I have been known to place the odd few pounds or euros on a nag. I’ve even been known to back a winner on occasion. I’m no gambler though and if I do place a bet I do it in the full knowledge that I probably will lose the lot and so what? As long as I get some entertainment from the race and my horse puts in a decent effort.
I’ve also been known to invest a few pounds on the stock markets as you do. Not much but a few pounds in the full knowledge that companies fail or succeed, external factors, management decisions, personalities, actually a million different factors may influence whether I make a few bob or not. I am prudent. I spread my options. Safe options, iffy options, speculative stocks, a little on promising start ups or tech companies maybe.
The safest option was always the banks. I had a penny or two in Bank of Ireland shares back in the day bought at around €10. (I still do, they’ve doubled in value in recent weeks from 8c to 16c!) I’ll not go there. That’s the risk I took and I’m not really any poorer because of it due to me only being a dabbler. Pissed off, yes.
Now imagine if I approached you, presuming that you are a Bank of Ireland customer, and told you that because my investment had, eh, not worked out the way I expected, so please could you visit your atm, while I accompany you with a metaphorical gun to your head, and withdraw a few pounds for my “compensation fund”. I presume you may have an answer for me.
If I returned to the bookie after the race and asked for my stake back on the basis that my horse had “underperformed” I presume he may have an answer for me.
Tonight the people of Cyprus, in similar circumstances, gave an answer.
Would you?
"We in coming days may be" 
The Troika now have egg on their face because the people of Cyrus have spoken and their politicians to a man/woman have listened. Big problem now, the depositors line has been crossed without the aim being achieved. Foreign money will drain away from the periphery.
And, off topic,
The bottom of the Ards peninsula looks interesting, what way is the tide going there? and any personal insights of the area out there?
LikeLike
If the EU can’t break the Cypriots bring in the Russian heavy mob. Does one see another EU-sponsored “regime change” on the horizon? They did it to the Greeks and the Italians. Why not the Cypriots? Sound familiar?
LikeLike
Maybe the Alliance Party will lose its only seat in Strangford to the SDLP. Joe Boyle must win it sooner or later.
LikeLike
They should have won it last time, especially considering the boundary changes. But Protestants seem to be moving into the two C wards of Kircubbin and Portaferry, as well as big increases in P’s populations in Portavogie and Conlig. The SDLP may have squandered their oppportunity to get a foothold in Strangford.
LikeLike
The Plain People of Ireland do love to gamble and many thousands lost many thousands on Irish bank shares and many lost their shirts off their backs during the National gambling insanity that overtook the nation when the Press, politicians and banks organised/encouraged the one-way bet on the housing market.
Although not the fairest or most sensible idea – the 10% loss must look a very attractive porposition by comparison to Ireland if it sorts out the Cypriot mess.
bd,
re. Stats eleswhere, dont want to sound like a broken record but surely you should be adjusting your ‘Catholic’ figures for immigration if you are trying to draw political inferences from them – never mind the deeply uncomfortable indications that a sizeable % of persons of a Nat/Catholic background seem to favour the Union based on their census repsonses on identitiy and recent opinion polls?
LikeLike
You do indeed sound like a broken record, Sammy. The debate has been had a number of times. Why is it you only want to adjust the Catholic figures? Surely not a case of cooking the books to suit your own present political outlook?
LikeLike
Fear Feir,
re. “Why is it you only want to adjust the Catholic figures?”
I was under the impression (perhaps incorrectly) that the vast majority of immigrants were of a Catholic persuasion? Adjustment for everyone whether they believe in transubstantiation or the Holy Ghost or Virigins or whatever.
I think it is misleading and propagandist to put out figures that are suggestive of political allegiance when there are other figures available which should be included e.g. the immigration stats. If that is wrong then I withdraw my scurillious allegations.
re. “your own present political outlook”
You seem to be under the impression that dealing with issues and speaking about them frankly in some way undermines a person’s ideological position – mine is Irish Nationalist/Republican lite* The fact that I draw attention to the phenomeon of Uncle Tommery or that the Southern economy is a basketcase (just for you footballcliches) doesnt undermine that.
*indicates my squeamishness when it comes to political violence – except in certain political situations.(Not a cue for a bout of whataboutery.)
LikeLike
Maybe ‘your impression’ is wrong. Unless you have the stats to back it up. If not I suggest you look at the North Down thread where there was a discussion of this issue.
