I already said that there were certain contentious issues relating to marches on both sides, but you ignored that. Those ‘certain roads’ you talk about are just a few areas outside of the city centre and don’t affect the main parades route - and progress has been made on both sides. I know the Orange parade which passes near to my friends family area stops playing their instruments until they have passed. That was agreed upon. Inflammatory talk like yours is of the kind which keeps the problems ongoing. People need to respect each others cultures.

Not really sure what you mean here. Like them or not, they were voted for democratically through the ballot box. Either you believe in democracy or you don't. The reason they get strong support is because the majority want to remain in the UK and the other main party Sinn Fein supported the IRA (and still has members of that organisation among their number) that ignored the democratic process and tried to bomb and murder their way out of the UK instead of letting the people who live here decide what they wanted democratically. The other parties are irrelevant now, so people have no choice but vote for the DUP if they want to stay in the union.

I'm not going to bother quoting that long post.
Their social policies are at odds with the people of N Ireland.
You still are harping on about Sinn Féinn and the IRA, however whether you like it or not,Sinn Féinn are a major elected party now too in N Ireland.


The DUP were also at odds with the EU vote from N.Ireland where 56% voted to remain in the EU.

I am genuinely mystified why they get so many votes,sadly they do but they should not have any sway as to the EU for the whole of the UK.
They are backed by sectarian sources the orange order and Sinn Féinn largely represent the other side.
Neither should be considered legitimate security as to supporting UK govt.
Formally or informally.

This Con govt should govern as a min govt and amend all contentious policies,seeking more consensus across parliament as a whole,as Labour had to do between Feb 74 until October.

If it falls and another election has to be,then so be it,but no deals with any sectarian parties should ever be sought.

“The future’s bright!” declared the Democratic Unionist Party leader ahead of the talks, while DUP MP Ian Paisley Jnr exclaimed: “The future’s orange!” in reference to the Orange Order.

:laugh2:

http://www.standard.co.uk/news/polit...-a3564036.html

I don't like either Sinn Fein or the DUP and have never voted for either and I think it's a shame the alternative, more moderate voices of the SDLP and UUP have effectively been silenced.

Maybe you don't understand that many Catholics also detest Sinn Fein and the IRA because they lost loved ones in the IRA's indiscriminate bombing of public areas. Did they care that their own people were being blown to smithereens? Their bombing campaign gave birth to Loyalist Paramilitaries who retaliated by seeking out innocent Catholics to shoot. Many Catholics, including myself (although I no longer see myself as 'anything') voted SDLP and would never, then or now, vote for Sinn Fein. It would be dishonouring our dead that their members, past and present, killed.

The irony is that if Sinn Fein had gone down the political, democratic route to begin with in the early 70's instead of mass murder of not just Loyalists but their own people they would have their United Ireland by now democratically. There isn't a huge difference between Nationalist and Loyalist numbers now in voting terms but so many Catholics refrain from voting for them.

Would this DUP/Tories thing even work?
I've been hearing that they're opposed to the Tories on quite alot.
They have unfashionable views on Gay marriage and abortion,They want rid of the bedroom tax,They're against removing the triple lock on pensions,They're against means testing winter fuel payments,They're against a 'hard Brexit' and don't want austerity.

Seems like a total disaster.
The DUP seem actually nothing like the Tories.
So the Tories would basically have to give up on their manifesto?

That's just not how things work. The controversial elements of the tory manifesto were bound to get ditched in a minority situation. What they will concentrate on is the areas that they do agree on and focus on putting them through, and there is plenty content there. This is after all the first session in a 5 year term that the manifesto covered.

There will be more than enough common ground that they can agree upon for a couple of years, and at the moment, that's all that matters.

DUP Percentage 28.1% Popular vote 225,413
Sin Fein Percentage 27.9% Popular vote 224,245

both of them barely got 1/4 of the votes

The DUP have the sense to realise that they have a once in a generation chance to have a meaningful role in Westminster government so they won't risk that by making unreasonable demands or trying to get the Tories to shelve too much of their manifesto. Things like gay marriage, abortion and a lot of other social issues are devolved matters for the Northern Irish assembly so won't be a part of any agreement.

The Tories need them more than they need the Tories too so it won't be like the last Coalition where the Lib Dems were forced to lick the Tories' boots to stay relevant. The DUP will gladly tell them to **** off which means the Tories will have to make concessions to the DUP which is just bad news for everyone.

Here's hoping that predicted election towards the end of the year becomes a reality.

Those figures aren't from this election, the DUP had 36% of the vote and Sinn Fein 29.4%

I think those are the figures from the Northern Ireland Assembly election that you're quoting

oh yes you are right. I still dont think either of these parties represent the whole NI because there are lots of parties that gathered high amount of votes.

But i am just saying it by looking at the numbers i am not that well informed about the politics of NI

The other parties did dismally this election unfortunately.

The fact that the Tories are even considering getting involved with this lot is extremely worrying!
If Labour were teaming up with Sinn Fein you lot would be screaming your heads off but the DUP have very close links with Terrorists (the UDA) and even have an Armed Robber amongst their ranks!
The DUP have already said that they're going to expect the marches to be brought back and the fact that it will mean that the UK Government are no longer impartial will put the entire peace treaty at risk.
Sheer desperate insanity!!!!

They know they have the tories by the short and curlies... if they withdraw support may knows its all over for her. They are in a very strong bargaining position, and they are already asking for things that will mean the good friday agreement is null and void.

Check mate Well played jez :)

The left is demonising the DUP as it will never let Corbyn get power
 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017...byn-get-power/

Interesting article that really says it all about Corbyn supporters and their way OTT vitriol.

As I have said previously sheer bluster and bravado.

What a great image of British youth. They look more like a bunch of thugs to me.

The bloody left demonising homophobia, facism, and anti-women rights. Just let them dictate because democracy :fist:

No we're demonising the DUP because it is a fascist party that has no good being in power

Yep I have been astounded by the hate on here at a democraticly elected party. I feel sorry for any members from NI that they have had to put up with it.

Sickening

And right there you've summed up the DUP in a nutshell

Can you paste the full article Brillo. You've read it, right? Others cant read it unless they're subscribed to the website, which you deffo are, right?

You appear to be confusing democracy with immunity from criticism, which is kind of the opposite

We already have a thread on the DUP-Tory discussions so I've merged the two rather than have a new thread just for one article

Well, those that voted for labour forced it to happen, so no point blaming anyone else :shrug: