A Principled Stand By The Uup?

[ichkeria]

Or is it just letting a few aging, feuding gunmen from our past call the er, shots ?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-34063087

[youngmafbog]

Seems a bit daft to me.

Always better to fight ones battles (but not literally of course) from within.

[andy-hughes]

I think it would be a shame.

The inherent levels of mutual suspicion, coupled with the genetic intransigence that is part of the Celtic DNA mean that this set-up was always going to be fragile.

I fear that the withdrawal of one party - accompanied by inflammatory accusations - will see the entire house of cards fall down.

That could lead to consequences too dreadful to contemplate.

[agchristie]

I don't think it is as grave a situation. It seems to me that there are wider issues around the inadequacies of 'positive outcomes' from the DUP and Sinn Fein.

Who would ever have thought we would have seen the Good Friday Agreement in '98?

This issue, albeit negative, is not necessarily an insuperable problem for the Power Sharing arrangement.

[ichkeria]

Yep I agree. This is almost certainly more to do with unionist politics than a serious threat to the executive, although there is always a danger that events could take on a momentum of their own.
The UUP are desperate to make further inroads into DUP territory by appearing to be 'tough' on terrorism. If it was the case that Sinn Fein were furthering their political agenda by exploiting the continued existence of ghe IRA then it would be understandable, but very evidently this is not so. It's inconceivable that their would not be legacy issues for a gun centric outfit like the IRA - of which this killing appears to be one example. To allow it to take on an importance out of all proportion by this political grandstanding seems very wrong
On the other hand, at least now there'll be a proper opposition in the assembly in the form of the UUP. Until they put their toys back in the pram that is ...

[agchristie]

Ichkeria, award yourself BA!

Agree, this says more about Unionist politics and it is convenient to take a side swipe at Sinn Fein. What a laugh to cite no 'credibility'!

Adams and Kelly's response is more credible in this scenario...

[ichkeria]

Yes when Gerry Kelly is sounding like the voice of reason then you know there is an issue with his opposite numbers :-)

[agchristie]

Quite ich, Kelly is so steely with his chiselled hard man persona. Imagine Adams voice with Kelly's look!

I met Adams in 2007 in London. It confirmed what I had read that he is a formiddable negotiator!

[mikey4444]

Usual game-playing by our friends in NI. We have seen it all before. It will soon blow over, when they have get tired of strutting about, trying to make themselves look important.

[sandyRoe]

Stormont didn't really work, apart from allowing a few local politicians to get their snouts into the trough and showing at the same time what a third rate bunch they were. If the UUP leaving their place in the Executive is the beginning of the end I doubt if there'll be many tears shed.

[agchristie]

^ as long as it is only tears and not blood eh Sandy?