Of course you’re trying to do exactly what you (wrongly) accuse BD and others of – seeking to skew the census figures – only the Catholic ones mind – to make them more favourable to your current (pro-union) outlook.
LikeLike
Immigration is a factor – I dont know what part of
“Adjustment for everyone whether they believe in transubstantiation or the Holy Ghost or Virigins or whatever. ”
you didnt understand?
It is reasonable to challenge stats which exclude certain categories (ie immigrants) which is what is happening here.
I think you are suggesting there are an equal number of both or more Prods than Caths immigrants in Northern Ireland since the last census? Is that what you are saying?
LikeLike
No, immigration is INCLUDED in the stats, all of them, not just the Catholic ones.
If I was trying to say something I would have said it already. At no point did I argue that there were an equal amount – or more – Protestant immigrants than Catholics. However, I think it’s telling that you’re fixated on Catholic immigration only.
Maybe you should fixate on those who don’t get counted – emigrants.
LikeLike
Paulg,
“I don’t think the figures are available for the proportion of C’s of the immigrants in each ward, so we work with what we have, but it would be a useful reference to have them in an adjacent column. ”
The proportion of immigrants by consituency could be allocated to wards on the basis of population of the ward – and the number of Catholic immigrants would be based on an estimate of the % of catholics from the overall population of emigrants.
…presumably that estimate of the number of of catholic emigrants will be somewhere above 50%?.
Fear Feirsteach,
You are attempting to personalise this discussion – dont think that improves the strength of any of your arguements.
I am making a simple point about the limitations of BDs methodology/figures. I’m sure BD will robustly defend his postiion without personalising his arguements – but if he does I’ll kill the little free-state fecker(humorous intention/joke) and you have tried to construe that as anti-Catholic bias. Poor.
FYI emigrants dont count – because – they dont vote – and BDs figures relate to the relationship between Religion and Voting intentions.
LikeLike
Sammy,
I think you personalised this discussion when you suggested our friend BD was misleading and propagandist. How do expect him to present figures which aren’t available? You’re asking him to do the impossible.
Emigrants don’t vote. Correct! Seeing as your agenda here is to downplay the implications of demographic change, you’d think you would be making more of this – cause it ain’t doing nationalism any favours in the long run.
Tell me, what makes you think immigrants are particularly interested in our tedious consitutional affairs – or that they’re likely to vote unionist, nationalist or Alliance? Please cite evidence in support any assertions made.
LikeLike
FF,
re. “How do expect him to present figures which aren’t available? You’re asking him to do the impossible.”
See my comment to PaulG above on how this might be achieved. BD methodology needs to make an allowance for greater Catholic immigration or caveat his figures.
re. “Seeing as your agenda here is to downplay the implications of demographic change”
That is more personalised nonsense – my interest is that the census figures are presented in the most accurate way. ‘Good’ Nat figures suit my own ideology i.e. Nationlaist – but the figures can be dismissed unless they are obviously and scrupulously ‘fair’.
LikeLike
It’s not personalised, Sammy. It’s an accurate observation of your attitude towards the thesis, first advanced by Horseman, that demographic change will continue to drive political change and ultimately, progress towards a united Ireland.
WE ALL KNOW IMMIGRANTS ARE INCLUDED IN THE CENSUS FIGURES. If you bothered to look, you’d find it’s been extensively commented on on this site already. ‘Adjusting’ one set of figures (i.e. Catholic) using guesswork but not adjusting others is not in the least bit fair or accurate. If you think the census data / methodology used is inaccurate and unfair direct complaints to NISRA not to Bangor Dub, who is doing us a service in providing us with the opportunity to comment on it.
LikeLike
Immigration doesn’t seriously skew the figures in most council areas. On the most recent discussion, C increases in Rathfriland and parts of Banbridge will be predominatly indigenous.
What way C’s vote if we ever get a referendum is secondary. The important thing is that they vote for Nationalist parties, who will eventually have a majority of Assembly seats. At that moment Irish C’s of the North will have their destiny in their own hands and the perversion of democracy which created the NI state will have been ended. Whatever way they want to go then, is up to them.
LikeLike
Paulg,
re. “Immigration doesn’t seriously skew the figures in most council areas”
Maybe so – but what was the immigration figure for Banbridge and what was the net Catholic increase after that is susbtracted – what % of net catholic figure is accounted for by immigrants?
