In the face of an election attitudes are hardening in the Democratic Unionist Party:
So what will we hear in the coming election battle from the DUP camp?
- Arlene Foster’s ‘hard woman’ persona being celebrated – her unwillingness to bend the knee to republicanism even in the eye of the storm over RHI.
- A spelling out that there will be no tolerance of an Irish Language Act.
- Boasting that the road to Dublin has been checked with cross border bodies ‘hollowed out.’
- The DUP priding itself in blocking same sex marriage, Gay Rights and any liberal agenda.
- That the Maze Project is dead and gone and will not be coming back.
- The trumpeting of an end to Europe’s interference in the affairs of Northern Ireland post Brexit.
- A promoting of the notion that increased representation at Westminster will better serve the Union and will exercise greater influence on British government policy:
- A blocking of any shaping by Sinn Fein of Legacy issues.
- A Bill of Rights will be thwarted.
- We can expect DUP players like Nelson McCausland contending again and again ‘Arlene ran rings around Martin McGuinness and that is the real reason why he resigned.’
- As to examples of ‘the crumbs’ which the DUP might concede to Nationalism – funding for ‘The A5 Motorway’ in the North West as it would serve the interests of the Protestant Unionist community as well.
A new school of Medicine in Derry which would accommodate both communities.
This is the platform upon which the DUP will fight the forthcoming election.
With attitudes growing more hostile in Sinn Fein towards the DUP by the day the message is: ‘crumbs’ in any Stormont administration are no longer acceptable to Nationalism.
What of the fate of Sinn in the aftermath of the election?
Stand by for my next contribution when I present my analysis.
3 Comments
The one thing you can be sure off is that republicans and the nationalist community are here to stay and going nowhere , we will no longer be treated as 3rd/4th class citizens in our own country , Sinn Fein and the republican movement north and south have many of the best young brains and committed people in Ireland within their ranks something that the unionist and may i say the southern political establishment have not really caught on to, change is coming and its now starting in the six counties as we face down the bigots and the sectarian parties of the DUP and the UUP
THE UNIONISTS TREATED GENEROSITY ,AND RESPECT AS WEAKNESS AND THEREFORE ABUSED THE REPUBLICAN / NATIONALIST COMMUNITY, BUT NO MORE !! THESE CROPPIES ARE NOT FOR LYING DOWN
terrorists just cant do real democracy.they lost the military war and now are losing the political one. so they collapse the lot.. thats the long and short of it. they arent fit to govern.
I was 19 when the troubles started. I supported the republican movement and I also supported Martin Mc Guinness and Sinn Fein in the setting up of the GFA. At the beginning I was, like so many, full of hope for my grandchildren’s futures and for a fairer outlook for everyone, EVERYONE.
Gradually any hopes I had were gradually deminished by DUP intransigence and sheer arrogance displayed at every turn.
This year I was almost at the point where was considering not voting at all in the next election, I’d had enough. But then, well, RHI happened and the flood gates flung open and it was like 1969 all over again. We did what was asked of us, and more, only to be mocked at every turn.
I will be voting this year, in March, and a great deal more, will be doing the same. The only change this time is now it will be on our terms, fairer more equal and without the usual bile from the DUP.
You have shot yourselves in the foot and now it has to be amputated…….peacefully.