough to restart stormont. We will want to bank these concessions and move on for more.

'Many times'?

Can you show us?