Surely the immigration figures should be included – like the ‘nones’ or ‘others’ are – we dont leave the nones or others out becuase they are a ‘small’ number. Immigrants are a different bunch of people to indigenous Nats.
When you publish stats is not usual to publish all of them that are relevant? The reader can then see that they ‘doesn’t seriously skew the figures’.
LikeLike
Sammy,
I don’t disagree with you. I don’t think the figures are available for the proportion of C’s of the immigrants in each ward, so we work with what we have, but it would be a useful reference to have them in an adjacent column.
Similarly, the ‘none’ block should also be listed and we may attribute a proportion to each community/political outlook, depending upon location. Say 75% to Nats in Andersonstown and just BD for the cause, in Bangor 🙂 Across the North 20-25% of Atheists/None’s might be Nats.
It is quite innacurate for BD to talk about 15 & 20% swings from C to P in certain areas without taking into account the large no. of P’s who have either re-classified as ‘None’ or died and their new Grandchildren are being brough up as without Religion.
I think that outside of Dungannon and Craigavon, that has a bigger influence on our attempts to guage/project political inclinations.
LikeLike
Paul,
We can only work with the figure we’re given. The rest is conjecture. Of course the stats comes with a disclaimer – do not translate exactly to voting stats. Those who can’t or won’t understand that are trying to have the wrong discussion.
LikeLike
Fear F,
Sure, and there were forms that weren’t filled in at all and the census people have already taken a best guess and attributed most of the people who left Religion blank etc. but all we can do is get the most likely results allowing for all that.
I think the 1991 census was a major factor in ceasfires and I think the expectation would have been for a higher C % by 2011 and a higher Nat % of votes in the elections since then. 2011 figures are much more blurred than 1991 but there are still interesting positives to be found.
Incidentally, you were able to give a % C figure for the village of Stoneyford. Have you been able to match up these small output areas from 2001 to 2011 and identify them geographically ?
LikeLike
The census does not use that methodology any more. If you didn’t fill in your form but were counted anyway or didn’t answer the religion / community background questions you will have been put down as None. Thus the big increase in that classification.
LikeLike
Thats very interesting that non respndents are classified as ‘none’. There must be more CNR’s in there than I had thought.
Very surprising that they would choose to dump inconclusive data in the ‘None’ category. Anywhere else would seek to accurately chart the rise of secularism as a priority.
Anyway, we all have access to the data, so it’s not up to BD to distribute the numbers for us, though I do think it would be convenient to have C %, None % as well as the C & P % change figures.
LikeLike
Paul G,
Happy to share those figs. I really dont want to clog up the blog with impenatrable numbers though. Will I e-mail my spreadsheets to you?
LikeLike
Thanks for the offer BD, but I’ll just soldier on with my own scrappy sheets in hand.
LikeLike
Is it a tax in wealth? Yes, to a certain extent, and I prefer taxes on wealth opposed to income (joys of being from nothing and making something of myself, also a problem my kids may face but not me :)) but I find this whole proposition a nonsense and dangerous in the extreme.
Watch the bank runs elsewhere. We’ve crossed a Rubicon folks where bond holders are fine and savers, those who most would consider responsible in normal society, are punished…
LikeLike
Anecdotally I know several average-waged friends who look to their bank savings as their future pensions/nest eggs/emergency funds (however inadequate) and are now examining ways of “ring-fencing” them from future government actions like those taken in Cyprus. The only sure way seems to be the old under the mattress solution for the ordinary Seán and Síle Citizen. Only the rich can make use of “imaginative accounting” and off-shore accounts (the Isle of Man, Lichtenstein and other European tax-havens must be rubbing their hands with glee if this does start an EU-wide run). There are very, very few options for medium and lower income earners to safely secure and manage their excess earnings outside of the high street banking system. I have to say I share their concerns and I’m wondering myself what I should do.
LikeLike
Tbh, putting my experience of finance work to action (I do legal and company stuff) due to European savings directive, having your money off shore doesn’t mean you avoid taxes. Having something like £100k in a bank account s demonstrably idiotic, why is this money not doing something for Sean and Sile citizen? I know when I was working in dublin, every month I would convert my savings to sterling and into the Lurgan credit union it would go.
What to do with it? I could never say…
LikeLike
Thursday the 18th of September 2014 is the date for the Scottish Independence Referendum.
LikeLike
hoboroad,
there is gambling angle to that – Independence to be rejected is 1/4 with Paddy Power.
