What's worse: Tory-UUP majority or Tory-UUP minority large enough for DUP to hold the balance?

[BolivarianHero]

I'd go with the latter. The DUP's very ideas are proof positive that the IRA was a progressive, anti-fascist organisation.

[LeftishBrit]

1. Neither. Ugh. And the IRA wasn't progressive either.

[mwooldri]

2. What's worse? Being broiled by charcoal or gas?

Either way you're getting cooked.

Also about the IRA: please tell their victims that the IRA was a progressive, anti-fascist organisation. Please also tell the people who cleaned up after their mess that same message. You can put the same message against the UVF and their ilk.... violence is not going to fix it, whether you're die hard unionist or republican!!!

Also though politics in NI have definitely changed since the last time the Conservatives were in power - from them trying to blow Maggie up (I may have not liked her policies but killing her is a little bit TOO extreme IMO) to having Gerry Adams and Rev. Ian Paisley in a power-sharing Northern Ireland Assembly...

Please don't confuse Sinn Fein and the IRA. Yes they had definite ties (always denied of course... but they had ties) but Sinn Fein the party in NI today has more respect in my eyes. I don't see eye-to-eye with all their policies - but I understand their position and at least recognize their consistency.

NI is a mess politically. It's going to be a mess politically for many years to come. Though I know everyone wants peace... and as long as there is no violence and it is worked through by means of peaceful means then that's good for me and good for everyone.

[fedsron2us]

3. Delete wrong thread

[miscsoc]

4. Elaborate on how the DUP's ideas are proof of that.

I honestly cannot see what the fuck sort of logic is behind that.

Was every victim of the glorious armed struggle a paid up DUP militant or what

[Anarcho-Socialist]

5. I don't see much between the UUP and the DUP

in terms of policy, since both now support the Good Friday Agreement. The UUP's roots in the middle class and the DUP's roots in the lower middle class simply betray a difference of style.

The consequences of a Tory-unionist alliance will depend on a) how willing the Unionists are to push for anti-nationalist concessions and b) how willing the Tories are to give in to them to stay in power.

I think the Tories would exclude Northern Ireland from cuts as a price to keep in power, but it would be dangerous for the colony's stability if the British Government was forced to take a stronger pro-unionist line.

I don't think the PIRA were an explicitly progressive force but contained a number of ideological trends including social catholicism, conservative nationalism, social democracy and Marxism. The left-wing lost favour in the PIRA and PSF during the 1970s and the balance has since become formed by a northern social conservative wing and a southern social democratic wing.

[Nihil]

6. What a heap of lying bollocks masquerading as a post.

> the IRA was a progressive, anti-fascist organisation.
:puke:

[oldironside]

7. I feel it's significant....

... that he hasn't been back to defend his... position or expand on his views. It's ridiculous. Like saying Hermann Göring was motivated by a desire to safeguard Europe's art heritage whilst modernising its architecture.

[emad]

8. IRA was a George W Bush flag of convenience.

Blair was merely his gofer.