tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38067964.post6357294249082775398..comments2024-01-11T10:25:57.007+00:00Comments on Labour of Gove: Cam Confusion: Titanic Day for Northern Ireland?Chris Paulhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15679067503215414300noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38067964.post-49758987600069865262008-07-25T00:41:00.000+01:002008-07-25T00:41:00.000+01:00Mark Durkan is socially liberal..has a good record...Mark Durkan is socially liberal..has a good record on gay rights, for a startMerseymikehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07231364271812168188noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38067964.post-3802103007545979882008-07-24T18:22:00.000+01:002008-07-24T18:22:00.000+01:00Thanks Aodhán - my mum dad and bro live near Giant...Thanks Aodhán - my mum dad and bro live near Giant's Causeway on the North Coast and Papa Doc is their MP. With Jnr having some sleazey interests nearby. Would you agree that the DUP - however reactionary - have a wider, more workerly set of adherents? <BR/><BR/>It is very interesting how Sinn Fein are taking the socially liberal/left ground while the SDLP are (officially anyway) socially conservative. <BR/><BR/>Hume was a family friend to the younger aunts and uncles, and one of my cousins worked for him too, and Durkan is up for a drink and the craic.<BR/><BR/>But, whatever Iain may think, an alliance between an essentially English and non-unionist conservative party and the rump of the posh unionists is hardly a landmark day for the 6C.Chris Paulhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15679067503215414300noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38067964.post-29031599939469636172008-07-24T17:37:00.000+01:002008-07-24T17:37:00.000+01:00Lickle Iain obviously doesn't understand the natur...Lickle Iain obviously doesn't understand the nature of N Irish politics!<BR/><BR/>The problem is that the politics of the region is completely overshadowed by secterian interests. <BR/><BR/>There already exists a left right spectrum in Northern Ireland, Sinn Fein are allied with Communists in the European Parliament, and Gerry Adams and Martin McGuinness are well known as having (or having had) quite explicitly left leaning beliefs. <BR/><BR/>What I found interesting also is the clear left right divide on social policy, the way DUP and UUP (except Lady Herman) violently fight against issues like homosexuality (*cough* Paisley, Robinson *cough*) whilst Sinn Fein are explicitly promoting equality relating to that topic (despite being Catholic!).<BR/><BR/>Northern Ireland doesn't need any more parties, it has enough to choose from, what it needs is to change it's own priorities, then maybe the region can tackle the unfortunate level of poverty that can be so rifeAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com