That(unfortunately) is likely to be nice little earner – 25% return is not to be sniffed at. Exect those odds to change fairly dramatically.
LikeLike
Bang on the money there – again unfortunately
LikeLike
http://m.youtube.com/#/watch?v=8w4PoQbgUiA&feature=youtu.be&desktop_uri=%2Fwatch%3Fv%3D8w4PoQbgUiA%26feature%3Dyoutu.be
LikeLike
As soon as there is a chance of us losing a few euros/pounds many of us put our ‘National’ consideration on hold – be that ‘Nationalists’ in the North following their pocket and preferring the Union or Southerners looking to squirrel away their money outside the State’s borders.
… well that is one thing the boy Marx was actually right about.
LikeLike
Not to mention Unionist loyalty to the half crown 🙂
LikeLike
Thats not true sammy not for me at least! I sell items on ebay and my postage costs to the UK will probably rise by around 40p if prices stay the same in a UI. While falling the same amount 40p when posting to the rest of the world.
I would have thought in this day and age with quicker planes and the Euro tunnel it would cost less to post from London to Dublin and Paris than the Scottish Highlands.
It would seem the taxpayer are paying for the cheaper postage from NI/Higlands to England by paying more in postage to ROTW. I use a similar tactic myself *smiley*
If the Irish government cut the cost of postage to the UK (England makes up around 85% of my buyers) Irish based sellers on sites such as ebay would be much more competitive.
If you live close to the border whats the point in using An Post to post to the UK when you can use the nearest PO in NI for less. If Im correct with these price differences? then people on the NI side of the border would be better using AN Post when posting to ROTW.
I know someone who makes up 60+ envelopes each day to post. These envelopes would be larger and heavier than mine but if it was the same difference in price he’d save a small fortune.
In fact if the rates for ebay 20% final value plus inserstion fee and paypal fees 3%? are significantly less in Ireland than they are in the UK I seriously think he’d consider moving to the ROI/border to take advantge.
LikeLike
Sorry ebay UK final value is 10%
LikeLike
And Im unable to edit
LikeLike
Interesting take on the issue of “N. Irish” nationality by Norman Hamill in the Derry Journal.
LikeLike
Fear Feirsteach ,
I’m a fan – though a critical one – of both BD and Ulster’s Doomed – your assertions about me are simply wrong.
There are 3 problems with BDs methodolgy relating to the census reuslts – admittedly not that easy to resolve – but that does not make them any less problems and without adressing them leaves the site open to accusations of lack of impartiality in the analysis of the figures.
1) Immigrants need to be distributed proportionately based on religion.(Probably more Caths than Prods)
2) ‘Nones’ need to be distributed proportionately based on religion.(Probably more ‘Prods’ than Caths.)
3) National Identity responses are not being taken account of – because they they appear to suggest very high levels of UncleTommery.
… and poor/false analysis can lead to severe embarassment and will ismply damage the Nat cause – witness poor unfortunate Alex M(SF) having to go on the Nolan to pretend that SF think they can win a border poll.
LikeLike
It’s the census data you’re criticising. Immigration has been discussed here – if only you would look at those discussions rather than just condemning the analysis.
In relation to point 1 NISRA will release more information later in the year but that should not preclude us from commenting on it now. In relation to point 2 NISRA were justly criticised for allocating religious backgrounds to people who hadn’t stated one in 2001 and changed its methodology for this census accordingly. In relation to 3. you appear to view ‘Northern Irish’ as akin to Uncle Tommery. Of course this is just your opinion and it appears many people don’t share it.
LikeLike
Sammy,
Without getting lost in the minutae of your points, there is a very simple point underlying this blog. The correllation between community background and votes. It really is that simple. We could start factoring in all sorts of variables, and I believe emigration, not immigration, is by far the most important one. As long as the votes bear a relationship to the demographics I will stand by my methodology. The figures I use are freely available and referenced, linked and open to all. Indeed I actually encourage and facilitate readers to look at the source material. As FF states above immigrants are included in the census figures.
I pay little attention to the identity stats because they are not reflected in voting patterns. Likewise the “others” and “nones” merely distort the voting patterns. Simples 🙂
LikeLike
Sammy,
I also suggest you read the article Seamus has very smartly linked to above regarding the identity question. Particularly the point about where all the eh, shall we call them undecided, went to in the mid ulster election.
LikeLike
What ever way you try and explain the results protestant/Unionist politicians can no longer speak of a protestant majority in NI.
