Jonathan Isaby on inherent contradictions in the DUP manifesto on the subject of the EU:
Shouldn't a party whose entire leadership team is signed up to Better Off Out state unequivocally that it favours withdrawal from the European Union, plain and simple?
Or are the DUP and all its senior ranks confused and/or misleading the people of Northern Ireland?
4 comments:
No confusion or contradiction whatsoever.
Its perfectly legitimate to say that whilst the UK is in the EU we want to see NI's agricultural community protected through CAP.
Alternatively we could leave the EU altogether and instead of support for farmers arriving in Northern Ireland via Brussels our own government might actually like to protect the interests of NI farmers without layers of EU red-tape and interference.
As for contradictions on Europe: look no further than Call Me Dave's "cast iron guarantee"
"No confusion or contradiction whatsoever."
Almost the entire DUP parliamentary party are a member of the "Better off Out" grouping. Fine, it's not one I'd agree with, but it's a principled standpoint. However, it's not principled to omit that fact for 2 elections running from the manifesto. For the record this is what the DUP manifesto says about the CAP:
"The Common Agricultural Policy underpins primary production within Northern Ireland. Without a continuation of funding coming into Northern Ireland through the CAP, farmers could not afford to produce the raw material for the food processing sector or maintain and protect our rural landscape"
Now, the principled (that word again) and coherent standpoint for a party who share the same viewppoint on Europe as the UKIP (and BNP) would be to say that:
"we should leave the EU altogether and instead of support for farmers arriving in Northern Ireland via Brussels our own government might actually like to protect the interests of NI farmers without layers of EU red-tape and interference."
But they don't- see the confusion and contradiction?
Re DC's position on the referendum, it's wrong, I have no problem admitting when an element of my party makes a mistake...perhaps that's the difference between us?
Your assessment of what is and isn't principled is entirely your own opinion and a subjective matter. There is not contradiction in saying whilst we remain in the EU we would back CAP for NI's farmers, whilst at the same time holding to the view that the UK would be better off out of the European Union.
Also, I look forward to you drawing the BNP comparison with the loads of Tory MPs and MEPs who want the UK to leave the EU. Save your smears, it's not big and its not clever.
There is a contradiction in a party the majority of whose MPs want immediate withdrawal from the EU (although not having the balls to admit that fact in their manifesto) then going onto proclaim the virtues of an essential element of the EU.
Re the BNP. Comparison drawn with both them and the UKIP because like the DUP (and unlike the Conservatives and Unionists) their policy is complete withdrawal from the EU.
The UKIP and BNP are at least honest with the electorate about it.
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