The DUP 9 and Sylvia Harman did not speak for me or thousands of other Unionists in Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK when they voted to keep Brown in power on Wednesday evening and I’m therefore delighted to read that three Ulster Unionist peers Lords Maginnis, Rogan and Laird have offered to support David Davis in his by-election campaign.
I can’t put it better than Chekov has:
Three Thousand Versts therefore applauds the Ulster Unionist peers who have offered their support to David Davis’ by-election campaign. It makes me proud, that in stark contrast to the DUP, Ulster Unionist politicians are prepared to involve themselves wholeheartedly in a national argument which is fundamental to determining the values which define our state.
I happen to believe that Lords Maginnis, Rogan and Laird are correct in their contention that personal liberties and legal protections are intrinsic to maintaining the type of United Kingdom I want to live in and represent the central tenets on which the concept of Britishness is built.
6 comments:
Not what the UUP wanted - a public spat between their elected MP and appointed Lords. Very unwise and damaging. The bill won't be before the Lords until after the summer where Rogan, Big Ken and Laird could have made their stand there and not fly in the face of Lady Hermon so publically.
I have a feeling David Davis will regret his resignation and make him look like a plonker.
It is a matter of conscience and is not a unionist/nationalist or DUP/UUP divide on the issue. I've made my feelings on 42 days clear on RS. I am also very sceptical of the Tory opposition to 42 days; maybe they thought they had the deal with the DUP to sink Gordon.
I think Sylvia took a position based on the information she recieved as opposed to her ideological position on the matter. If so then I have the utmost respect for her.
Ignited,
David Davis and the Unionist peers have followed their conscience on this one and being more of an (unrealistic?) idealist than a realpolitik pragmatist myself, I can only applaud them on that.
I agree you with on the cynicism towards the Tory attitudes;Anne Widdecombe was the only one in fav
our of 42 days? I think not.
Where (again as an idealist) I take issue with the Dupes is not their voting for 42 days- having suffered personally at the hands of terrorism as some of them had,
my own attitudes would probably have been coloured the same way. It's the fact that they gave the appearance that their vote (or non-vote) could be sold to the highest bidder. In my book that makes them little better than political prostitutes.
From a UK point of view the DUP did Northern Ireland absolutely no favours at all. All the comments I hear from the mainland is that these votes were bought from mad Irishmen. Is that how you want the Ulster Unionist cause to be seen in Britain?
Personally, I'm a Unionist. I dearly love my United Kingdom and what it stands for, as I know you do. However, the sectarian parties of Ulster don't do you any favours. Constantly singing The Sash will only make people on the mainland think you're bigots.
Paul,
All the comments I hear from the mainland is that these votes were bought from mad Irishmen.
Are those comments coming from journalists, the bloggeratti, Tories or from the normal run-of-the mill Brit citizens?
I doubt it's the latter, because if it was then McKenzie wouldn't have put himself in the front-line and against Davis.
Agree with you O'Neill over the horse-trading that the DUP have done. My issue was more focused on the timing of the UUP peers coming out against their MP; it should have been done behind the scenes and then demonstrated their view point when the legislation hits the Lords.
The ones who seem t be rounding on the DUP the most are the Tories - did they believe they had the deal with the DUP? For me personally I would have been more suspect if the DUP did not vote for 42 days.
The attitude from some, Paul included, appears to be 'how dare these MPs from outside of England vote on this issue'. I find that quite disgusting myself.
The attitude from some, Paul included, appears to be 'how dare these MPs from outside of England vote on this issue'. I find that quite disgusting myself.
There were quite a few "Judases" on bioth sides of the House Wednesday night, voting directly against what their conscience was telling them. In the Dupes favour the bribes only paid them for how they would have voted anyway.
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