John Taylor in particular used to be fond of using such language. Now only opinion polls keep the spirits up.
It must have been a shock to see 48% The banners now read ‘We will not be the generation that failed Ulster. If only good men like Bates and Brooke were still around!
LikeLike
Given that the A5 fiasco is back in the news you might go down Tyrone way next, dub. Although IIRC you did mention Antrim.
LikeLike
Agreed FF, also to reinforce my point may I remind people of the following stats:
Mid Ulster Catholic Protestant
2011 Census 65.26% 33.73%
Nationalist Unionist
By Election 2013 64.30% 34.40%
Another factor is the higher age profile of protestants and the higher propensity of older age groups to vote along with the obvious fact that those under 18 have no vote.
QED.
LikeLike
BD,
re. “Agreed FF, also to reinforce my point may I remind people of the following stats:”
Bit of strawmannery going on there – I’m not for a moment disputing the greening of Ulster – just suggesting that the analysis that is used to explore it has some shortcomings.
For example – do you think that any part of the increase in the Catholic population in Banbridge is down to immigration or the drop in Prods is down to more of them moving into the ‘none’ category?
I would wager a small sum that there is a (statistical) correlation between number of Prods in a constituency and the ‘nones’.
LikeLike
Sammy,
You may well be correct in your suspicion that the nones and the drop in the protestant designation. I think you are. but what interests me is how it impacts on votes. That is my point. As illustrated above the correllation between votes and designation holds true as of two weeks ago 😉
LikeLike
People had a choice when answering the community background question to say whether they came from a Catholic Community Background or a Protestant Community Background. Now if people chose to leave that blank they were obviously making a statement that they BELONGED TO NEITHER designation. Now who are you or I or indeed NISRA to say, ‘No sorry. I reckon you’re a Catholic’ or ‘I reckon you’re a Prod’. Why bother having censuses if that’s the case!
Now obviously there were people – Catholic, Protestant and neither – who did not bother filling in their forms but the enumerators found out they existed and counted them anyway. These people will have recorded as None. Many immigrants will have been recorded in this manner because for various reasons, discussed on the thread about immigration, they are less likely to fill out forms.
Obviously there will be some immigration into Banbridge. If you have evidence there has been a massive influx into the district, that they are all papists and were recorded as such in the census, please feel free to share.
Otherwise you’re just pissing in the wind.
LikeLike
The motorway from Belfast to Derry dosn’t even get you half way there. Ive been on that road when its busy and seen some crazy s#^* The A5 is probably worse.
Danny Kennedy is the man in charge but hes also an orange order grand wizard and secret oath taker. He’s unlikely to be in any rush to improve the lives of people west of the Bann. It gets no better with the DUP. Ian Paisley og thinks a bypass for Cullabacky is more important.
LikeLike
How do people ‘move into the none category’? This is just a nonsensical statement. Either people identify with the Catholic community or the Protestant community or they don’t. Do you have any empirical evidence to sustain your assertions or do you just make them up?
LikeLike
BD,
re. “That is my point. As illustrated above the correllation between votes and designation holds true as of two weeks ago ”
There is an implicit assumption in this blog and in Enda’s as there was in Ulster’s doomed – that the Cath population =Nat votes and that Nat votes = support for a UI.
Would you agree that is a fair summary?
Leaving aside my reservations about immigration and ‘nones’ in relation to the first of those assumptions – there now seems to be evidence and we DON’T know for sure – but the 2nd of those assumption MAY need to be REVIEWED.
Would you also agree with that?
LikeLike
Sammy,
No I disagree completely.
My contention, yet again, is that the correlation between votes and designation holds true. None of this is set in stone. It may all change tomorrow. All of my assumptions may need review but as of now, as evidenced above, they dont.
LikeLike
Sammy hasn’t read the papers recently. The southern economy is out of recession for two years now officially and is back in the international markets. Meanwhile, the UK continues to stagnate. The only story to emerge from this lately is the impotence of the exec to do a damn thing
LikeLike
You completely contradict the argument you made about economics earlier. Economic cycles come and go. The south will rise again.
LikeLike
Sorry that comment was to Sammy, who reckons, based on a few polls that many northern nationalists are in fact closet unionists in these times of austerity.
LikeLike
BD,
re. “No I disagree completely”.
Are you “disagreeing completely” with the statement below
“There is an implicit assumption in this blog and in Enda’s as there was in Ulster’s doomed – that the Cath population =Nat votes and that Nat votes = support for a UI. ”
Or just with the view that some of those who vote for Nat parties MAY not currenlty support a UI?
re. “Sammy hasn’t read the papers recently.”
As I have metioned here many times – it is not about the latest figures for tractor production – but whether the National and personal debt levels are sustainable and whether default should be on the agenda.
I generally do read the Irish Times every day (new format is appalling) and like you (presumably) scan it for good Irish economic news – but the country has lost its economic soverignity and until it has got it back and can demonstrably deal with its debt levels then comparisons with other countries who have economic soverignity simply look self serving and ideological.
LikeLike
OK chaps,
What areas would you expect to find the most hostility / non-coperation with the census?
LikeLike
West of the Bann
LikeLike
West of the Belfast. South of the Armagh, etc 😉
LikeLike
OK FF,
Serious answer is twofold. Any area with a high anti authority profile, Tyrone, South Armagh etc. Second areas with a nationalist subdued minority eg Larne. I attended an event last night and I learned a lot about how nationalist politics operates. Frankly I was stunned.
LikeLike
Sounds like it would make an interesting blog!
LikeLike
It would, trust me, but I couldn’t possibly comment.
LikeLike
I have just put up a new opinion poll on my Blog. Everyone is welcome to vote.
http://hoboroadpoliticalhighway.blogspot.co.uk/
LikeLike
http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/politics/fury-as-nesbitt-says-uup-must-apologise-for-parts-of-good-friday-deal-29147128.html
Mike Nesbitt thinks the UUP should apologise for parts of the GFA. I see Basil McCrea has challenged him to a debate on the issue.
LikeLike
He needed a new headline Hoboroad.
Two days ago Lord Laird, a prominent ulster unionist was referring to paedophilia as a “minor” misdemeanor.
Yesterday Lord Laird was furiously backtracking and apologising for how he was, eh, misinterpreted. Note that no action was taken by Nesbitt and contrast that with his treatment of Ken McGuinness when he made some remarks about homosexuality.
Nesbitt comes out today thinking he should apologise for his parties part in negotiating an agreement with nationalists.
I tend not to use strong language but inept gobshite comes to mind.
LikeLike
And Peter Robinson wants people to boycott the Irish News. I don’t know many DUP supporters who read it so I can’t see his boycott doing much damage. But a campaign on Twitter in support of the Irish News seems to be picking up a head of steam.
LikeLike
Why has Robinson got it in for the Irish news? Its not like the paper is pro Sinn Fein.
The Irish news covered this some time ago. Apparently our first minister has been refusing them interviews for a number of years. Ive never heard anyone from the wider media question him about this.
The Irish news published a lot over Irisgate and Robinsons land deal but no more than other papers such as the Sunday life.
LikeLike
Not to defend PR here but I think it was just a joke – people were asking him about something the IN had reported, which he claimed wasn’t true and then he quipped that you shouldn’t read the IN. Now the IN are making out its some kind of boycott, an overreaction I think, but sells papers perhaps.
LikeLike
Robinson is boycotting the Irish News. He has refused to grant them an interview for years. Thinks he’s Fergie or something.
LikeLike
http://www.newsletter.co.uk/news/headlines/secret-dup-uup-unity-paper-wanted-one-party-1-4931464
LikeLike
I heard about the Irish News boycott.
But effectively unionists have been boycotting the Irish News for decades.
His real point was to warn his backbenchers…and prolly the civil servants from talking to the Irish News.
Hardly Outreach.
If the Flegs dispute has proved anything, it is that all those gushing blogs on Slugger O’Toole last year praising Robinson and Nesbitt for their outreach….were at best naive and at worst stupid. Any nationalist who has observed unionism for decades would know that unionism is incapable of change.
As for Nesbitt thinking UUP should apologise for it’s part in Good Friday Agreement….it should be possible to find some gushing UTV footage of the UTV journalists fully signed up to the narrative that anyone opposing it was a knave or a fool.
And while we are at it there’s some good footage on You Tube of UUP election broadcasts featuring….Basil McCrea, Ian Parsley, Paula Bradshaw and Harry Hamilton.
Hopefully these videos will appear on blogs etc before the next election to remind us of how….er consistent…they are.
LikeLike
Pingback: Cypriot Bailout: ‘it may also mark at least the beginning of the end for something much bigger: the era when unrestricted movement of capital was taken as a desirable norm around the world.’ | footballcliches